2 Samuel 1
New King James Version
The Report of Saul’s Death
1 Now it came to pass after the (A)death of Saul, when David had returned from (B)the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, 2 on the third day, behold, it happened that (C)a man came from Saul’s camp (D)with his clothes [a]torn and dust on his head. So it was, when he came to David, that he (E)fell to the ground and prostrated himself.
3 And David said to him, “Where have you come from?”
So he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”
4 Then David said to him, (F)“How did the matter go? Please tell me.”
And he answered, “The people have fled from the battle, many of the people are fallen and dead, and Saul and (G)Jonathan his son are dead also.”
5 So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
6 Then the young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance to be on (H)Mount Gilboa, there was (I)Saul, leaning on his spear; and indeed the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 Now when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ So I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 He said to me again, ‘Please stand over me and kill me, for [b]anguish has come upon me, but my life still remains in me.’ 10 So I stood over him and (J)killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”
11 Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and (K)tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they (L)mourned and wept and (M)fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the (N)people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 Then David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?”
And he answered, “I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite.”
14 So David said to him, “How (O)was it you were not (P)afraid to (Q)put forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then (R)David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and execute him!” And he struck him so that he died. 16 So David said to him, (S)“Your blood is on your own head, for (T)your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”
The Song of the Bow
17 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, 18 (U)and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow; indeed it is written (V)in the Book [c]of Jasher:
19 “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places!
(W)How the mighty have fallen!
20 (X)Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of (Y)Ashkelon—
Lest (Z)the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of (AA)the uncircumcised triumph.
21 “O (AB)mountains of Gilboa,
(AC)Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
Nor fields of offerings.
For the shield of the mighty is [d]cast away there!
The shield of Saul, not (AD)anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain,
From the fat of the mighty,
(AE)The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23 “Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives,
And in their (AF)death they were not divided;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were (AG)stronger than lions.
24 “O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury;
Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan was slain in your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been very pleasant to me;
(AH)Your love to me was wonderful,
Surpassing the love of women.
27 “How(AI) the mighty have fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 1:2 To show grief
- 2 Samuel 1:9 agony
- 2 Samuel 1:18 Lit. of the Upright
- 2 Samuel 1:21 Lit. defiled
2 Samuel 1
International Children’s Bible
David Learns About Saul’s Death
1 Now Saul was dead. And after David had defeated the Amalekites, he returned to Ziklag. He stayed there two days. 2 On the third day a young man came to Ziklag. He came from Saul’s camp. To show his sadness his clothes were torn, and he had dirt on his head. He came and bowed facedown on the ground before David.
3 David asked him, “Where did you come from?”
The man answered him, “I escaped from the Israelite camp.”
4 David asked him, “What happened? Please tell me!”
The man answered, “The people have run away from the battle. Many of them have fallen dead. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead also.”
5 David said to him, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6 The young man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa. There I saw Saul leaning on his spear. The Philistine chariots and the men riding in them were coming closer to Saul. 7 When he looked back and saw me, he called to me. I answered him, ‘Here I am!’
8 “Then Saul asked me, ‘Who are you?’
“I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9 “Then Saul said to me, ‘Please come here and kill me. I am badly hurt and am almost dead already.’
10 “So I went over and killed him. He had been hurt so badly I knew he couldn’t live. Then I took the crown from his head and the bracelet from his arm. I have brought them here to you, my master.”
11 Then David tore his clothes to show his sorrow. And all the men with him did also. 12 They were very sad and cried. They did not eat until evening. They cried for Saul and his son Jonathan. And they cried for the Israelites who had been killed with swords.
David Orders the Amalekite Killed
13 David asked the young man who brought the report, “Where are you from?”
The young man answered, “I am the son of a foreigner. I am an Amalekite.”
14 David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to kill the Lord’s appointed king?”
15 Then David called one of his men. David told him, “Go! Kill the Amalekite!” So the Israelite killed the Amalekite. 16 David had said to the Amalekite, “You are responsible for your own death. You have spoken against yourself! You said, ‘I have killed the Lord’s appointed king.’”
David’s Song About Saul and Jonathan
17 David sang a funeral song about Saul and his son Jonathan. 18 David ordered that the people of Judah be taught this song. It is called “The Bow.” This song is written in the Book of Jashar:
19 “Israel, your leaders have been killed on the hills.
How the mighty men have fallen in battle!
20 Don’t tell it in Gath.
Don’t announce it in the streets of Ashkelon.
If you do, the daughters of the Philistines will be happy.
The daughters of the Philistines will rejoice.
21 “May there be no dew or rain on the mountains of Gilboa.
May their fields produce no grain.
This is because there the mighty warrior’s shield was dishonored.
Saul’s shield was no longer rubbed with oil.
22 Jonathan’s bow killed its share of enemies.
And Saul’s sword killed its share, too.
Their weapons are stained with the blood of dead men.
Their weapons have stabbed the flesh of strong men.
23 “We loved Saul and Jonathan.
We enjoyed them while they lived.
Saul and Jonathan are together even in death.
They were faster than eagles.
They were stronger than lions.
24 “You daughters of Israel, cry for Saul.
Saul clothed you with red dresses.
He put gold decorations on your dresses.
25 “How the mighty men have fallen in battle!
Jonathan is dead on Gilboa’s hills.
26 I cry for you, my brother Jonathan.
I enjoyed your friendship so much.
Your love to me was wonderful,
more wonderful than the love of women.
27 “How the mighty men have fallen in battle!
The weapons of war are gone.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.