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David Learns About Saul’s Death

Now Saul was dead. After David had ·defeated [slaughtered; been victorious over] the Amalekites, he returned to Ziklag and stayed there two days. On the third day a young man from Saul’s camp came to Ziklag. ·To show his sadness, [L …and] his clothes were torn and he had dirt on his head. He came and ·bowed facedown on the ground [L fell to the ground and prostrated himself] before David.

David asked him, “Where did you come from?”

The man answered, “I escaped from the Israelite camp.”

David asked him, “·What happened [How did things go]? Please tell me!”

The man answered, “The ·people [army; men] have ·run away [fled] from the battle, and many of them have fallen and are dead. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead also.”

David asked him, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

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 [charioteers; or horsemen; cavalry] were ·coming closer to Saul [closing in on him]. When he looked back and saw me, he called to me. I answered him, ‘Here I am!’

“Then Saul asked me, ‘Who are you?’

“I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’

“Then Saul said to me, ‘Please come here and ·kill me [put me out of my misery]. I am ·badly hurt [in the throes of death; L convulsions have seized me] and ·am almost dead already [yet my life still lingers].’

10 “So I ·went over [L stood beside/over him] and killed him. He had ·been hurt so badly [L fallen and] I knew he couldn’t live. Then I took the crown from his head and the ·bracelet [band] from his arm, and I have brought them here to you, my ·master [lord].”

11 Then David tore his clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress] and all the men with him did also. 12 They ·were very sad [mourned] and cried and fasted until evening. They cried for Saul and his son Jonathan and for all the people of the Lord and for all the ·Israelites [L house of Israel] who had ·died in the battle [L had fallen by the sword].

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 [resident alien], an Amalekite.”

14 David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to ·kill [lift your hand and destroy] the Lord’s ·appointed king [anointed]?”

15 Then David called one of his [L young] men and told him, “·Go! Kill the Amalekite [L Come, strike him down]!” So the Israelite ·killed him [L struck him down and he died]. 16 David had said to the Amalekite, “·You are responsible for your own death [L Your blood is/be on your own head]. ·You confessed [L Your own mouth has testified against you] by saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s ·appointed king [anointed].’”

David’s Song About Saul and Jonathan

17 David ·sang [chanted; intoned; or composed] a ·funeral song [lament] ·about [over] Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this song. It is called “The Bow,” and it is written in the Book of Jashar [C an ancient record of heroic deeds, now lost; Josh. 10:13]:

19 “Israel, your ·leaders [glorious/beautiful/proud ones; or gazelle; C a metaphor for a leader] have been killed on ·the hills [your heights].
    How the mighty have ·fallen in battle [L fallen]!
20 Don’t ·tell [announce; speak of] it in Gath.
    Don’t ·announce [proclaim; broadcast] it in the streets of Ashkelon.
If you do, the Philistine ·women [L daughters] will ·be happy [rejoice].
    The daughters of the ·Philistines [pagans; L uncircumcised] will ·rejoice [gloat; exult].

21 “May there be no dew or rain on the mountains of Gilboa,
    and may their fields produce no [L offerings of] grain,
because there the mighty warrior’s shield was ·dishonored [defiled; despised].
    Saul’s shield will no longer be ·rubbed [anointed] with oil.
22 Jonathan’s bow did not ·fail [turn back]
    ·to kill many soldiers [L from shedding the blood of the slain].
Saul’s sword did not ·fail [return empty]
    ·to wound many strong men [L from the fat/bodies of the mighty].

23 “We loved Saul and Jonathan
    and ·enjoyed [admired] them ·while they lived [in life].
    They ·are together [were not parted] even in death.
They were ·faster [swifter] than eagles.
    They were stronger than lions.

24 “You daughters of Israel, ·cry for [weep over] Saul.
    Saul clothed you with ·red dresses [luxurious scarlet/crimson]
and put gold ·decorations [ornaments/jewelry] on them.

25 “How the mighty have fallen in battle!
    Jonathan ·is dead [lies slain] on Gilboa’s ·hills [heights].
26 I ·cry [grieve; am desolate/distressed] for you, my brother Jonathan.
    ·I enjoyed your friendship so much [You were greatly loved by me].
Your love to me was wonderful,
    ·better than [surpassing; deeper than] the love of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen!
·The weapons of war are gone [Stripped of their weapons of war].”

David Learns of Saul’s Death

Now it came about after (A)the death of Saul, when David had returned from (B)the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David stayed two days in Ziklag. And on the third day, behold, (C)a man came from [a]Saul’s camp (D)with his clothes torn and [b]dust on his head. And it happened when he came to David, (E)he fell to the ground and prostrated himself. Then David said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” David said to him, “(F)How did things go? Please tell me.” And he said, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” The young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on (G)Mount Gilboa, and behold, (H)Saul was leaning on his spear. And behold, the chariots and the horsemen had overtaken him. When he looked behind himself, he saw me, and called to me. And I said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I [c]answered him, ‘(I)I am an Amalekite.’ And he said to me, ‘Please stand next to me and finish me off, for [d]agony has seized me because my [e]life still lingers in me.’ 10 So I stood next to him (J)and finished him off, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. And (K)I took the crown which was on his head and the band which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Then (L)David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so also did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and (M)fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 Then David said to the young man who informed him, “Where are you from?” And he [f]answered, “(N)I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.” 14 And David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid (O)to reach out with your hand to destroy the Lords anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Come forward, [g]put him to death.” (P)So he struck him and he died. 16 And David said to him, “[h](Q)Your blood is on your head, because (R)your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have finished off the Lords anointed.’”

David’s Song of Mourning for Saul and Jonathan

17 Then David (S)sang this song of mourning over Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the mourning song of the bow; behold, it is written in (T)the Book of Jashar.

19 [i]Your beauty, Israel, is [j]slaughtered on your high places!
(U)How the mighty have fallen!
20 (V)Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
Or (W)the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
The daughters of (X)the uncircumcised will celebrate.
21 (Y)Mountains of Gilboa,
(Z)May there be no dew nor rain on you, or fields of offerings!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
The shield of Saul, not (AA)anointed with oil.
22 (AB)From the blood of those [k]slaughtered, from the fat of the mighty,
(AC)The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return [l]unstained.
23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in [m]life,
And in their deaths they were not separated;
(AD)They were swifter than eagles,
(AE)They were mightier than lions.
24 Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with jewelry,
Who put gold jewelry on your apparel.
25 (AF)How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan is [n]slaughtered on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been [o]a close friend to me.
(AG)Your love for me was more wonderful
Than the love of women.
27 (AH)How the mighty have fallen,
And (AI)the weapons of war have perished!”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:2 Lit the camp connected with Saul
  2. 2 Samuel 1:2 Lit earth
  3. 2 Samuel 1:8 Lit said to
  4. 2 Samuel 1:9 Or dizziness
  5. 2 Samuel 1:9 Lit whole life is still in me
  6. 2 Samuel 1:13 Lit said
  7. 2 Samuel 1:15 Lit fall on him
  8. 2 Samuel 1:16 I.e., his death was his own responsibility
  9. 2 Samuel 1:19 Lit The
  10. 2 Samuel 1:19 Lit pierced
  11. 2 Samuel 1:22 Lit pierced
  12. 2 Samuel 1:22 Or without success
  13. 2 Samuel 1:23 Lit their lives
  14. 2 Samuel 1:25 Lit pierced
  15. 2 Samuel 1:26 Lit very friendly to