2 Samuel 1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan
1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.(A) 2 On the third day, a man came from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and did obeisance.(B) 3 David said to him, “Where have you come from?” He said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 David said to him, “How did things go? Tell me!” He answered, “The army fled from the battle, but also many of the army fell and died, and Saul and his son Jonathan also died.” 5 Then David asked the young man who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan died?” 6 The young man reporting to him said, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, while the chariots and the horsemen drew close to him.(C) 7 When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here, sir.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’(D) 9 He said to me, ‘Come, stand over me and kill me, for convulsions have seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood over him and killed him, for I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”(E)
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.(F) 12 They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for his son Jonathan and for the army of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had been struck down[a] by the sword.(G) 13 David said to the young man who had reported to him, “Where do you come from?” He answered, “I am the son of a resident alien, an Amalekite.”(H) 14 David said to him, “Were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”(I) 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Come here and strike him down.” So he struck him down, and he died.(J) 16 David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”(K)
17 David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan.(L) 18 (He ordered that The Song of the Bow[b] be taught to the people of Judah; it is written in the Book of Jashar.) He said,(M)
19 “Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!(N)
20 Tell it not in Gath;
proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice;
the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.(O)
21 You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you
nor bounteous fields![c]
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more.(P)
22 From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
nor the sword of Saul return empty.(Q)
23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
they were stronger than lions.(R)
24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you with crimson, in luxury,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan lies slain upon your high places.(S)
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
greatly beloved were you to me;
your love to me was wonderful,
passing the love of women.(T)
27 How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!”(U)
2 Samuel 1
International Standard Version
David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan
1 Shortly after Saul had died, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and remained in Ziklag for two days. 2 The next[a] day, a man escaped from Saul’s camp! With torn clothes and dirty hair, he approached David, fell to the ground, and bowed down to him.
3 David asked him, “Where did you come from?
He answered him, “I just escaped from Israel’s encampment.”
4 David continued questioning him, “How did things go? Please tell me!”
He replied, “The army has fled the battlefield, many of the army are wounded[b] or have died, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
5 David asked the young man who related the story,[c] “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6 The young man who had been relating the story[d] answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa and there was Saul, leaning on his spear! Meanwhile, the chariots and horsemen were rapidly drawing near. 7 Saul[e] glanced behind him, saw me, and called out to me, so I replied, ‘Here I am!’ 8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ So I answered him, ‘I’m an Amalekite!’ 9 He begged me, ‘Please—come stand here next to me and kill me, because I’m still alive.’ 10 So I stood next to him and killed him, because I knew that he wouldn’t live after he had fallen. I took the crown that had been on his head, along with the bracelet that had been on his arm, and I have brought them to your majesty.”[f]
11 On hearing this,[g] David grabbed his clothes and tore them, as did all the men who were attending to him. 12 They mourned and wept, and then decided to fast[h] until dusk for Saul, for his son Jonathan, for the army of the Lord, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen in battle.[i]
13 Meanwhile, David asked the young man who had told him the story,[j] “Where are you from?”
He answered, “I’m an Amalekite, the son of a foreign man.”
14 At this David asked him, “How is it that you weren’t afraid to raise your hand to strike the Lord’s anointed?”
15 Then David called out to one of his young men and ordered him, “Go up to him and cut him down!” So he attacked him and killed him.
16 David told him, “Your blood is on your own head, because your own words[k] testified against you! After all, you said, ‘I myself have killed the Lord’s anointed!’”
David’s Song for Saul and Jonathan
17 So David intoned this song of lament about Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and he gave orders[l] to teach the descendants of Judah the art of warfare,[m] as is recorded in the Book of Jashar:[n]
19 “Your beauty, Israel, lies slain on your high places!
O, how the valiant have fallen!
20 Don’t make it known in Gath!
Don’t declare it in the avenues of Ashkelon!
Otherwise, the daughters of Philistia will rejoice;
and the daughters of the uncircumcised will triumph.
21 Mountains of Gilboa,
let no dew or rain fall on you,
and may none of your fields be filled with plenty,
because in that place the shield of the valiant ones was defiled,
the shield of Saul without an anointing with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain,
from the blood of the valiant,
Jonathan’s bow would not retreat
nor would Saul’s sword return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan, loved and handsome in life,
in death were not separated.
Swifter than eagles they were,
and more valiant than lions.
24 Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul!
He clothed you in scarlet luxury
and decorated your garments with gold.
25 How have the valiant fallen in the tumult of battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 I am in distress for you, my brother Jonathan.
You have been most kind[o] to me.
Your love for me was extraordinary[p]—
beyond love from women.
27 How the valiant have fallen!
How the weapons of war are destroyed!”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 1:2 Lit. third
- 2 Samuel 1:4 Lit. fallen
- 2 Samuel 1:5 The Heb. lacks the story
- 2 Samuel 1:6 The Heb. lacks the story
- 2 Samuel 1:7 Lit. He
- 2 Samuel 1:10 Lit. my lord; and so throughout the book
- 2 Samuel 1:11 Lit. Then
- 2 Samuel 1:12 Lit. wept, fasting
- 2 Samuel 1:12 Lit. fallen by the sword
- 2 Samuel 1:13 The Heb. lacks story
- 2 Samuel 1:16 Lit. mouth
- 2 Samuel 1:18 Lit. he said
- 2 Samuel 1:18 Lit. Judah the bow; or Judah the Song of the Bow; i.e., David’s lament in vs. 19-27
- 2 Samuel 1:18 Lit. the Book of the Upright; i.e. an ancient chronicle of Israel, apparently now lost.
- 2 Samuel 1:26 Or pleasant
- 2 Samuel 1:26 Or wonderful
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