1 And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; ² it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. ³ And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. ⁴ And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. ⁵ And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead? ⁶ And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him. ⁷ And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. ⁸ And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. ⁹ And he said unto me, Stand, I pray thee, ^[a]beside me, and slay me; for ^[b]anguish hath taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me. ¹⁰ So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

¹¹ Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: ¹² and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. ¹³ And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite. ¹⁴ And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah’s anointed? ¹⁵ And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him, so that he died. ¹⁶ And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain Jehovah’s anointed.