2 Samuel 1:1-16
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!’”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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 1:1-16
Lexham English Bible
The Report of Saul’s Death by the Amalekite
1 After[a] the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and he stayed at Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day, a man came from the camp from being with Saul, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. When he came[b] to David, he fell to the ground and bowed down. 3 David said to him, “Where did you come from?” He said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 Then David said to him, “How did things go?[c] Please tell me.” He answered, “When[d] the army fled from the battle, and many of the people fell; also, Saul and Jonathan his son 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 who was reporting to him said, “I merely happened to be on Mount Gilboa. Here Saul was leaning on his spear, and look, the chariots and the horsemen were getting close to him. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called to me, and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 8 Then he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I said to him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 He said to me, ‘Please stand over me and kill me, for convulsions have seized me, even though my life is still in me.’ 10 So I stood over him and killed him, for I knew that he could not live after his falling; I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet which was on his arm; and here, I have brought them to my lord. 11 David grabbed at his clothes and tore them, as did all of the men who were with him. 12 Then they mourned and wept and fasted over Saul and Jonathan his son until the evening, as well as over the people of Yahweh and over the house of Israel because they had fallen by the sword. 13 Then David said to the young man who was reporting to him, “Where are you from?” And he said, “I am the son of an alien man. I am an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy Yahweh’s anointed one?” 15 Then David called to one of the young men and said to him, “Come near; strike him.” So he struck him down and he died. 16 David said to him, “Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has testified against you by saying, ‘I killed Yahweh’s anointed one!’”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 1:1 Literally “And it happened after”
- 2 Samuel 1:2 Literally “And it happened at his coming”
- 2 Samuel 1:4 Literally “What was the thing”
- 2 Samuel 1:4 Literally “That”
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