2 Samuel 1:1-16
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)
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- 1.12 Q ms Gk: Heb had fallen
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!’”
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- 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
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