2 Samuel 1
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!’”
David Laments Jonathan with the “Song of the Bow”
17 Then David sang this funeral song over Saul and over Jonathan his son. 18 And he ordered “The Bow” to be taught to the children of Judah. Look, it is written on the scroll of Jashar.[e]
19 “The glory of Israel is on your high places; how the mighty have fallen!
20 Do not tell it in Gath; do not proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you
or on the fields of grain for offerings,
for there the small shield of the mighty was defiled,
the small shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
and the sword of Saul did not return without effect.[f]
23 Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives
and were not separated in their death.
They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
the one who clothed you with crimson,
the one who adorned your clothing with golden ornaments.[g]
25 How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle;
Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed[h] over you, my brother Jonathan.
you were very dear to me;
your love was more wonderful to me than the love of women.
27 How the mighty have fallen and the weapons of warfare perished.”
Footnotes
- 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”
- 2 Samuel 1:18 The Book of Jashar (“the upright”) is also mentioned in Josh 10:13.
- 2 Samuel 1:22 Literally “empty handedly”
- 2 Samuel 1:24 Literally “put gold ornaments on your clothing”
- 2 Samuel 1:26 Literally “Distress is for me”
2 Samuel 1
New King James Version
The Report of Saul’s Death
1 Now it came to pass after the (A)death of Saul, when David had returned from (B)the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, 2 on the third day, behold, it happened that (C)a man came from Saul’s camp (D)with his clothes [a]torn and dust on his head. So it was, when he came to David, that he (E)fell to the ground and prostrated himself.
3 And David said to him, “Where have you come from?”
So he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”
4 Then David said to him, (F)“How did the matter go? Please tell me.”
And he answered, “The people have fled from the battle, many of the people are fallen and dead, and Saul and (G)Jonathan his son are dead also.”
5 So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
6 Then the young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance to be on (H)Mount Gilboa, there was (I)Saul, leaning on his spear; and indeed the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 Now when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ So I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 He said to me again, ‘Please stand over me and kill me, for [b]anguish has come upon me, but my life still remains in me.’ 10 So I stood over him and (J)killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”
11 Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and (K)tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they (L)mourned and wept and (M)fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the (N)people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 Then David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?”
And he answered, “I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite.”
14 So David said to him, “How (O)was it you were not (P)afraid to (Q)put forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then (R)David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and execute him!” And he struck him so that he died. 16 So David said to him, (S)“Your blood is on your own head, for (T)your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”
The Song of the Bow
17 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, 18 (U)and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow; indeed it is written (V)in the Book [c]of Jasher:
19 “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places!
(W)How the mighty have fallen!
20 (X)Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of (Y)Ashkelon—
Lest (Z)the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of (AA)the uncircumcised triumph.
21 “O (AB)mountains of Gilboa,
(AC)Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
Nor fields of offerings.
For the shield of the mighty is [d]cast away there!
The shield of Saul, not (AD)anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain,
From the fat of the mighty,
(AE)The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23 “Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives,
And in their (AF)death they were not divided;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were (AG)stronger than lions.
24 “O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury;
Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan was slain in your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been very pleasant to me;
(AH)Your love to me was wonderful,
Surpassing the love of women.
27 “How(AI) the mighty have fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 1:2 To show grief
- 2 Samuel 1:9 agony
- 2 Samuel 1:18 Lit. of the Upright
- 2 Samuel 1:21 Lit. defiled
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
