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
2 Samuel 1
American Standard Version
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.
17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son 18 (and he bade them teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of [c]Jashar):
19 [d]Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places!
How are the mighty fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath,
Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 Ye mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings:
For there the shield of the mighty was [e]vilely cast away,
The shield of Saul, [f]not anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan turned not back,
And the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided:
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet [g]delicately,
Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!
[h]Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.
26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan:
Very pleasant hast thou been unto me:
Thy love to me was wonderful,
Passing the love of women.
27 How are the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 1:9 Or, over
- 2 Samuel 1:9 Or, giddiness
- 2 Samuel 1:18 Or, The Upright
- 2 Samuel 1:19 Or, The gazelle
- 2 Samuel 1:21 Or, defiled
- 2 Samuel 1:21 Or, as of one not anointed
- 2 Samuel 1:24 Hebrew with delights.
- 2 Samuel 1:25 Or, O Jonathan, slain etc.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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