2 Samuel 1
World English Bible
1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag; 2 on the third day, behold,[a] a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn, and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth, and showed respect.
3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?”
He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.”
4 David said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.”
He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”
5 David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
6 The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind him. 7 When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life lingers in me.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. 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 Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise. 12 They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh,[b] and for the house of Israel; because they had fallen by the sword. 13 David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?”
He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.”
14 David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy Yahweh’s anointed?” 15 David called one of the young men, and said, “Go near, and cut him down!” He struck him so that he died. 16 David said to him, “Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain Yahweh’s anointed.’”
17 David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son 18 (and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):
19 “Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
20 Don’t tell it in Gath.
Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings;
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away,
The shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back.
Saul’s sword didn’t return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives.
In their death, they were not divided.
They were swifter than eagles.
They were stronger than lions.
24 You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you delicately in scarlet,
who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.
25 How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle!
Jonathan was slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan.
You have been very pleasant to me.
Your love to me was wonderful,
passing the love of women.
27 How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war have perished!”
2 Samuel 1
Common English Bible
David learns of Saul’s death
1 After Saul’s death, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, he stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day, a man showed up from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. When he reached David, he fell to the ground, bowing low out of respect.
3 “Where have you come from?” David asked him.
“I’ve escaped from the Israelite army!” he answered.
4 “What’s the report?” David asked him. “Tell me!”
The man answered, “The troops fled from the battle! Many of the soldiers have fallen and died. What’s more, Saul and his son Jonathan have also died!”
5 “How do you know,” David asked the young man who brought the news, “that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6 The young man who brought the news replied, “I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and Saul was there, leaning on his spear, with chariots and horsemen closing in on him. 7 He turned around and saw me, then he called to me. ‘Yes, sir,’ I answered. 8 ‘Who are you?’ he asked, and I told him, ‘I’m an Amalekite.’ 9 He said to me, ‘Please come over here and kill me, because convulsions have come over me but I’m still alive.’[a] 10 So I went over to him and killed him, because I knew he couldn’t survive after being wounded like that. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and I’ve brought them here to you, my master.”
11 Then David grabbed his clothes and ripped them—and all his soldiers did the same. 12 They mourned and cried and fasted until evening for Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s army, and the whole house of Israel, because they had died by the sword.
13 “Where are you from?” David asked the young man who brought him the news.
“I’m the son of an immigrant,” he answered. “An Amalekite.”
14 Then David said to him, “How is it that you weren’t afraid to raise your hand and destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David called for one of the young servants. “Come here!” he said. “Strike him down!” So the servant struck the Amalekite down, and he died.
16 “Your blood is on your own head,” David said to the Amalekite, “because your own mouth testified against you when you admitted, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’”
David mourns Saul and Jonathan
17 Then David sang this funeral song[b] for Saul and his son Jonathan. 18 David ordered everyone in Judah to learn the Song of the Bow.[c] (In fact, it is written in the scroll from Jashar.)
19 Oh, no, Israel! Your prince[d] lies dead on your heights.[e]
Look how the mighty warriors have fallen!
20 Don’t talk about it in Gath;
don’t bring news of it to Ashkelon’s streets,
or else the Philistines’ daughters will rejoice;
the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate.
21 You hills of Gilboa!
Let there be no dew or rain on you,
and no fields yielding grain offerings.[f]
Because it was there that the mighty warrior’s[g] shield was defiled—
the shield of Saul!—never again anointed with oil.
22 Jonathan’s bow never wavered from the blood of the slain,
from the gore of the warriors.
Never did Saul’s sword return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan! So well loved, so dearly cherished!
In their lives and in their deaths they were never separated.
They were faster than eagles,
stronger than lions!
24 Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul!
He dressed you in crimson with jewels;
he decorated your clothes with gold jewelry.
25 Look how the mighty warriors have fallen in the midst of battle!
Jonathan lies dead on your heights.
26 I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan!
You were so dear to me!
Your love was more amazing to me[h] than the love of women.
27 Look how the mighty warriors have fallen!
Look how the weapons of war have been destroyed!
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 1:9 Syr, Tg; Heb uncertain
- 2 Samuel 1:17 Or lament
- 2 Samuel 1:18 Heb lacks Song.
- 2 Samuel 1:19 Or gazelle or splendor or splendid one
- 2 Samuel 1:19 Correction
- 2 Samuel 1:21 Heb uncertain, perhaps bountiful fields; alternatively, with LXXL, fields of death, or with correction and no springs from the deep
- 2 Samuel 1:21 Or warriors’ (plural)
- 2 Samuel 1:26 Or your love (or care; cf 1 Sam 18:1, 3; 20:17) for me was more amazing
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