Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

A Song of degrees of David.

¹ ¶ Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

² It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that runs down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, that goes down to the skirts of his garments;

³ as the dew of Hermon, that descends upon the mountains of Zion; for there the LORD commands blessing and eternal life.

⁴ And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, The people fled from the battle, and many of the people fell and are dead, and Saul and Jonathan, his son, are dead also.

⁵ And David said unto the young man that told him, How dost thou know 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 leaned upon his spear, and the chariots and 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 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me and slay me, for anguish is come upon me, and all my soul is yet in me.

¹⁰ So I stood upon him and slew him because I was sure that he could not live after 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 here 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 evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel because they had fallen by the sword.

¹³ And David said unto the young man that told him, From where art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

¹⁴ And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?

¹⁵ Then David called one of the young men and said, Go near and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.

¹⁶ And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head, for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD’s anointed.

¹⁷ ¶ And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son.

¹⁸ (He also bade them teach the sons of Judah the use of the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of righteousness.)

¹⁹ The glory of 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 Askelon lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

²¹ Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you nor fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.

²² Without the blood of the slain, without the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan never turned back, and the sword of Saul never returned empty.

²³ Saul and Jonathan were loved and desired 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, with other delights, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

²⁵ How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine 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 valiant fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

²⁷ ¶ And in those days prophets came down from Jerusalem unto Antioch.

²⁸ And one of them named Agabus stood up and signified by the Spirit that there should be great famine throughout all the world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

²⁹ Then the disciples, each one according to what he had, determined to send relief unto the brethren who dwelt in Judea,

³⁰ which they likewise did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.