2 Samuel

¹ Now it happened after the death of Saul, that David returned from striking down the Amalekites. Then David remained two days in Ziklag.

² Now it happened that on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul. And his clothes were torn and dust was on his head. And it happened when he came to David, that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.

³ Then David said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”

⁴ And David said to him, “How did things go? Tell me now.” And he said, “The people have fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”

⁵ So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

⁶ And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul was leaning on his spear. And behold, the chariots and the horsemen pursued him closely.

⁷ Then he turned to look behind him, and he saw me and called to me. And I said, ‘Here I am.’

⁸ And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’

⁹ Then he said to me, ‘Please stand beside me and put me to death, for agony has seized me because my life still lingers in me.’

¹⁰ So I stood beside him and put him to death, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown which was on his head and the bracelet which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

¹¹ Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so also did all the men who were with him.

¹² And they lamented and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan and for the people of Yahweh and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

¹³ And David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.”

¹⁴ Then David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to send forth your hand to destroy the anointed of Yahweh?”

¹⁵ And David called one of the young men and said, “Approach and fall upon him.” So he struck him and he died.

¹⁶ And David said to him, “Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has answered against you, saying, ‘I have put the anointed of Yahweh to death.’”

¹⁷ Then David chanted with this funeral lament over Saul and Jonathan his son,

¹⁸ and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar.

¹⁹ How have the mighty fallen!

²⁰ Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, Lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.

²¹ Let not dew or rain be on you, nor fields of offerings; For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

²² The bow of Jonathan did not turn back, And the sword of Saul did not return empty.

²³ And in their death they were not separated; They were swifter than eagles, They were mightier than lions.

²⁴ Who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, Who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.

²⁵ Jonathan is slain on your high places.

²⁶ You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was more wonderful Than the love of women.

²⁷ And the weapons of war perished!”