2 Samuel, 1

1. After the death of Saul, David returned from his defeat of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag.

1. Saul was dead and David, returning after his victory over the Amalekites, had been at Ziklag for two days.

2. On the third day a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. Going to David, he fell to the ground in homage.

2. On the third day, a man arrived from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.

3. David asked him, "Where do you come from?" He replied, "I have escaped from the Israelite camp."

3. David asked him, 'Where have you come from?' 'I have escaped from the Israelite camp,' he said.

4. "Tell me what happened," David bade him. He answered that the soldiers had fled the battle and that many of them had fallen and were dead, among them Saul and his son Jonathan.

4. David said, 'What has happened? Tell me.' He replied, 'The people fled from the battle, and many of them have fallen and are dead. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too.'

5. Then David said to the youth who was reporting to him, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"

5. Then David asked the young man who brought the news, 'How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?'

6. The youthful informant replied: "It was by chance that I found myself on Mount Gilboa and saw Saul leaning on his spear, with chariots and horsemen closing in on him.

6. The young man replied, 'I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry bearing down on him.

7. He turned around and, seeing me, called me to him. When I said, 'Here I am,'

7. Glancing behind him and seeing me, he shouted to me. I replied, "Here I am!"

8. he asked me, 'Who are you?' and I replied, 'An Amalekite.'

8. He said, "Who are you?" I replied, "I am an Amalekite."

9. Then he said to me, 'Stand up to me, please, and finish me off, for I am in great suffering, yet fully alive.'

9. He then said, "Come here and kill me. My head is swimming, although I still have all my strength."

10. So I stood up to him and dispatched him, for I knew that he could not survive his wound. I removed the crown from his head and the armlet from his arm and brought them here to my lord."

10. So I went over to him and killed him, because I knew that once he fell he could not survive. I then took the crown which he had on his head and the bracelet on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.'

11. David seized his garments and rent them, and all the men who were with him did likewise.

11. David then took hold of his clothes and tore them, and all the men with him did the same.

12. They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the soldiers of the LORD of the clans of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

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

13. Then David said to the young man who had brought him the information, "Where are you from?" He replied, "I am the son of an Amalekite immigrant."

13. David said to the young man who had brought the news, 'Where are you from?' He replied, 'I am the son of a resident foreigner, an Amalekite.'

14. David said to him, "How is it that you were not afraid to put forth your hand to desecrate the LORD'S anointed?"

14. David said, 'How was it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy Yahweh's anointed?'

15. David then called one of the attendants and said to him, "Come, strike him down"; and the youth struck him a mortal blow.

15. Then David called one of the young men. 'Come here,' he said, 'strike him down.' The man struck him and he died.

16. Meanwhile David said to him, "You are responsible for your own death, for you testified against yourself when you said, 'I dispatched the LORD'S anointed.'"

16. David said, 'Your blood be on your own head. You convicted yourself out of your own mouth by saying, "I killed Yahweh's anointed." '

17. Then David chanted this elegy for Saul and his son Jonathan,

17. David sang the following lament over Saul and his son Jonathan

18. which is recorded in the Book of Jashar to be taught to the Judahites. He sang:

18. (it is for teaching archery to the children of Judah; it is written in the Book of the Just):

19. "Alas! the glory of Israel, Saul, slain upon your heights; how can the warriors have fallen!

19. Does the splendour of Israel lie dead on your heights? How did the heroes fall?

20. "Tell it not in Gath, herald it not in the streets of Ashkelon, Lest the Philistine maidens rejoice, lest the daughters of the strangers exult!

20. Do not speak of it in Gath, nor broadcast it in the streets of Ashkelon, for fear the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, for fear the daughters of the uncircumcised gloat.

21. Mountains of Gilboa, may there be neither dew nor rain upon you, nor upsurgings of the deeps! Upon you lie begrimed the warriors' shields, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.

21. You mountains of Gilboa, no dew, no rain fall on you, O treacherous fields where the heroes' shield lies dishonoured! Not greased with oil, the shield of Saul,

22. "From the blood of the slain, from the bodies of the valiant, The bow of Jonathan did not turn back, or the sword of Saul return unstained.

22. but with the blood of wounded men, the fat of warriors! The bow of Jonathan never turned back, the sword of Saul never came home unsated!

23. Saul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished, separated neither in life nor in death, swifter than eagles, stronger than lions!

23. Saul and Jonathan, beloved and handsome, were divided neither in life, nor in death. Swifter than eagles were they, stronger than lions.

24. Women of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and in finery, who decked your attire with ornaments of gold.

24. O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul who gave you scarlet and fine linen to wear, who pinned golden jewellery on your dresses!

25. "How can the warriors have fallen-- in the thick of the battle, slain upon your heights!

25. How did the heroes fall in the thick of the battle? Jonathan, by your dying I too am stricken,

26. "I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother! most dear have you been to me; More precious have I held love for you than love for women.

26. I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother. Very dear you were to me, your love more wonderful to me than the love of a woman.

27. "How can the warriors have fallen, the weapons of war have perished!"

27. How did the heroes fall and the weapons of war succumb!