Now it came about after
athe death
of Saul
, when David
had returned
from bthe slaughter
of the Amalekites
, that David
remained
two
days
in Ziklag
.
On the third day
, behold
, aa man
came
out of the camp
from Saul
, bwith his clothes
torn
and 1dust
on his head
. And it came
about when he came
to David
that che fell
to the ground
and prostrated
himself.
Then David said
to him, "From where
do you come
?" And he said
to him, "I have escaped
from the camp
of Israel
."
David said
to him, " aHow
did things
go
? Please
tell
me." 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
."
So David said
to the young
man
who told
him, "How
do you know
that Saul
and his son
Jonathan
are dead
?"
The young man
who told
him said
, "By chance
I happened
to be on aMount
Gilboa
, and behold
, bSaul
was leaning
on his spear
. And behold
, the chariots
and the horsemen
pursued
him closely
.
"When he looked behind
him, he saw
me and called
to me. And I said
, `Here
I am.'
"He said to me, `Who
are you?' And I 1answered
him, ` aI am an Amalekite
.'
"Then he said to me, `Please
stand
beside
me and kill
me, for agony
has seized
me because
my 1life
still
lingers in me.'
"So I stood beside
him aand killed
him, because
I knew
that he could not live
after
he had fallen
. And bI 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
."
Then aDavid took
hold
of his clothes
and tore
them, and so also
did all
the men
who
were with him.
They mourned and wept
and afasted
until
evening
for Saul
and his son
Jonathan
and for the people
of the LORD
and the house
of Israel
, because
they had fallen
by the sword
.
David said
to the young
man
who told
him, "Where
are you from?" And he 1answered
, " aI am the son
of an alien
, an Amalekite
."
Then David said
to him, "How
is it you were not afraid
ato stretch
out your hand
to destroy
the LORD'S
anointed
?"
And David called
one
of the young
men
and said
, "Go
, 1cut
him down
." aSo he struck
him and he died
.
David said
to him, " aYour blood
is on your head
, for byour mouth
has testified
against you, saying
, `I have killed
the LORD'S
anointed
.' "
Then David achanted
with this
lament
over
Saul
and Jonathan
his son
,
and he told them to teach
the sons
of Judah
the song of the bow
; behold
, it is written
in athe book
of Jashar
.
" 1Your beauty, O Israel
, is slain
on your high
places
! aHow
have the mighty
fallen
!
" aTell it not in Gath
, Proclaim
it not in the streets
of Ashkelon
, Or
bthe daughters
of the Philistines
will rejoice
, The daughters
of cthe uncircumcised
will exult
.
" aO mountains of Gilboa
, bLet 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 canointed
with oil
.
" aFrom the blood of the slain
, from the fat
of the mighty
, bThe bow
of Jonathan
did not turn
back
, And the sword
of Saul
did not return
empty
.
"Saul and Jonathan
, beloved
and pleasant
in their life
, And in their death
they were not parted
; aThey were swifter
than
eagles
, bThey were stronger
than
lions
.
"O daughters of Israel
, weep
over
Saul
, Who clothed
you luxuriously
in scarlet
, Who put
ornaments
of gold
on your apparel
.
" aHow have the mighty
fallen
in the midst
of the battle
! Jonathan
is slain
on your high
places
.
"I am distressed for you, my brother
Jonathan
; You have been very
pleasant
to me. aYour love
to me was more
wonderful
Than
the love
of women
.
" aHow have the mighty
fallen
, And bthe weapons
of war
perished
!"