2 Samuel 1
Saul and Jonathan Are Dead
1Now it happened after athe death of Saul, that David returned from bstriking down the Amalekites. Then David remained two days in Ziklag. 2Now it happened that on the third day, behold, aa man came out of the camp from Saul. And bhis clothes were torn and 1dust was on his head. And it happened when he came to David, that che fell to the ground and prostrated himself. 3Then David said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4And David said to him, “aHow 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.” 5So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6And 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. 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 1answered him, ‘aI 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 1life still lingers in me.’ 10“So I stood beside him aand put him to death, 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.”
11Then aDavid took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so also did all the men who were with him. 12And they lamented and wept and afasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan and for the people of 1Yahweh and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13And David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” And he 1answered, “aI am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14Then David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid ato send forth your hand to destroy the anointed of Yahweh?” 15And David called one of the young men and said, “Approach and fall upon him.” aSo he struck him and he died. 16And David said to him, “aYour blood is on your head, for byour mouth has answered against you, saying, ‘I have put the anointed of Yahweh to death.’”
David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan
17Then David achanted with this funeral lament over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in athe book of Jashar.
19“1Your beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places!aHow have the mighty fallen!20“aTell it not in Gath,Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,Lest bthe daughters of the Philistines be glad,Lest the daughters of cthe uncircumcised exult.21“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.22“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.23“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their life,And in their death they were not separated;aThey were swifter than eagles,bThey were mightier than lions.24“O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,Who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,Who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.25“aHow have the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!Jonathan is slain on your high places.26“I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;You have been very pleasant to me.aYour love to me was more wonderfulThan the love of women.27“aHow have the mighty fallen,And bthe weapons of war perished!”