2 Samuel

2 Samuel 1

News Comes to Ziklag

1 After Saul was dead, David came back from striking down Amalek, and David stayed two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day a man came from the camp, from Saul’s people, with his clothes torn and earth on his head. And when he came in to David he fell to the ground and bowed down to him.

3 And David said to him, “Where have you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “What is the news? Tell me.” And he said, “The people fled from the battle, and many of the people have fallen and are dead. And Saul is dead too, and Jonathan his son is dead.”

5 And David said to the young man who brought him the news, “How do you know that Saul is dead, and Jonathan his son?” 6 And the young man who brought him the news said to him, “I happened by chance to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, and the chariots and the commanders of the horsemen were closing in on him. 7 And he looked behind him and saw me and called me, and I said, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I said, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand over me and put me to death, for a terrible darkness has hold of me, and all my life is still in me.’ 10 So I stood over him and put him to death, because I knew he would not live after his fall. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

11 And David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him tore their clothes. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Judah, and for the house of Israel, because they had been struck down by the sword.

The Man Who Says He Killed the King

13 And David said to the young man who brought him the news, “Where are you from?” And he said, “I am the son of an Amalekite who lived in the land as a foreigner.” 14 And David said to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed one?”

15 And David called one of his young men and said, “Go up and strike him down.” And he struck him, and he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I put the Lord’s anointed one to death.’”

The Lament for Saul and Jonathan

17 And David sang this lament over Saul and over Jonathan his son, 18 and he gave orders that it be taught to the sons of Judah — it is written in the Book of the Upright:

19 “Set up a pillar, Israel, over your dead, the wounded on your heights.

How the mighty have fallen!

20 Do not tell it in Gath, do not carry the good news in the streets of Ashkelon,

or the daughters of the Philistines will be glad, or the daughters of the uncircumcised will shout for joy.

21 Mountains of Gilboa, let no dew and no rain come down on you, and no fields of first fruits,

for there the shield of the mighty was made loathsome — the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.

22 From the blood of the wounded, from the fat of the mighty,

the bow of Jonathan never turned back empty, and the sword of Saul never came back empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan, the beloved and the lovely, were not parted;

handsome in their life, and in their death they were not parted;

swifter than eagles, and stronger than lions.

24 Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul,

who clothed you in scarlet along with your finery, who put gold ornaments on your clothing.

25 How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle!

Jonathan — wounded on your heights.

26 I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan.

You were very lovely to me; your love for me was a wonder, beyond the love of women.

27 How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!”