1:1 After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.
1:2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and with dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor.
1:3 “Where have you come from?” David asked him. He answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.”
1:4 “What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.” He said, “The men fled from the battle. Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
1:5 Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
1:6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” the young man said, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and riders almost upon him.
1:7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, ‘What can I do?’
1:8 “He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ “‘An Amalekite,’ I answered.
1:9 “Then he said to me, ‘Stand over me and kill me! I am in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.’
1:10 “So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.”
1:11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them.
1:12 They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
1:13 David said to the young man who brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite,” he answered.
1:14 David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’S anointed?”
1:15 Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died.
1:16 For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the LORD’S anointed.’”
1:17 David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan,
1:18 and ordered that the men of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):
1:19 “Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!
1:20 “Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.
1:21 “O mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, nor fields that yield offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul–no longer rubbed with oil.
1:22 From the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.
1:23 “Saul and Jonathan–in life they were loved and gracious, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
1:24 “O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.
1:25 “How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
1:26 I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.
1:27 “How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!”
1:1 Now after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, David remained in Ziklag two days.
1:2 And on the third day there came a man from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid him homage.
1:3 And David said to him, Where did you come from? And he said to him, From the camp of Israel I have escaped.
1:4 And David said to him, What has happened? Tell me. And he said that the people had fled from the battle and that also many of the people had fallen and died and that also Saul and Jonathan his son were dead.
1:5 And David said to the young man that told him these things, How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
1:6 And the young man that told him these things said, By chance I happened to be upon Mount Gilboa; and just then Saul leaned on his spear, and just then the chariots and horsemen pursued closely after him.
1:7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me; and he called to me. And I said, Here I am.
1:8 And he said to me, Who are you? And I said to him, I am an Amalekite.
1:9 Then he said to me, Stand over me, and kill me; for anguish has seized me because my life is yet wholly within me.
1:10 So I stood over him and put him to death, for I knew that he would not live after his fall; and I took the crown that was upon his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them to my lord here.
1:11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, as did all the men who were with him.
1:12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of Jehovah and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
1:13 And David said to the young man who told him these things, Where are you from? And he said, I am the son of an Amalekite stranger.
1:14 And David said to him, How is it that you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy Jehovah’s anointed?
1:15 Then David called one of the young men and said, Come near; fall on him. And he struck him, and he died.
1:16 And David said to him, Your blood be upon your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have killed Jehovah’s anointed.
1:17 And David sang this dirge over Saul and over Jonathan his son;
1:18 And he commanded them to teach the children of Judah The Song of the Bow. It is now written in the book of Jashar:
1:19 The beauty of Israel lies slain upon your high places. / How the mighty have fallen!
1:20 Tell it not in Gath; / Bear not the news of it in the streets of Ashkelon; / Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, / Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
1:21 O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, / Nor fields of heave offerings. / For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, / The shield of Saul, no more anointed with oil.
1:22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, / The bow of Jonathan has not turned back, / And the sword of Saul has not returned empty.
1:23 Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, / And in their death they were not divided. / They were swifter than eagles; / They were stronger than lions.
1:24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with / splendor, / Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
1:25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! / Jonathan lies slain upon your high places.
1:26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; so very pleasant were you to me. / Your love to me was wonderful, beyond the love of women.
1:27 How the mighty have fallen, / And the weapons of war perished!