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2 Samuel 1
Complete Jewish Bible
2 Samuel 1
Complete Jewish Bible
1 Sha’ul had died, and David had been two days in Ziklag after returning from the slaughter of the ‘Amaleki. 2 On the third day, there came a man from Sha’ul’s camp with his clothes torn and earth on his head. He approached David, fell to the ground and prostrated himself. 3 David said to him, “Where are you coming from?” “I escaped from the camp of Isra’el,” he replied. 4 “Tell me, please, how did things go?” asked David. “The people have fled the battle,” he answered, “and many of them are wounded or dead. Sha’ul and Y’honatan his son are dead too.” 5 David asked the young man who had told him this, “How do you know that Sha’ul and Y’honatan his son are dead?” 6 The young man who had told him said, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa when I saw Sha’ul leaning on his spear. The chariots and cavalry were bearing down on him. 7 He looked behind him, saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ and I answered, ‘I’m an ‘Amaleki’ 9 He said to me, ‘I’m in agony, and I’m going to die, but I’m still alive. So please, stand next to me; and kill me.’ 10 So I stood next to him and killed him, because I was sure he was so badly wounded that he couldn’t live. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.”
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and likewise all the men who were with him. 12 They wailed and cried, and they fasted until evening for Sha’ul, for Y’honatan his son, for Adonai’s people and for the house of Isra’el; because they had fallen by the sword.
13 David said to the young man who had told him, “Where are you from?” He answered, “I’m the son of a [resident] foreigner, an ‘Amaleki.” 14 David asked him, “How is it that you weren’t afraid to raise your hand to destroy Adonai’s anointed?” 15 David called one of his young men and said, “Go over to him, and kill him.” The man struck him down, and he died. 16 David said to him, “Your blood is on your own head. Your own mouth convicted you when you said, ‘I killed Adonai’s anointed.’”
17 Then David pronounced this lament over Sha’ul and over Y’honatan his son, 18 in order to teach the people of Y’hudah [not to underestimate] archery (the lament has been written down in the book of Yashar):
19 “Your glory, Isra’el, lies dead on your high places!
How the heroes have fallen!
20 Don’t speak of it in Gat;
don’t proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon;
then the daughters of the P’lishtim won’t rejoice,
the daughters of the uncircumcised won’t gloat.
21 “Mountains of Gilboa — may there be on you
no dew, no rain, no fields with good crops;
because there the shields of the heroes were dishonored,
the shield of Sha’ul was no longer rubbed with oil.
22 “From the blood of the dead, from the flesh of heroes,
the bow of Y’honatan did not retreat
or the sword of Sha’ul return unsatisfied.
23 Sha’ul and Y’honatan, loved and gracious while alive,
were not separated even in death;
they were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
24 “Daughters of Isra’el, weep over Sha’ul!
He clothed you luxuriously in scarlet
and put gold jewelry on your clothing.
25 “How the heroes have fallen in the heat of battle,
Y’honatan killed on your high places!
26 I grieve for you, my brother Y’honatan,
you meant so much to me!
Your love for me was deeper
than the love of women.
27 How the heroes have fallen
and the weapons of war perished”
2 Samuel 1
New International Version
2 Samuel 1
New International Version
David Hears of Saul’s Death(A)
1 After the death(B) of Saul, David returned from striking down(C) the Amalekites(D) and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man(E) arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head.(F) When he came to David, he fell(G) to the ground to pay him honor.(H)
3 “Where have you come from?” David asked him.
He answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.”
4 “What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.”
“The men fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
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?”
6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,(I)” the young man said, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, ‘What can I do?’
8 “He asked me, ‘Who are you?’
“‘An Amalekite,(J)’ I answered.
9 “Then he said to me, ‘Stand here by me and kill me!(K) I’m in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.’
10 “So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown(L) that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.”
11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore(M) them. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 David said to the young man who brought him the report, “Where are you from?”
“I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,(N)” he answered.
14 David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?(O)”
15 Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!”(P) So he struck him down, and he died.(Q) 16 For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head.(R) Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’”
David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan
17 David took up this lament(S) concerning Saul and his son Jonathan,(T) 18 and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):(U)
20 “Tell it not in Gath,(X)
proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,(Y)
lest the daughters of the Philistines(Z) be glad,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.(AA)
21 “Mountains of Gilboa,(AB)
may you have neither dew(AC) nor rain,(AD)
may no showers fall on your terraced fields.[b](AE)
For there the shield of the mighty was despised,
the shield of Saul—no longer rubbed with oil.(AF)
22 “From the blood(AG) of the slain,
from the flesh of the mighty,
the bow(AH) of Jonathan did not turn back,
the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.
23 Saul and Jonathan—
in life they were loved and admired,
and in death they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles,(AI)
they were stronger than lions.(AJ)
24 “Daughters of Israel,
weep for Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and finery,
who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.(AK)
25 “How the mighty have fallen in battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26 I grieve(AL) for you, Jonathan(AM) my brother;(AN)
you were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,(AO)
more wonderful than that of women.
27 “How the mighty have fallen!
The weapons of war have perished!”(AP)
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 1:19 Gazelle here symbolizes a human dignitary.
- 2 Samuel 1:21 Or / nor fields that yield grain for offerings
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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