THE SECOND BOOK OF
SAMUEL,
2 Samuel 1 ©
David, being at Ziklag, receives tiding of Saul’s and Jonathan’s death, v. 1, etc. For which he and those who were with him mourn, 11. He causes the messenger, who had bragged he had killed Saul, to be put to death, 13. David’s lamentation for Saul and Jonathan, 17.
NOW it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the 1slaughter of the Amalekites,a and David had abode two days in 2Ziklag;
It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes 3rent, and 4earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
And David said unto him, 5How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
And David said unto the 6young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
And the young man that told him said, As I 7happened by chance upon mount 8Gilboa, behold, Saul 9leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and 10horsemen 11followed hard after him.
And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
He said unto me again, Stand,b I pray thee, 12upon me, and slay me: for 13anguish is 14come upon me, 15because my life is yet whole in me.
So I stoodc upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live 16after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto 17my lord.
Thend David took hold on his clothes, and 18rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
¶And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand 19to destroy 20the LORD’S anointed?
And David called one of the 21young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
And David said unto him, 22Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD's anointed.
¶And David lamented with 23this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
(Also he 24bade them 25teach the children 26of Judah the use of the bow: behold, 27it is written in the 28book of Jasher.e)
The 29beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high 30places: how are the mighty fallen!
Tellfit not in 31Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines 32rejoice, lest the daughters 33of the uncircumcised 34triumph.
35Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, 36nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is 37vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though 38he had not been anointed with oil.
39From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were 40swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who 41clothed you in scarlet, 42with other delights, 43who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine 44high places.
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: 45thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of 46women.
How are the mighty fallen, and the 47weapons of war perished!