Second Book of Samuel 1

¹ After the death of Saul, David returned from his rout of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag.

² On the third day a man came from the camp where Saul had been, his garments torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and did homage.

³ ‘Where do you come from?’ David asked him. ‘I have escaped from the Israelite camp’ he said.

⁴ David said to him, ‘What happened? Tell me.’ He replied, ‘The people have fled from the battlefield and many of them have fallen. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too.’

⁵ David then asked the young soldier who brought the news, ‘How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?’

⁶ ‘I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,’ the young soldier replied ‘and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry pressing him hard.

⁷ Then he turned round and saw me, and shouted to me. I answered, “Here I am”.

⁸ He said, “Who are you?” “An Amalekite” I replied.

⁹ Then he said, “Stand over me and kill me, for a giddiness has come on me, though my life is wholly in me still”.

¹⁰ So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that once he fell he could not survive. Then I took the crown he wore on his head and the bracelet on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.’

¹¹ Then David took hold of his garments and tore them, and all the men with him did the same.

¹² They mourned and wept and fasted until the evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, for the people of Yahweh and for the House of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

¹³ David said to the young soldier who had brought the news, ‘Where are you from?’ ‘I am the son of a resident alien,’ he answered ‘an Amalekite.’

¹⁴ David said, ‘How is it you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy Yahweh’s anointed?’

¹⁵ Then David called one of his soldiers. ‘Come here,’ he said ‘strike him down.’ The man struck him and he died.

¹⁶ ‘Your blood be on your own head,’ David said ‘for your own lips gave evidence against you when you said, “I killed Yahweh’s anointed”.’

¹⁷ Then David made this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan.

¹⁸ It is written in the Book of the Just,[*a] so that it may be taught to the sons of Judah. It runs:

¹⁹ Alas, the glory of Israel has been slain on your heights! How did the heroes fall?

²⁰ Do not speak of it in Oath, nor announce it in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will gloat.

²¹ O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you; treacherous fields, for there the hero’s shield was dishonoured! The shield of Saul was anointed not with oil

²² but with blood of the wounded, fat of the warriors; the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, nor the sword of Saul return idle.

²³ Saul and Jonathan, loved and lovely, neither in life, nor in death, were divided. Swifter than eagles were they, stronger were they than lions.

²⁴ O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul who clothed you in scarlet and fine linen, who set brooches of gold on your garments.

²⁵ How did the heroes fall in the thick of the battle?

²⁶ O Jonathan, in your death I am stricken, I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother. Very dear to me you were, your love to me more wonderful than the love of a woman.

²⁷ How did the heroes fall and the battle armour fail?