[1] Now after the death of Saul, when David, having come back from the
destruction of the Amalekites, had been in Ziklag for two days; [2] On the
third day a man came from Saul's tents, with his clothing out of order and
earth on his head: and when he came to David, he went down on the earth and
gave him honour. [3] And David said to him, Where have you come from? And
he said, I have come in flight from the tents of Israel. [4] And David said
to him, How did things go? Give me the news. And in answer he said, The
people have gone in flight from the fight, and a great number of them are
dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are dead. [5] And David said to the
young man who gave him the news, Why are you certain that Saul and his son
Jonathan are dead? [6] And the young man said, I came by chance to Mount
Gilboa, and I saw Saul supporting himself on his spear; and the
war-carriages and horsemen overtook him. [7] And looking back, he saw me
and gave a cry to me. And answering him I said, Here am I. [8] And he said
to me, Who are you? And I said, I am an Amalekite. [9] Then he said to me,
Come here to my side, and put me to death, for the pain of death has me in
its grip but my life is still strong in me. [10] So I put my foot on him
and gave him his death-blow, because I was certain that he would not go on
living after his fall: and I took the crown from his head and the band from
his arm, and I have them here for my lord. [11] Then David gave way to
bitter grief, and so did all the men who were with him: [12] And till
evening they gave themselves to sorrow and weeping, and took no food,
weeping for Saul and for Jonathan, his son, and for the people of the Lord
and for the men of Israel; because they had come to their end by the sword.
[13] And David said to the young man who had given him the news, Where do
you come from? And he said, I am the son of a man from a strange land; I am
an Amalekite. [14] And David said to him, Had you no fear of stretching out
your hand to put to death the one marked with the holy oil? [15] And David
sent for one of his young men and said, Go near and put an end to him. And
he put him to death. [16] And David said to him, May your blood be on your
head; for your mouth has given witness against you, saying, I have put to
death the man marked with the holy oil. [17] Then David made this song of
grief for Saul and Jonathan, his son: [18] (It is recorded in the book of
Jashar for teaching to the sons of Judah) and he said: [19] The glory, O
Israel, is dead on your high places! How have the great ones been made low!
[20] Give no news of it in Gath, let it not be said in the streets of
Ashkelon; or the daughters of the Philistines will be glad, the daughters
of men without circumcision will be uplifted in joy. [21] O mountains of
Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, you fields of death: for there
the arms of the strong have been shamed, the arms of Saul, as if he had not
been marked with the holy oil. [22] From the blood of the dead, from the
fat of the strong, the bow of Jonathan was not turned back, the sword of
Saul did not come back unused. [23] Saul and Jonathan were loved and
pleasing; in their lives and in their death they were not parted; they went
more quickly than eagles, they were stronger than lions. [24] O daughters
of Israel, have sorrow for Saul, by whom you were delicately clothed in
robes of red, with ornaments of gold on your dresses. [25] How have the
great ones been made low in the fight! Jonathan is dead on your high
places. [26] I am full of grief for you, my brother Jonathan: very dear
have you been to me: your love for me was a wonder, greater than the love
of women. [27] How have the great ones been made low, and the arms of war
broken!
