II Samuel 1 Comparison: American Standard Version vs Berean Study Bible
II Samuel 1
1And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
2it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
3And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
4And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, 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.
5And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
6And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.
7And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
8And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
9And he said unto me, Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and slay me; for anguish hath taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.
10So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after 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 my lord.
11Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
12and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
13And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.
14And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah’s anointed?
15And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him, so that he died.
16And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain Jehovah’s anointed.
17And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son
18(and he bade them teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):
19Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places! How are the mighty fallen!
20Tell it not in Gath, Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21Ye mountains of Gilboa, Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings: For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
22From 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.
23Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided: They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.
24Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who clothed you in scarlet delicately, Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.
26I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: Very pleasant hast thou been unto me: Thy love to me was wonderful, Passing the love of women.
27How are the mighty fallen, And the weapons of war perished!
II Samuel 1
1After the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.
2On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head arrived from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him homage.
3“Where have you come from?” David asked. “I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he replied.
4“What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” “The troops fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
5Then David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.
7When he turned around and saw me, he called out and I answered, ‘Here I am!’
8‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me, but my life still lingers.’
10So 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 that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
11Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.
12They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13And David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of a foreigner,” he answered. “I am an Amalekite.”
14So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”
15Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died.
16For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”
17Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,
18and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:
19“Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!
20Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21O mountains of Gilboa, may you have no dew or rain, no fields yielding offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.
22From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not retreat, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in life, were not divided in death. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and luxury, who decked your garments with ornaments of gold.
25How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
27How the mighty have fallen and the weapons of war have perished!”
Understanding American Standard Version vs Berean Study Bible in II Samuel 1
American Standard Version (ASV)
A highly literal translation known for accuracy and adherence to the original Hebrew and Greek. Consistent word choices make it excellent for careful study and cross-referencing. A strong pick for readers who want a precise, classic-modern English Bible.
Berean Study Bible (BSB)
A modern translation balancing readability with faithfulness to the original texts. Written in clear, contemporary English for both reading and study. A strong all-around choice for daily use.
You are viewing a side-by-side comparison of II Samuel 1 in the American Standard Version and Berean Study Bible. Comparing these two versions can help shed light on the nuances of the original text.
Key Comparison: II Samuel 1:16
"And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain Jehovah’s anointed."
"For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”"
