II Samuel 1

¹Now it happened that, after Saul died, David returned from the slaughter of Amalek, and he remained for two days at Ziklag.

²Then, on the third day, a man appeared, arriving from the camp of Saul, with his garments torn and dust sprinkled on his head. And when he came to David, he fell on his face, and he reverenced.

³And David said to him, “Where have you come from?” And he said to him, “I have fled from the camp of Israel.”

⁴And David said to him: “What is the word that has happened? Reveal it to me.” And he said: “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people have fallen and died. Moreover, Saul and his son Jonathan have passed away.”

⁵And David said to the youth who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan have died?”

⁶And the youth, who was reporting it to him, said: “I arrived by chance on mount Gilboa. And Saul was lying upon his spear. Then the chariots and horsemen drew near to him.

⁷And turning behind his back and seeing me, he called to me. And when I had responded, “I am here,”

⁸he said to me, “Who are you?” And I said to him, “I am an Amalekite.”

⁹And he said to me: “Stand over me, and kill me. For anguish has taken hold of me, and still my whole life is in me.”

¹⁰And standing over him, I killed him. For I knew that he was not able to live after the fall. And I took the diadem that was on his head, and the bracelet from his arm, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.”

¹¹Then David, taking hold of his garments, tore them, with all the men who were with him.

¹²And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, over Saul and over his son Jonathan, and over the people of the Lord and over the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

¹³And David said to the youth who had reported it to him, “Where are you from?” And he responded, “I am the son of a man who is a new arrival from the Amalekites.”

¹⁴And David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to put forth your hand, so that you would kill the Christ of the Lord?”

¹⁵And calling one of his servants, David said, “Draw near and rush against him” And he struck him, and he died.

¹⁶And David said to him: “Your blood is upon your own head. For your own mouth has spoken against you, saying: ‘I have killed the Christ of the Lord.’ ”

¹⁷Then David mourned a lamentation over Saul and over his son Jonathan, in this way.

¹⁸(And he instructed that they should teach the sons of Judah the bow, just as it is written in the Book of the Just.) And he said: “Consider, O Israel, on behalf of those who are dead, wounded upon your heights:

¹⁹The illustrious of Israel have been killed upon your mountains. How could the valiant have fallen?

²⁰Do not choose to announce it in Gath, and do not announce it in the crossroads of Ashkelon. Otherwise, the daughters of the Philistines may rejoice; otherwise, the daughters of the uncircumcised may exult.

²¹O mountains of Gilboa, let neither dew, nor rain fall over you, and may these not be the fields of the first-fruits. For in that place, the shield of the valiant was cast away, the shield of Saul, as if he had not been anointed with oil.

²²From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the strong, the arrow of Jonathan never turned back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.

²³Saul and Jonathan, worthy to be loved, and stately in their life: even in death they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

²⁴O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with scarlet finery, who offered ornaments of gold for your adornment.

²⁵How could the valiant have fallen in battle? How could Jonathan have been slain on the heights?

²⁶I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan: exceedingly stately, and worthy to be loved above the love of women. As a mother loves her only son, so also did I love you.

²⁷How could the robust have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished?”

II Samuel 1

¹Now it came to pass, after Saul was dead, that David returned from the slaughter of the Amalecites, and abode two days in Siceleg.

²And on the third day, there appeared a man who came out of Saul's camp, with his garments rent, and dust strewed on his head: and when he came to David, he fell upon his face, and adored.

³And David said to him: From whence comest thou? And he said to him: I am fled out of the camp of Israel.

⁴And David said unto him: What is the matter that is come to pass? tell me: He said: The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people are fallen and dead: moreover Saul and Jonathan his son are slain.

⁵And David said to 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: I came by chance upon mount Gelboe, and Saul leaned upon his spear: and the chariots and horsemen drew nigh unto him,

⁷And looking behind him, and seeing me, he called me. And I answered, Here am I.

⁸And he said to me: Who art thou? And I said to him: I am an Amalecite.

⁹And he said to me: Stand over me, and kill me: for anguish is come upon me, and as yet my whole life is in me.

¹⁰So standing over him, I killed him: for I knew that he could not live after the fall: and I took the diadem that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither to thee, my lord.

¹¹Then David took hold of his garments and rent them, and likewise all the men that were with him.

¹²And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening 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.

¹³And David said to the young man that told him: Whence art thou? He answered: I am the son of a stranger of Amalec.

¹⁴David said to him: Why didst thou not fear to put out thy hand to kill the Lord's anointed?

¹⁵And David calling one of his servants, said: Go near and fall upon him. And he struck him so that he died.

¹⁶And David said to him: Thy blood be upon thy own head: for thy own mouth hath spoken against thee, saying: I have slain the Lord's anointed.

¹⁷And David made this kind of lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son.

¹⁸(Also he commanded that they should teach the children of Juda the use of the bow, as it is written in the book of the just.) And he said: Consider, O Israel, for them that are dead, wounded on thy high places.

¹⁹The illustrious of Israel are slain upon thy mountains: how are the valiant fallen?

²⁰Tell it not in Geth, publish it not in the streets of Ascalon: lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

²¹Ye mountains of Gelboe, let neither dew, nor rain come upon you, neither be they fields of firstfruits: for there was cast away the shield of the valiant, the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oil.

²²From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the valiant, the arrow of Jonathan never turned back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.

²³Saul and Jonathan, lovely, and comely in their life, even in death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

²⁴Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with scarlet in delights, who gave ornaments of gold for your attire.

²⁵How are the valiant fallen in battle? Jonathan slain in the high places?

²⁶I grieve for thee, my brother Jonathan: exceeding beautiful, and amiable to me above the love of women. As the mother loveth her only son, so did I love thee.

²⁷How are the valiant fallen, and the weapons of war perished?