2 Samuel 1
1
David hears of Saul’s death
1After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honour.
3‘Where have you come from?’ David asked him.
He answered, ‘I have escaped from the Israelite camp.’
4‘What happened?’ David asked. ‘Tell me.’
‘The men fled from the battle,’ he replied. ‘Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.’
5Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, ‘How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?’
6‘I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,’ the young man said, ‘and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit. 7When he turned round and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, “What can I do?”
8‘He asked me, “Who are you?”
‘ “An Amalekite,” I answered.
9‘Then he said to me, “Stand here by me and kill me! I’m in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.”
10‘So I stood beside 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 on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.’
11Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. 12They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13David said to the young man who brought him the report, ‘Where are you from?’
‘I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,’ he answered.
14David asked him, ‘Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?’
15Then David called one of his men and said, ‘Go, strike him down!’ So he struck him down, and he died. 16For David had said to him, ‘Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, “I killed the Lord’s anointed.” ’
David’s lament for Saul and Jonathan
17David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, 18and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):
19‘A gazelle#1:19 Gazelle here symbolises a human dignitary. lies slain on your heights, Israel.
How the mighty have fallen!
20‘Tell it not in Gath,
proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.
21‘Mountains of Gilboa,
may you have neither dew nor rain,
may no showers fall on your terraced fields.#1:21 Or / nor fields that yield grain for offerings
For there the shield of the mighty was despised,
the shield of Saul – no longer rubbed with oil.
22‘From the blood of the slain,
from the flesh of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.
23Saul and Jonathan –
in life they were loved and admired,
and in death they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.
24‘Daughters of Israel,
weep for Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and finery,
who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.
25‘How the mighty have fallen in battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;
you were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,
more wonderful than that of women.
27‘How the mighty have fallen!
The weapons of war have perished!’
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2 Samuel 1: NIVUK
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® (Anglicised), NIV®
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2 Samuel 1
1
1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, 2on the third day, behold,#1:2 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection. a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth and showed respect.
3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?”
He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.”
4 David said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.”
He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”
5 David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
6 The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind him. 7When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me, for anguish has taken hold of me because my life lingers in me.’ 10So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”
11 Then David took hold on his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise. 12They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD,#1:12 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “Lord” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “יהוה”, usually pronounced Yahweh). and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?”
He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.”
14 David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” 15David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and cut him down!” He struck him so that he died. 16David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain the LORD’s anointed.’”
17 David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son 18(and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):
19“Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
20Don’t tell it in Gath.
Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings;
for there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away,
the shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back.
Saul’s sword didn’t return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives.
In their death, they were not divided.
They were swifter than eagles.
They were stronger than lions.
24 You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you delicately in scarlet,
who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.
25How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle!
Jonathan was slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan.
You have been very pleasant to me.
Your love to me was wonderful,
surpassing the love of women.
27How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war have perished!”
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