2 Samuel 1
1
The Report of Saul’s Death
1After Saul died and David returned from defeating the Amalekites,#1:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac; other Hebrew manuscripts, Greek “Amalek.” David stayed in Ziklag two days. 2On the third day a man came from Saul’s camp. His clothes were torn, and he had dirt on his head. When he came to David, he immediately bowed down with his face touching the ground.
3“Where did you come from?” David asked him.
“I escaped from the camp of Israel,” he answered.
4“What happened?” David asked him. “Please tell me.”
The man answered, “The army fled from the battle, and many of the soldiers died. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too.”
5“How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” David asked the young man who had brought him the news.
6The young man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa. Saul was there leaning on his spear, and the chariots and horsemen were catching up with him. 7When he looked back and saw me, he called to me, and I said, ‘Yes?’ ”
8“He asked me, ‘Who are you?’
“I said to him, ‘I’m an Amalekite.’
9“He said to me, ‘Please stand over me and kill me. I’m alive, but I’m suffering.’
10“So I stood over him and killed him, since I knew he couldn’t survive after he had been wounded. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm and brought them here to you, sir.”
11Then David grabbed his own clothes and tore them in grief. All the men with him did the same. 12They mourned, cried, and fasted until evening because Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s army, and the nation of Israel had been defeated in battle.
13David asked the young man who had brought him the news, “Where are you from?”
And the young man answered, “I’m an Amalekite, the son of a foreign resident.”
14David asked, “Why weren’t you afraid to take it upon yourself to destroy the Lord’s anointed king?” 15Then David called one of ⌞his⌟ young men and told him, “Come here and attack him.” David’s young man executed him 16while David said, “You are responsible for spilling your own blood. You testified against yourself when you said, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed king.’ ”
David’s Lament
17David wrote this song of mourning for Saul and his son Jonathan. 18He said,
“Teach this kesheth #1:18 Unknown musical term. to the people of Judah.”
(It is recorded in the Book of Jashar.)
19“Your glory, Israel, lies dead on your hills.
See how the mighty have fallen!
20Don’t tell the news in Gath.
Don’t announce the victory in the streets of Ashkelon,
or the daughters of the Philistines will be glad,
and the daughters of godless men will celebrate.
21You mountains in Gilboa,
may there be no dew or rain on you
or on your slopes,
because warriors’ shields were tarnished there.
Saul’s shield was never rubbed with olive oil.
22From the blood of those killed and the fat of the warriors,
Jonathan’s bow did not turn away,
nor did Saul’s sword return unused.
23Saul and Jonathan were loved and well-liked while they were living.
They were not separated even when they died.
They were swifter than eagles and stronger than lions.
24Daughters of Israel, cry over Saul,
who dressed you in decorated, red clothes,
who put gold jewelry on your clothes.
25See how the mighty have fallen in battle!
On your hills Jonathan was killed!
26I am heartbroken over you, my brother Jonathan.
You were my great delight.
Your love was more wonderful to me than the love of women.
27See how the mighty have fallen!
See how the weapons of war have been destroyed!”
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2 Samuel 1: GW
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
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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