2 Samuel 1
¹ And 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;
² it came even 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.
³ And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
⁴ And 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.
⁵ And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
⁶ And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.
⁷ And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
⁸ And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
⁹ And 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.
¹⁰ So 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.
¹¹ Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
¹² and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, 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.
¹³ And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
¹⁴ And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to put forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’S anointed?
¹⁵ And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
¹⁶ And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD’S anointed.
¹⁷ And 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.
¹⁹ Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places! how are the mighty fallen!
²⁰ Tell 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.
²¹ Ye 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.
²² From 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.
²³ Saul 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.
²⁴ Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet delicately, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
²⁵ How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.
²⁶ I 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.
²⁷ How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!