1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David remained two days in Ziklag,
2 that on the third day, behold, a man came from Sauls camp with his clothes torn and earth on his head. So it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.
3 And David said to him, Where have you come from? So he said to him, I have escaped from the camp of Israel.
4 And David said to him, How did the matter go? Please tell me. And he answered, The people have fled from the battle, many of the people have fallen and died, and Saul and Jonathan his son have died.
5 And David said to the young man who told him, How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son have died?
6 And the young man who told him said, As I happened by chance to be on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and horsemen closely pursued him.
7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I answered, Here am I.
8 And he said to me, Who are you? So I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
9 He said to me again, Please stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me because my soul still remains in me.
10 So I stood over him and killed him, because I perceived that he could not live after he had fallen. And 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 of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men with him.
12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of Jehovah and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 Then David said to the young man who told him, Where are you from? And he answered, I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.
14 And David said to him, How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the anointed of Jehovah?
15 And David summoned one of the young men and said, Go near, and fall upon him! And he struck him so that he died.
16 And David said to him, Your blood is on your own head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have killed the anointed of Jehovah.
17 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son,
18 and he commanded them to teach the sons of Judah the Song of the Bow; behold, it is written in the Book of Jasher:
19 The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! 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 rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings; for the shield of the mighty has been rejected as loathsome there! 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 has not turned back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they have not been separated. They have been swifter than eagles, they have been stronger than lions.
24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury; who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan, 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.
27 How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!