Chapter 1

Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned¹ from the slaughter⁵³ of the Amalekites, and David had abode⁴ two days in Ziklag;

It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came⁶ out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent,⁷ and earth upon his head: and [so] it was, when he came² to David, that he fell⁴ to the earth, and did obeisance.¹⁰¹

And David said⁴ unto him, From whence comest⁴ thou? And he said⁴ unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.⁸

And David said⁴ unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell⁵⁴ me. And he answered,⁴ That the people are fled¹ from the battle, and many⁵³ of the people also are fallen¹ and dead;⁴ and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead¹ also.

And David said⁴ unto the young man that told⁵⁶ him, How knowest¹ thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?¹

And the young man that told⁵⁶ him said,⁴ As I happened⁸ by chance⁹ upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned¹² upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen ⁶⁵⁷¹ followed hard⁵² after him.

And when he looked⁴ behind him, he saw⁴ me, and called⁴ unto me. And I answered,⁴ Here [am] I.

And he said⁴ unto me, Who [art] thou? And I answered⁴ him, I [am] an Amalekite.

He said⁴ unto me again, Stand,³ I pray thee, upon me, and slay³³ me: for anguish is come upon me,¹ because my life [is] yet whole in me.

So I stood⁴ upon him, and slew³⁴ him, because I was sure¹ that he could not live⁴ after that he was fallen:² and I took⁴ the crown that [was] upon his head, and the bracelet that [was] on his arm, and have brought⁵⁵ them hither unto my lord.

Then David took hold⁵⁵ on his clothes, and rent⁴ them; and likewise all the men that [were] with him:

And they mourned,⁴ and wept,⁴ and fasted⁴ 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 fallen¹ by the sword.

And David said⁴ unto the young man that told⁵⁶ him, Whence [art] thou? And he answered,⁴ I [am] the son of a stranger, ¹⁶¹⁶ an Amalekite.

And David said⁴ unto him, How wast thou not afraid¹ to stretch forth² thine hand to destroy¹⁵ the LORD'S anointed?

And David called⁴ one of the young men, and said,⁴ Go near,³ [and] fall³ upon him. And he smote⁵⁵ him that he died.⁴

And David said⁴ unto him, Thy blood [be] upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified¹ against thee, saying,² I have slain³¹ the LORD'S anointed.

And David lamented³⁴ with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

(Also he bade⁴ them teach¹⁵ the children of Judah [the use of] the bow: behold, [it is] written⁷ in the book of Jasher.)

The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!¹

Tell⁵⁵ [it] not in Gath, publish¹⁷ [it] not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,⁴ lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.⁴

Ye mountains of Gilboa, [let there be] no dew, neither [let there be] rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away,⁸ the shield of Saul, [as though he had] not [been] anointed with oil.

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned⁸ not back, and the sword of Saul returned⁴ not empty.

Saul and Jonathan [were] lovely¹² and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided:⁸ they were swifter¹ than eagles, they were stronger¹ than lions.

Ye daughters of Israel, weep³ over Saul, who clothed⁵⁶ you in scarlet, with [other] delights, who put⁵⁶ on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

How are the mighty fallen¹ in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, [thou wast] slain in thine high places.

I am distressed¹ for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant¹ hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful,⁸ passing the love of women.

How are the mighty fallen,¹ and the weapons of war perished!⁴