¶ Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David¹ was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag²;

It came even to pass on the third³ day, that, behold, a man⁴ came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes⁵ rent, and earth⁶ upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell⁸ to the earth, and did obeisance.

And David said unto him, From⁹ whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I¹⁰ escaped.

And David said unto him, How went¹¹ the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people¹² are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest¹³ thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

And the young man that told him said, As I happened¹⁴ by chance upon mount¹⁵ Gilboa, behold, Saul¹⁶ leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I¹⁷.

And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite¹⁸.

He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish¹⁹ is come upon me, because my life²⁰ is yet whole in me.

¶ So I stood upon him, and slew²¹ him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown²² that was upon his head, and the bracelet²³ that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

¶ Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent²⁴ them; and likewise²⁵ all the men that were with him:

²⁶And 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.

²⁷And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

And David said unto him, How²⁸ wast thou not afraid to stretch forth²⁹ thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?

And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near³⁰, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.

And David said unto him, Thy blood³¹ be upon thy head; for thy mouth³² hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.

¶ And David lamented³³ with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

(Also he bade them teach³⁴ the children of Judah the use of the bow³⁵: behold, it is written in the book³⁶ of Jasher³⁷.)

The beauty³⁸ of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are³⁹ the mighty fallen!

¶ Tell⁴⁰ it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines⁴¹ rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised⁴² triumph.

Ye mountains⁴³ of Gilboa, let there be no dew⁴⁴, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings⁴⁵: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not⁴⁶ been anointed⁴⁷ with oil.

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow⁴⁸ of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant⁴⁹ in their lives, and in their death they were⁵⁰ not divided: they were swifter⁵¹ than eagles, they were stronger⁵² than lions.

⁵³Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

How⁵⁴ are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.

I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love⁵⁶ to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

How are⁵⁷ the mighty fallen, and the weapons⁵⁸ of war perished!