2Sa 1 | NASB2020 | STEP | Now it came about after the death of Saul , when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites , that David stayed two days in Ziklag .

2 Samuel 1

David Learns of Saul’s Death

1 Now it came about after ^athe death of Saul, when David had returned from ^bthe slaughter of the Amalekites, that David stayed two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, ^ca man came from ^{▼▼Lit the camp connected with Saul}Saul’s camp ^ewith his clothes torn and ^{▼▼Lit earth}dust on his head. And it happened when he came to David, ^ghe fell to the ground and prostrated himself. 3 Then David said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 David said to him, “ ^hHow did things go? Please tell me.” And he said, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 The young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on ⁱMount Gilboa, and behold, ^jSaul was leaning on his spear. And behold, the chariots and the horsemen had overtaken him. 7 When he looked behind himself, he saw me, and called to me. And I said, ‘Here I am.’ 8 Then he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I ^{▼▼Lit said to}answered him, ‘ ^lI am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Please stand next to me and finish me off, for ^{▼▼Or dizziness}agony has seized me because my ^{▼▼Lit whole life is still in me}life still lingers in me.’ 10 So I stood next to him ^oand finished him off, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. And ^pI took the crown which was on his head and the band which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Then ^qDavid took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so also did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and ^rfasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 Then David said to the young man who informed him, “Where are you from?” And he ^{▼▼Lit said}answered, “ ^tI am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.” 14 And David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid ^uto reach out with your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Come forward, ^{▼▼Lit fall on him}put him to death.” ^wSo he struck him and he died. 16 And David said to him, “ ^{▼▼I.e., his death was his own responsibility
,} ^yYour blood is on your head, because ^zyour own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have finished off the Lord’s anointed.’”

David’s Song of Mourning for Saul and Jonathan

17 Then David ^aasang this song of mourning over Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the mourning song of the bow; behold, it is written in ^abthe Book of Jashar.

19 “ ^{▼▼Lit The}Your beauty, Israel, is ^{▼▼Lit pierced}slaughtered on your high places!
^aeHow the mighty have fallen!
20 “ ^afTell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
Or ^agthe daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
The daughters of ^ahthe uncircumcised will celebrate.
21 “ ^aiMountains of Gilboa,
^ajMay there be no dew nor rain on you, or fields of offerings!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
The shield of Saul, not ^akanointed with oil.
22 “ ^alFrom the blood of those ^{▼▼Lit pierced}slaughtered, from the fat of the mighty,
^anThe bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return ^{▼▼Or without success}unstained.
23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in ^{▼▼Lit their lives}life,
And in their deaths they were not separated;
^aqThey were swifter than eagles,
^arThey were mightier than lions.
24 “Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with jewelry,
Who put gold jewelry on your apparel.
25 “ ^asHow the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan is ^{▼▼Lit pierced}slaughtered on your high places.
26 “I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been ^{▼▼Lit very friendly to}a close friend to me.
^avYour love for me was more wonderful
Than the love of women.
27 “ ^awHow the mighty have fallen,
And ^axthe weapons of war have perished!”