1 The Amalekite, who brought tidings of the overthrow, and accused himself of Saul’s death, is slain. 17 David laments Saul and Jonathan with a song.

¹ Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed 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 on his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

³ And David said to him, From where come you? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

⁴ And David said to him, How went the matter? I pray you, tell me. And he answered, That 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 to the young man that told him, How know you that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

⁶ And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance on mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned on his spear; and, see, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after 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? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

⁹ He said to me again, Stand, I pray you, on me, and slay me: for anguish is come on me, because my life is yet whole in me.

¹⁰ So I stood on 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 on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to 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 to the young man that told him, From where are you? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

¹⁴ And David said to him, How were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?

¹⁵ And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall on him. And he smote him that he died.

¹⁶ And David said to him, Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have slain the LORD’s anointed. ¶

¹⁷ And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

¹⁸ (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

¹⁹ The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places: how are the mighty fallen!

²⁰ Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

²¹ You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, on you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been 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 You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold on your apparel.

²⁵ How are the mighty fallen in the middle of the battle! O Jonathan, you were slain in your high places.

²⁶ I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant have you been to me: your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

²⁷ How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!