¹ And it was, after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the smiting of the Amalekites, that David had dwelt two days in Ziklag;

² and it was, on the third day, that behold, a man^◦ came from the camp from with Saul, and his garments were rent, and the dust^* of the ground upon his head; and it was, when he came to^▵ David, that he fell to the earth and bowed·​·down.

³ And David said to him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto^▵ him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

⁴ And David said to^▵ him, What is the word? Tell me, I pray^◦. And he said, The people have fled from the battle, and a multitude^▵ of the people also have fallen and are·​·dead; and Saul and Jonathan^◦ his son are· also ·dead.

⁵ And David said to^▵ the lad who told him, How^◦ knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan^◦ his son are dead?

⁶ And the lad that told him said, Happening I happened to be on^◦ Mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, behold, the chariots and the masters of the horsemen stuck close to him.

⁷ And he faced behind him and saw me, and called to^▵ me. And I said, Behold me.

⁸ And he said unto me, who art thou^◦? And I said unto^▵ him, I^▵ am an Amalekite.

⁹ And he said unto^▵ me, Stand, I pray^◦ thee, over me, and put· me ·to·​·death, for mortal anguish has seized me, for all my soul is yet in me.

¹⁰ And I stood over him and put· him ·to·​·death, because^◦ I knew that he could not live after he had fallen; and I took the crown^◦ that was on his head, and the armband that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto^▵ my lord.

¹¹ And David held· his garments ·firmly and rent them; and also all the men^◦ that were with^◦ him.

¹² And they wailed and wept, and fasted until evening, for^▵ Saul and for^▵ Jonathan^◦ his son, and for^▵ the people of Jehovah, and for^▵ the house of Israel; for they had fallen by the sword.

¹³ And David said unto^▵ the lad that told him, Whence art thou^◦? And he said, I^▵ am the son of a man^◦, an Amalekite, sojourner.

¹⁴ And David said unto^▵ him, How^◦ didst thou not fear to put·​·forth^◦ thy hand to corrupt the anointed of Jehovah?

¹⁵ And David called one of the lads and said, Approach and fall·​·upon him. And he smote him, and he died.

¹⁶ And David said unto^▵ him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth has answered against thee, saying, I^▵ have·​·put·​·to·​·death the anointed of Jehovah.

¹⁷ And David lamented this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan^◦ his son.

¹⁸ And he said, to teach the sons of Judah the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar;

¹⁹ The elegance of Israel is slain on thy high·​·places.
How^◦ have the heroes fallen?

²⁰ Tell it not in Gath,
bring· not ·tidings into the streets of Ashkelon;
lest the daughters of the Philistines be·​·glad,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

²¹ Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no^◦ dew, nor rain upon you;
nor fields of heavenly-offerings;
for there was polluted the shield of the heroes,
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^◦ retreated not backward,
and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

²³ Saul and Jonathan^◦ were loved and pleasant in their lives,
and in their death they were not separated;
they were·​·swifter than eagles,
they prevailed more than lions.

²⁴ Ye daughters of Israel,
weep over Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet twice-dyed, with pleasures,
who put a decoration of gold upon your clothing.

²⁵ How^◦ have the heroes fallen in the midst of the battle?
Jonathan^◦ is slain in thy high·​·places.

²⁶ I am·​·in·​·adversity over thee, my brother Jonathan^◦!
Very pleasant hast thou been to me;
thy love to me was wonderful,
more·​·than the love of women.

²⁷ How^◦ have the heroes fallen,
and the weapons^◦ of war perished?