1:1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had
returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had
abode two days in Ziklag;
1:2 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
upon his head: and [so] it was, when he came to David, that he
fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
1:3 And David said to him, From whence comest thou? And he said
to him, Out of the camp of Israel have I escaped.
1:4 And David said to him, How went the matter? I pray thee,
tell me. And he answered, That the people have fled from the
battle, and many of the people also have fallen, and are dead;
and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
1:5 And David said to the young man that told him, How knowest
thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
1:6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by
chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear;
and lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
1:7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me.
And I answered, Here [am] I.
1:8 And he said to me, Who [art] thou? And I answered him, I
[am] an Amalekite.
1:9 He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay
me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life [is] yet whole
in me.
1:10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that
he could not live after that he had fallen: and I took the
crown that [was] upon his head, and the bracelet that [was] on
his arm, and have brought them hither to my lord.
1:11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and
likewise all the men that [were] with him:
1:12 And they mourned and wept, and fasted until evening, for
Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD,
and for the house of Israel; because they had fallen by the
sword.
1:13 And David said to the young man that told him, Whence [art]
thou? And he answered, I [am] the son of a stranger, an
Amalekite.
1:14 And David said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch
forth thy hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?
1:15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near,
[and] fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
1:16 And David said to him, Thy blood [be] upon thy head; for
thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the
LORD'S anointed.
1:17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and
over Jonathan his son:
1:18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah [the use of]
the bow: behold, [it is] written in the book of Jasher.)
1:19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are
the mighty fallen!
1:20 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.
1:21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, [let there be] no dew, neither rain
upon 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.
1:22 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.
1:23 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.
1:24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in
scarlet, with [other] delights, who put ornaments of gold upon
your apparel.
1:25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O
Jonathan [thou wast] slain in thy high places.
1:26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very
pleasant hast thou been to me: thy love to me was wonderful,
passing the love of women.
1:27 How have the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war
perished!
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