1Now it happened, after the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, that David stayed in Ziklag two days.
2And it happened on the third day that, look, a man came from the camp, from Saul, with his garments torn and dirt on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.
3David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”
4David said to him, “What was the thing? Tell me, please.” And he said, “The people fled from the battle, and many of the people also fell and died; and Saul and Jonathan his son also died.”
5Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
6The young man who told him said, “I happened by chance to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, and there were the chariots and the horsemen closing in on him.
7He turned around and saw me, and called out to me, and I said, ‘Here I am.’
8He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I said to him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9Then he said to me, ‘Stand over me, please, and put me to death, for the throes have seized me, though my life is still wholly in me.’
10So I stood over him and put him to death, for I knew that he could not live after his fall. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armband that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
11Then David took hold of his garments and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him.
12And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of Yahweh and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” And he said, “I am the son of a resident alien, an Amalekite.”
14David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy Yahweh’s anointed?”
15Then David called one of the young men and said, “Come near, strike him down.” And he struck him so that he died.
16David said to him, “Your blood be on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I myself put to death Yahweh’s anointed.’”
17Then David chanted this lament over Saul and over Jonathan his son,
18and he said it was to teach the sons of Judah the Bow. Look, it is written in the Book of Jashar.
19The gazelle of Israel is slain upon your heights! How the mighty have fallen!
20Do not tell it in Gath, do not proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21Mountains of Gilboa, may there be no dew and no rain upon you, nor fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.
22From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely in their lives, in their death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with luxuries, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain upon your heights.
26I am distressed over you, my brother Jonathan; you were very pleasant to me. Your love for me was more wonderful than the love of women.
27How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!
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