2 Samuel

MSTC^{(i) 1} After the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and had been two days in Ziklag: ² Behold, there came a man the third day out of the host from Saul with his clothes rent and earth upon his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the earth and did obeisance. ³ To whom David said, "Whence comest thou?" And the other answered him, "Out of the host of Israel am I escaped." ⁴ And David said to him again, "How hath it chanced? Tell me." And he said, "The people fled from the battle, and many of the people are overthrown and dead: and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead thereto." ⁵ And David said unto the young man that told him, "How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?" ⁶ And the young man that told him, said, "I was by chance in mount Gilboa. And see, Saul leaned upon his spear, and the chariots and horsemen followed him at the heels. ⁷ And Saul looked back and called me. And I answered, 'Here am I.' ⁸ And he said unto me, 'What art thou?' And I said unto him, 'I am an Amalekite.' ⁹ And he said unto me, 'Come on me and slay me: For anguish is come upon me and my life is yet all in me.' ¹⁰ And I went on him and slew him: for I was sure that he could not live, after that he was fallen. And I took the crown that was upon his head and the bracelet that was on his arm and have brought them unto my lord hither." ¹¹ Then David took his clothes and rent them, and so did all the men that were with him. ¹² And they mourned, wept and fasted until evening — for Saul, and Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel, because they were overthrown with the sword. ¹³ Then said David unto the young man that brought him tidings, "Whence art thou?" And he said, "I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite." ¹⁴ And David said unto him, "How is it that thou wast not afraid to lay thine hand on the LORD's anointed, to destroy him?" ¹⁵ And David called one of his young men, and said, "Go and run upon him." And he smote him that he died. ¹⁶ Then said David unto him, "Thy blood upon thine own head; for thine own mouth hath testified against thee, saying, 'I have slain the LORD's anointed.'" ¹⁷ And David sang this song of mourning over Saul and Jonathan his son, ¹⁸ and bade to teach the children of Israel the staves thereof. And behold, it is written in the book of the righteous: ¹⁹ "The glory of Israel is slain upon the high hills: Oh how were the mighty overthrown! ²⁰ Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and that the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph thereof. ²¹ Ye mountains of Gilboa, upon you be neither dew nor rain, nor fields whence heave offerings come: For there the shields of the mighty were cast from them, the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oil. ²² The bow of Jonathan and the sword of Saul turned never back again empty, from the blood of the wounded and from the fat of the mighty warriors. ²³ Saul and Jonathan lovely and pleasant in their lives, were in their deaths not divided; men swifter than Eagles and stronger than Lions. ²⁴ Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, which clothed you in purple and garments of pleasure, and bordered your raiment with ornaments of gold. ²⁵ How were the mighty slain in battle? Jonathan on the high hills was wounded to death. ²⁶ Woe is me for thee, my brother Jonathan! Delectable to me wast thou, exceeding. Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. ²⁷ How were the mighty overthrown, and how were the weapons of war forlorn!"