2 Samuel

Thomson^{(i) 1} Now after the death of Saul when David returned from the slaughter of the Amelekites, and had been at Sekelak two days, ² behold there came a man, on the third day, from the camp; from the people of Saul with his clothes rent, and earth on his head, and when he came to David he fell on the ground, and made obeisance to him. ³ And David said to him, Whence comest thou? And he replied, I have escaped from the camp of Israel. ⁴ Thereupon David said to him, What is the news? Tell me. And when he said, The people fled from the battle, and many of the people have fallen, and died; Saul also is dead, and his son Jonathan; ⁵ David said to the young man who told him, How knowest thou that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead? ⁶ And the young man who told him said, By accident I happened to be on mount Gelbua, and behold Saul was leaning on his spear; and lo! the chariots and horsemen were close upon him; ⁷ and when he looked back and saw me, he called me: and I said, Here I am. ⁸ Then he said to me, Who art thou? and I said, I am an Amelekite. ⁹ Then he said to me, Stand over me, I pray thee, and kill me; for I am seized with a gloomy horror, because all my life is in me. ¹⁰ So I went up to him and killed him, for I am sure he could not live after he fell; and I took the crown which was on his head, and the bracelet which was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord. ¹¹ Then David took hold of his garments, and rent them, and all the men who were with him rent their garments, ¹² and beat their breasts, and wept, and fasted till evening for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Juda, and for the house of Israel, because they had been smitten with the sword. ¹³ And David said to the young man who told him, Whence art thou? And he said, I am the son of a stranger; an Amelekite. ¹⁴ And David said to him, How couldst thou not be afraid to lift up thy hand to kill the Lord's anointed. ¹⁵ Then David called one of his young men and said, Go near and fall upon him. So he smote him that he died. ¹⁶ And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thy own head, for thy own mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the anointed of the Lord. ¹⁷ Then David sung this funereal Ode over Saul, and over Jonathan his son, ¹⁸ and gave orders that the children of Juda should learn it. Behold it is written in the book Straight. ¹⁹ Erect, Israel, a monument for the dead; For the slain on thy lofty mountains. How are the mighty fallen! ²⁰ Proclaim not ye the news in Geth; Tell it not as good news in the streets of Ascalon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice; Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult with joy. ²¹ On you, mountains of Gelbua, let not dew descend; On you, let there be no rain, nor fields of first fruit offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was battered; The shield of Saul. Was he not anointed with oil? ²² From the blood of the wounded; From the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan recoiled not empty; The sword of Saul bended not in vain. ²³ Saul and Jonathan were beloved; They were lovely and inseparable; Comely in their life; And in their death they were not divided. Than eagles they were swifter; And than lions more courageous. ²⁴ daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who adorned your dress with scarlet; Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. ²⁵ How are the mighty fallen! In the midst of the battle, Jonathan! On thy lofty mountains slain! ²⁶ I mourn for thee, my brother Jonathan, To me thou wast very lovely. Thy love for me was wonderful; Far surpassing the love of women. ²⁷ How are the mighty fallen! And the weapons of war perished!