| English Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. | 1After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. |
| 2And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. | 2On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s army camp. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show that he was in mourning. He fell to the ground before David in deep respect. |
| 3David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” | 3“Where have you come from?” David asked. “I escaped from the Israelite camp,” the man replied. |
| 4And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” | 4“What happened?” David demanded. “Tell me how the battle went.” The man replied, “Our entire army fled from the battle. Many of the men are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” |
| 5Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” | 5“How do you know Saul and Jonathan are dead?” David demanded of the young man. |
| 6And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. | 6The man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots and charioteers closing in on him. |
| 7And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ | 7When he turned and saw me, he cried out for me to come to him. ‘How can I help?’ I asked him. |
| 8And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ | 8“He responded, ‘Who are you?’ “‘I am an Amalekite,’ I told him. |
| 9And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ | 9“Then he begged me, ‘Come over here and put me out of my misery, for I am in terrible pain and want to die.’ |
| 10So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” | 10“So I killed him,” the Amalekite told David, “for I knew he couldn’t live. Then I took his crown and his armband, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.” |
| 11Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. | 11David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. |
| 12And 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. | 12They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the LORD’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day. |
| 13And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” | 13Then David said to the young man who had brought the news, “Where are you from?” And he replied, “I am a foreigner, an Amalekite, who lives in your land.” |
| 14David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” | 14“Why were you not afraid to kill the LORD’s anointed one?” David asked. |
| 15Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. | 15Then David said to one of his men, “Kill him!” So the man thrust his sword into the Amalekite and killed him. |
| 16And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD’s anointed.’” | 16“You have condemned yourself,” David said, “for you yourself confessed that you killed the LORD’s anointed one.” David’s Song for Saul and Jonathan |
| 17And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, | 17Then David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan, |
| 18and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said: | 18and he commanded that it be taught to the people of Judah. It is known as the Song of the Bow, and it is recorded in The Book of Jashar. |
| 19“Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! | 19Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills! Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen! |
| 20Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. | 20Don’t announce the news in Gath, don’t proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice and the pagans will laugh in triumph. |
| 21“You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. | 21O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fruitful fields producing offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled; the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil. |
| 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. | 22The bow of Jonathan was powerful, and the sword of Saul did its mighty work. They shed the blood of their enemies and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes. |
| 23“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions. | 23How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan! They were together in life and in death. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions. |
| 24“You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. | 24O women of Israel, weep for Saul, for he dressed you in luxurious scarlet clothing, in garments decorated with gold. |
| 25“How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! “Jonathan lies slain on your high places. | 25Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies dead on the hills. |
| 26I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women. | 26How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan! Oh, how much I loved you! And your love for me was deep, deeper than the love of women! |
| 27“How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!” | 27Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen! Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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