| International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 1Shortly after Saul had died, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and remained in Ziklag for two days. | 1After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. |
| 2The next day, a man escaped from Saul's camp! With torn clothes and dirty hair, he approached David, fell to the ground, and bowed down to him. | 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 asked him, "Where did you come from? He answered him, "I just escaped from Israel's encampment." | 3“Where have you come from?” David asked. “I escaped from the Israelite camp,” the man replied. |
| 4David continued questioning him, "How did things go? Please tell me!" He replied, "The army has fled the battlefield, many of the army are wounded or have died, 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.” |
| 5David asked the young man who related the story, "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. |
| 6The young man who had been relating the story answered, "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa and there was Saul, leaning on his spear! Meanwhile, the chariots and horsemen were rapidly drawing near. | 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. |
| 7Saul glanced behind him, saw me, and called out to me, so I replied, '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. |
| 8He asked me, 'Who are you?' So I answered him, 'I'm an Amalekite!' | 8“He responded, ‘Who are you?’ “‘I am an Amalekite,’ I told him. |
| 9He begged me, 'Please—come stand here next to me and kill me, because I'm still alive.' | 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 next to him and killed him, because I knew that he wouldn't live after he had fallen. I took the crown that had been on his head, along with the bracelet that had been on his arm, and I have brought them to your majesty." | 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.” |
| 11On hearing this, David grabbed his clothes and tore them, as did all the men who were attending to him. | 11David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. |
| 12They mourned and wept, and then decided to fast until dusk for Saul, for his son Jonathan, for the army of the LORD, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen in battle. | 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. |
| 13Meanwhile, David asked the young man who had told him the story, "Where are you from?" He answered, "I'm an Amalekite, the son of a foreign man." | 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.” |
| 14At this David asked him, "How is it that you weren't afraid to raise your hand to strike the LORD's anointed?" | 14“Why were you not afraid to kill the LORD’s anointed one?” David asked. |
| 15Then David called out to one of his young men and ordered him, "Go up to him and cut him down!" So he attacked him and killed him. | 15Then David said to one of his men, “Kill him!” So the man thrust his sword into the Amalekite and killed him. |
| 16David told him, "Your blood is on your own head, because your own words testified against you! After all, you said, 'I myself 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 |
| 17So David intoned this song of lament about Saul and his son Jonathan, | 17Then David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan, |
| 18and he gave orders to teach the descendants of Judah the art of warfare, as is recorded in the Book of Jashar: | 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 beauty, Israel, lies slain on your high places! O, how the valiant have fallen! | 19Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills! Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen! |
| 20Don't make it known in Gath! Don't declare it in the avenues of Ashkelon! Otherwise, the daughters of Philistia will rejoice; and the daughters of the uncircumcised will triumph. | 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. |
| 21Mountains of Gilboa, let no dew or rain fall on you, and may none of your fields be filled with plenty, because in that place the shield of the valiant ones was defiled, the shield of Saul without an anointing 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. |
| 22From the blood of the slain, from the blood of the valiant, Jonathan's bow would not retreat nor would Saul's sword return 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. |
| 23Saul and Jonathan, loved and handsome in life, in death were not separated. Swifter than eagles they were, and more valiant 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. |
| 24Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul! He clothed you in scarlet luxury and decorated your garments with gold. | 24O women of Israel, weep for Saul, for he dressed you in luxurious scarlet clothing, in garments decorated with gold. |
| 25How have the valiant fallen in the tumult of 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 in distress for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been most kind to me. Your love for me was extraordinary — beyond love from 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! |
| 27How the valiant have fallen! How the weapons of war are destroyed!" | 27Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen! Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | 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. |
|
