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Chapter 1 |
| 1 | Now it came to
pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the
Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; |
| 2 | It came even
to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul
with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to
David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. |
| 3 | And David said
unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of
Israel am I escaped. |
| 4 | And David said unto him, How went the matter?
I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the
battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan
his son are dead also. |
| 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, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa,
behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed
hard after him. |
|
7 | And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called
unto me. And I answered, Here am I. |
| 8 | And he said unto me, Who art
thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. |
|
9 | He said unto me again,
Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because
my life is yet whole in me. |
|
10 | So I stood upon him, and slew him,
because 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 hither unto my lord. |
| 11 | Then David took hold on his
clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: |
| 12 |
And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan
his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because
they were fallen by the sword. |
| 13 | And David said unto the young
man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a
stranger, an Amalekite. |
| 14 | And David said unto him, How wast thou not
afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD's anointed? |
| 15 |
And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him.
And he smote him that he died. |
| 16 | And David said unto him, Thy
blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I
have slain the LORD's anointed. |
| 17 | And David lamented with this
lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: |
| 18 | (Also he
bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written
in the book of Jasher.) |
| 19 | The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high
places: how are the mighty fallen! |
| 20 | Tell it not in Gath, publish
it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines
rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. |
| 21 | Ye
mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you,
nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast
away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been 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. |
| 23 |
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death
they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than
lions. |
| 24
| Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you
in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your
apparel. |
| 25
| How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O
Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. |
| 26 | I am
distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me:
thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. |
| 27 | How are
the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! |
