2 Samuel 1 - English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK)

David Hears of Saul's Death

1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned (A)from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, (B)a man came from Saul's camp, (C)with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, (D)he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, (E)“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.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, (F)“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. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me (G)‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. (H)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.”

11 Then David took hold of his clothes and (I)tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept (J)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. 13 And 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.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not (K)afraid to put out your hand to destroy (L)the Lord's anointed?” 15 Then (M)David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, (N)“Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed (O)the Lord's anointed.’”

David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan

17 And David (P)lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it[a] should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in (Q)the Book of Jashar.[b] He said:

19 “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
(R)How the mighty have fallen!
20 (S)Tell it not in Gath,
(T)publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
(U)lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of (V)the uncircumcised exult.
21 (W)“You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor fields of offerings![c]
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, not (X)anointed with oil.
22 “From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
(Y)the bow of Jonathan turned not back,
and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were (Z)swifter than eagles;
they were (AA)stronger than lions.
24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
(AB)who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 (AC)“How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
(AD)your love to me was extraordinary,
surpassing the love of women.
27 (AE)“How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:18 Septuagint; Hebrew the Bow, which may be the name of the lament's tune
  2. 2 Samuel 1:18 Or of the upright
  3. 2 Samuel 1:21 Septuagint firstfruits

Cross references

  1. 2 Samuel 1:1 : See 1 Sam. 30:17-20
  2. 2 Samuel 1:2 : ch. 4:10
  3. 2 Samuel 1:2 : See Josh. 7:6
  4. 2 Samuel 1:2 : ch. 14:4
  5. 2 Samuel 1:4 : [1 Sam. 4:16]
  6. 2 Samuel 1:6 : For ver. 6-10, see 1 Sam. 31:1-4; 1 Chr. 10:1-6
  7. 2 Samuel 1:9 : [Judg. 9:54]
  8. 2 Samuel 1:10 : [2 Kgs. 11:12]
  9. 2 Samuel 1:11 : ch. 13:31; [ch. 3:31]; See Josh. 7:6
  10. 2 Samuel 1:12 : [ch. 3:35]
  11. 2 Samuel 1:14 : [1 Sam. 24:6, 10; 26:9; 31:4]
  12. 2 Samuel 1:14 : See 1 Sam. 12:3
  13. 2 Samuel 1:15 : ch. 4:10
  14. 2 Samuel 1:16 : [ch. 3:29; Josh. 2:19; 1 Kgs. 2:32, 37; Matt. 27:25]
  15. 2 Samuel 1:16 : See 1 Sam. 12:3
  16. 2 Samuel 1:17 : [ch. 3:33; 2 Chr. 35:25]
  17. 2 Samuel 1:18 : Josh. 10:13
  18. 2 Samuel 1:19 : ver. 25, 27
  19. 2 Samuel 1:20 : Mic. 1:10
  20. 2 Samuel 1:20 : [1 Sam. 31:9; Amos 3:9]
  21. 2 Samuel 1:20 : [Ex. 15:20; Judg. 11:34]
  22. 2 Samuel 1:20 : See Judg. 14:3
  23. 2 Samuel 1:21 : 1 Sam. 31:1
  24. 2 Samuel 1:21 : [1 Sam. 10:1]
  25. 2 Samuel 1:22 : [1 Sam. 18:4]
  26. 2 Samuel 1:23 : [Jer. 4:13; Hab. 1:8]
  27. 2 Samuel 1:23 : [Judg. 14:18]
  28. 2 Samuel 1:24 : [Ezek. 16:11]
  29. 2 Samuel 1:25 : ver. 19
  30. 2 Samuel 1:26 : See 1 Sam. 18:1, 3
  31. 2 Samuel 1:27 : [See ver. 25 above]; ver. 19

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1 And it cometh to pass, after the death of Saul, that David hath returned from smiting the Amalekite, and David dwelleth in Ziklag two days, 2 and it cometh to pass, on the third day, that lo, a man hath come in out of the camp from Saul, and his garments [are] rent, and earth on his head; and it c...
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1 And it was done, after that Saul was dead, that David turned again from the slaying of Amalek, and he dwelled two days in Ziklag. (And it was done, after Saul died, that David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and he stayed in Ziklag for two days.) 2 And in the third day a man appeare...
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1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag; 2 on the third day, behold,[a] a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn, and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth, and showe...
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2 Samuel 1 - The Voice (VOICE)

1 After Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle with the Philistines, David returned from defeating the Amalekites, and for two days he rested in Ziklag. 2 On the third day, a man came from Saul’s camp in mourning, his clothes torn, dirt on his head. When he reached David, he fell to the ground fac...
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2 Samuel 1 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

David Mourns Saul and Jonathan1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul—when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites—that David stayed two days in Ziklag. 2 On the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dust on his head. Now when he approached ...
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2 Samuel 1 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amal′ekites, David remained two days in Ziklag; 2 and on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes rent and earth upon his head. And when he came to David, he fe...
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2 Samuel 1 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amal′ekites, David remained two days in Ziklag; 2 and on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes rent and earth upon his head. And when he came to David, he fe...
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2 Samuel 1 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 On the third day, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and did ob...
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2 Samuel 1 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.(A)2 On the third day, a man came from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and did ob...
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2 Samuel 1 - New Living Translation (NLT)

David Learns of Saul’s Death1 After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. 2 On 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 bef...
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2 Samuel 1 - New Life Version (NLV)

David Hears of Saul’s Death1 Now after the death of Saul, David returned from killing the Amalekites and stayed two days in Ziklag. 2 On the third day, a man came from the tents of Saul. His clothes were torn and he had dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell with his face to the ground. ...
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2 Samuel 1 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Report of Saul’s Death1 Now it came to pass after the (A)death of Saul, when David had returned from (B)the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, 2 on the third day, behold, it happened that (C)a man came from Saul’s camp (D)with his clothes [a]torn and dust on h...
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2 Samuel 1 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

David hears of Saul’s death1 After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honour. 3 ‘Wher...
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2 Samuel 1 - New International Version (NIV)

David Hears of Saul’s Death(A)1 After the death(B) of Saul, David returned from striking down(C) the Amalekites(D) and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man(E) arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head.(F) When he came to David, he fell(G) to the ground to pay...
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2 Samuel 1 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

David Hears That Saul Has Died1 After Saul died, David returned to Ziklag. He had won the battle over the Amalekites. He stayed in Ziklag for two days. 2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp. His clothes were torn. He had dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to ...
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2 Samuel 1 - New English Translation (NET)

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