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¹ After the death of Saul, when Dauid was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and had beene two dayes in Ziklag,² Behold, a man came the third day out of the host from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth vpon his head: and when hee came to Dauid, he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.³ Then Dauid saide vnto him, Whence commest thou? And he said vnto him, Out of the host of Israel I am escaped.⁴ And Dauid saide vnto him, What is done? I pray thee, tell me. Then he said, that the people is fled from the battel, and many of the people are ouerthrowen, and dead, & also Saul and Ionathan his sonne are dead.⁵ And Dauid saide vnto the yong man that tolde it him, Howe knowest thou that Saul and Ionathan his sonne be dead?⁶ Then the yong man that tolde him, answered, As I came to mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned vpon his speare, and loe, the charets and horsemen followed hard after him.⁷ And when he looked backe, he saw me, and called me. And I answered, Here am I.⁸ And he said vnto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.⁹ Then saide hee vnto me, I pray thee come vpon mee, and slay me: for anguish is come vpon me, because my life is yet whole in me.¹⁰ So I came vpon him, and slewe him, and because I was sure that hee coulde not liue, after that hee had fallen, I tooke the crowne that was vpon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arme, and brought them hither vnto my lord.

¹¹ Then Dauid tooke hold on his clothes, & rent them, and likewise al the men that were with him.¹² And they mourned and wept, and fasted vntil euen, for Saul and for Ionathan his sonne, & for the people of the Lorde, and for the house of Israel, because they were slaine with the sword.¹³ Afterward Dauid saide vnto the yong man that tolde it him, Whence art thou? And hee answered, I am the sonne of a stranger an Amalekite.¹⁴ And Dauid said vnto him, How wast thou not afrayd, to put forth thine hand to destroy the Anoynted of the Lord?¹⁵ Then Dauid called one of his yong men, and said, Goe neere, and fall vpon him. And hee smote him that he dyed.¹⁶ Then said Dauid vnto him, Thy blood be vpon thine owne head: for thine owne mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I haue slaine the Lords Anoynted.

¹⁷ Then Dauid mourned with this lamentation ouer Saul, and ouer Ionathan his sonne,¹⁸ (Also he bade them teach the children of Iudah to shoote, as it is written in the booke of Iasher)¹⁹ O noble Israel, hee is slane vpon thy hie places: how are the mightie ouerthrowen!²⁰ Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it in the streetes of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistims reioyce, lest the daughters of the vncircumcised triumph.²¹ Ye mountaines of Gilboa, vpon you be neither dewe nor raine, nor be there fieldes of offrings: for there the shielde of the mightie is cast downe, the shielde of Saul, as though he had not bene anointed with oyle.²² The bow of Ionathan neuer turned backe, neither did the sword of Saul returne emptie from the blood of the slaine, and from the fatte of the mightie.²³ Saul and Ionathan were louely and pleasant in their liues, and in their deaths they were not deuided: they were swifter then egles, they were stronger then lions.²⁴ Yee daughters of Israel, weepe for Saul, which clothed you in skarlet, with pleasures, & hanged ornaments of gold vpon your apparel.²⁵ Howe were the mightie slaine in the mids of the battel! O Ionathan, thou wast slaine in thine hie places.²⁶ Wo is me for thee, my brother Ionathan: very kinde hast thou bene vnto me: thy loue to me was wonderfull, passing the loue of women: ²⁷ howe are the mightie ouerthrowen, and the weapons of warre destroyed!