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¹ And 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 prostrated himself.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: '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 are 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 the horsemen pressed hard upon 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 And he said unto me: Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and slay me, for the agony hath taken hold of me; because my life is just yet in me.¹⁰ So I stood beside 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 wailed, 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 an Amalekite stranger.'¹⁴ And David said unto him: 'How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy 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 and said--To teach the sons of Judah the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of Jashar:¹⁹ Thy beauty, O Israel, upon thy high places is slain! How are the mighty fallen!²⁰ Tell 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 triumph.²¹ Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of choice fruits; for there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, not 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, the lovely and the pleasant in their lives, even 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 ornaments of gold upon your apparel.²⁵ How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan upon thy high places is slain!²⁶ I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant hast thou been unto me; wonderful was thy love to me, passing the love of women.²⁷ How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!