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¹ And so it was, after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the smiting of the Amalekites, and David had abode in Ziklag two days,² yea so it was, on the third day, that lo! 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 in unto David, that he fell to the earth, and did homage. 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 turned out the matter? tell me, I pray thee. And he said - The people have fled from the battle, yea moreover, many, of the people have fallen, and died, Yea moreover, Saul, and Jonathan his son, are dead.⁵ Then said David unto the young man who was telling him, - How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?⁶ And the young man who was telling him said, It, so happened, that I was on Mount Gilboa, when lo! Saul, leaning upon his spear, and lo! the chariots and horsemen, hotly pursued him;⁷ so he turned behind him, and saw me, - and cried out unto me, and I said, Behold me!⁸ And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I said unto him, An Amalekite, am I.⁹ And he said unto me, I pray thee, take thy stand by me, and put me to death, for the cramp hath seized me, - even for as long as my life shall be in me.¹⁰ So I took my stand by him, and put him to death, for I perceived that he could not survive his fall, - so I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them in unto my lord, here.

¹¹ Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them, - yea moreover, so did all the men who were with him.¹² And they lamented aloud, and wept, and fasted until the evening, - for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.¹³ And David said unto the young man who was telling him, Whence art thou? And he said, Son of a sojourner - an Amalekite, am I.¹⁴ And David said unto him, - How wast thou not afraid to thrust forth thy hand, to destroy the Anointed of Yahweh?¹⁵ So David called one of the young men, and said, - Go near - fall upon him. And he smote him, that he died.¹⁶ And David said unto him, Thy blood, be upon thine own head, - for, thine own mouth, hath testified against thee, saying, I myself, put to death the Anointed of Yahweh.

¹⁷ Then chanted David this dirge, - over Saul and over Jonathan his son;¹⁸ and he thought to teach the sons of Judah the song of the Bow, - lo! it is written in the Book of the Upright: - ¹⁹ The beauty of Israel! on thy high plumes - slain! How have fallen - the mighty!²⁰ Do not tell it in Gath, Do not publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, - lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the Uncircumcised triumph.²¹ Ye mountains in Gilboa! Be there neither dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings, - for, there, were cast away, the shields of the mighty, The shield of Saul, unanointed with oil.²² From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan ne'er drew back, - and, the sword of Saul, ne'er returned, empty.²³ Saul and Jonathan, delightfully loving in their lives, even, in their death, were not divided, - Beyond eagles, were they swift, beyond lions, were they strong!²⁴ Ye daughters of Israel! For Saul, weep ye, - who clothed you in crimson, decked with lovely things, who hung ornaments of gold on your apparel!²⁵ How have fallen the mighty, in the midst of the battle! Jonathan, on thy high places, slain!²⁶ I am distressed for thee, my brother, Jonathan! Delightful to me, exceedingly, - Wonderful, was thy love to me, passing the love of women.²⁷ How have fallen the mighty, and perished the weapons of war!