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¹ And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;² it came to pass on the third day, that, look, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth on his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.³ And David said to him, Where do you come from? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel I have escaped.⁴ And David said to him, How did it go? I pray you, tell me. And he answered, The people fled from the battle, and many of the people also fell and have died; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.⁵ And David said to the young man that told him, How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?⁶ And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance on mount Gilboa, I saw that Saul was leaning on his spear; and that the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after 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? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.⁹ And he said to me, Stand, I pray you, beside me, and slay me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.¹⁰ So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after he fell: and I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to 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 evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel; because they fell by the sword.¹³ And David said to the young man that told him, Where are you from? And he answered, I am the son of a man who is a sojourner, an Amalekite.¹⁴ And David said to him, Why weren't you afraid to put forth your hand to destroy Yahweh's anointed?¹⁵ And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall on him. And he smote him, so that he died.¹⁶ And David said to him, Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have slain Yahweh's anointed.

¹⁷ And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son.¹⁸ And he bade them teach the sons of Judah, "The Bow". Look, it is written in the book of Jashar:¹⁹ Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How are the mighty fallen!²⁰ Don't tell it in Gath, Don't publish it in the streets of Ashkelon; Or else the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, Or else the daughters of the uncircumcised will triumph.²¹ You mountains of Gilboa, Let there be no dew nor rain on you, neither fields of offerings: 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 didn't turn back, And the sword of Saul didn't return 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 You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who clothed you in scarlet delicately, Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.²⁵ How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain on your high places.²⁶ I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan: Very pleasant you have been to me: Your love to me was wonderful, Passing the love of women.²⁷ How are the mighty fallen, And the weapons of war perished!