1 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 honor.3 "Where have you come from?" David asked him. He answered, "I have escaped from the Israelite camp."4 "What happened?" David asked. "Tell me." "The men fled from the battle," he replied. "Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead."5 Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"6 "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa," the young man said, "and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit.7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, 'What can I do?'8 "He asked me, 'Who are you?' "'An Amalekite,' I answered.9 "Then he said to me, 'Stand here by me and kill me! I'm in the throes of death, but I'm still alive.'10 "So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord."11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them.12 They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.13 David said to the young man who brought him the report, "Where are you from?" "I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite," he answered.14 David asked him, "Why weren't you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?"15 Then David called one of his men and said, "Go, strike him down!" So he struck him down, and he died.16 For David had said to him, "Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, 'I killed the LORD's anointed.'"17 David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan,18 and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):19 "A gazelle "lies slain on your heights, Israel. How the mighty have fallen!20 "Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.21 "Mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, may no showers fall on your terraced fields. "For there the shield of the mighty was despised, the shield of Saul —no longer rubbed with oil.22 "From the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.23 Saul and Jonathan — in life they were loved and admired, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.24 "Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.25 "How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.26 I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.27 "How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!"

1 Factum est autem, postquam mortuus est Saul, ut David reverteretur a cde Amalec, et maneret in Siceleg duos dies. 2 In die autem tertia apparuit homo veniens de castris Saul veste conscissa, et pulvere conspersus caput : et ut venit ad David, cecidit super faciem suam, et adoravit. 3 Dixitque ad eum David : Unde venis ? Qui ait ad eum : De castris Isral fugi. 4 Et dixit ad eum David : Quod est verbum quod factum est ? indica mihi. Qui ait : Fugit populus ex prlio, et multi corruentes e populo mortui sunt : sed et Saul et Jonathas filius ejus interierunt. 5 Dixitque David ad adolescentem qui nuntiabat ei : Unde scis quia mortuus est Saul, et Jonathas filius ejus ? 6 Et ait adolescens qui nuntiabat ei : Casu veni in montem Gelbo, et Saul incumbebat super hastam suam : porro currus et equites appropinquabant ei, 7 et conversus post tergum suum, vidensque me, vocavit. Cui cum respondissem : Adsum : 8 dixit mihi : Quisnam es tu ? Et aio ad eum : Amalecites ego sum. 9 Et locutus est mihi : Sta super me, et interfice me : quoniam tenent me angusti, et adhuc tota anima mea in me est. 10 Stansque super eum, occidi illum : sciebam enim quod vivere non poterat post ruinam : et tuli diadema quod erat in capite ejus, et armillam de brachio illius, et attuli ad te dominum meum huc.11 Apprehendens autem David, vestimenta sua scidit, omnesque viri qui erant cum eo, 12 et planxerunt, et fleverunt, et jejunaverunt usque ad vesperam super Saul, et super Jonathan filium ejus, et super populum Domini, et super domum Isral, eo quod corruissent gladio. 13 Dixitque David ad juvenem qui nuntiaverat ei : Unde es tu ? Qui respondit : Filius hominis adven Amalecit ego sum. 14 Et ait ad eum David : Quare non timuisti mittere manum tuam ut occideres christum Domini ? 15 Vocansque David unum de pueris suis, ait : Accedens irrue in eum. Qui percussit illum, et mortuus est. 16 Et ait ad eum David : Sanguis tuus super caput tuum : os enim tuum locutum est adversum te, dicens : Ego interfeci christum Domini.17 Planxit autem David planctum hujuscemodi super Saul, et super Jonathan filium ejus 18 (et prcepit ut docerent filios Juda arcum, sicut scriptum est in libro justorum), et ait : [Considera, Isral, pro his qui mortui sunt,super excelsa tua vulnerati.19 Inclyti Isral super montes tuos interfecti sunt :quomodo ceciderunt fortes ?20 Nolite annuntiare in Geth,neque annuntietis in compitis Ascalonis :ne forte ltentur fili Philisthiim ;ne exultent fili incircumcisorum.]21 [Montes Gelbo, nec ros, nec pluvia veniant super vos,neque sint agri primitiarum :quia ibi abjectus est clypeus fortium :clypeus Saul, quasi non esset unctus oleo.]22 [A sanguine interfectorum, ab adipe fortium,sagitta Jonath numquam rediit retrorsum,et gladius Saul non est reversus inanis.23 Saul et Jonathas amabiles, et decori in vita sua,in morte quoque non sunt divisi :aquilis velociores, leonibus fortiores.]24 [Fili Isral, super Saul flete,qui vestiebat vos coccino in deliciis,qui prbebat ornamenta aurea cultui vestro.]25 [Quomodo ceciderunt fortes in prlio ?Jonathas in excelsis tuis occisus est ?26 Doleo super te, frater mi Jonatha,decore nimis, et amabilis super amorem mulierum.Sicut mater unicum amat filium suum,ita ego te diligebam.27 Quomodo ceciderunt robusti,et perierunt arma bellica ?]