1 Depois da morte de Saul, Davi voltou da derrota dos amalecitas, e esteve dois dias em Siceleg.

2 Ao terceiro dia, apareceu um homem que vinha do acampamento de Saul; trazia as vestes rasgadas e a cabeça coberta de pó. Chegando perto de Davi, jogou-se por terra, prostrando-se.

3 Davi disse-lhe: De onde vens? Salvei-me do acampamento de Israel, respondeu ele.

4 Que aconteceu?, perguntou Davi. Conta-mo! Ele respondeu: As tropas fugiram do campo de batalha, e muitos homens do exército tombaram. Saul também, e seu filho Jônatas, pereceram!

5 Como sabes, perguntou Davi ao mensageiro, que Saul e seu filho Jônatas morreram?

6 O mensageiro respondeu: Achava-me no monte de Gelboé, quando vi Saul atirar-se sobre a própria lança, enquanto era perseguido pelos carros e cavaleiros.

7 Ora, voltando-se, viu-me e chamou-me. Eu disse: Eis-me aqui.

8 Quem és tu?, disse ele. Eu sou um amalecita, respondi.

9 Aproxima-te, continuou ele, e mata-me, porque estou tomado de vertigem, se bem que ainda esteja cheio de vida.

10 Aproximei-me, pois, e matei-o, pois via que ele não poderia sobreviver depois da derrota. Tomei o diadema que tinha na cabeça e o bracelete do braço e os trouxe ao meu senhor; ei-los.

11 Então tomou Davi as suas vestes e rasgou-as, imitando-o nesse gesto todos os que estavam com ele.

12 Estiveram em pranto, choraram e jejuaram até a tarde por causa de Saul, de seu filho Jônatas, do exército do Senhor e da casa de Israel, que haviam caído sob a espada.

13 Davi perguntou ao mensageiro: De onde és? Eu sou filho de um estrangeiro, respondeu ele, de um amalecita.

14 Davi disse-lhe: Como não receaste levantar a mão contra o ungido do Senhor para matá-lo?

15 E, chamando um dos seus homens, Davi disse-lhe: Vem, mata-o! O homem o feriu, e ele morreu.

16 Davi disse-lhe então: Tu és culpado. Tua própria boca deu testemunho contra ti, quando disseste: matei o ungido do Senhor.

17 Compôs então Davi o seguinte cântico fúnebre sobre Saul e seu filho Jônatas,

18 ordenando que fosse ensinado aos filhos de Judá. É o canto do Arco, que está escrito no Livro do Justo:

19 Tua flor, Israel, pereceu nas alturas! Como tombaram os heróis?

20 Não anuncieis em Get nem o publiqueis nas ruas de Ascalon, para que não exultem as filhas dos filisteus, para que não se regozijem as filhas dos incircuncisos.

21 Montanhas de Gelboé, não haja sobre vós nem orvalho nem chuva! Campos assassinos, onde foi maculado o escudo dos heróis! O escudo de Saul estava ungido não com óleo,

22 mas, com o sangue de feridos, com a gordura de guerreiros, o arco de Jônatas jamais recuou, a espada de Saul jamais brandiu em vão!

23 Saul e Jônatas, amáveis e encantadores, nunca se separaram, nem na vida nem na morte, mais velozes do que as águias, mais fortes do que os leões!

24 Filhas de Israel, chorai por Saul, que vos vestia de púrpura suntuosa, e ornava de ouro vossos vestidos.

25 Como caíram os heróis? Em pleno combate Jônatas tombou sobre as tuas colinas.

26 Jônatas, meu irmão, por tua causa meu coração me comprime! Tu me eras tão querido! Tua amizade me era mais preciosa que o amor das mulheres.

27 Como caíram os heróis? Como pereceram os artilheiros de guerra?

1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, 2 on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth and showed respect.

3 David said to him, "Where do you come from?"

He said to him, "I have escaped out of the camp of Israel."

4 David said to him, "How did it go? Please tell me."

He answered, "The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."

5 David said to the young man who told him, "How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?"

6 The young man who told him said, "As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind him. 7 When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me, for anguish has taken hold of me because my life lingers in me.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. 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 tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise. 12 They mourned, 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 had fallen by the sword.

13 David said to the young man who told him, "Where are you from?"

He answered, "I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite."

14 David said to him, "Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy Yahweh’s anointed?" 15 David called one of the young men and said, "Go near, and cut him down!" He struck him so that he died. 16 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 David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son 18 (and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):

19 "Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places!

How the mighty have fallen!

20 Don’t tell it in Gath.

Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon,

lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,

lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 You mountains of Gilboa,

let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings;

For there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away,

The shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.

22 From the blood of the slain,

from the fat of the mighty,

Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back.

Saul’s sword didn’t return empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives.

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 delicately in scarlet,

who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.

25 How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle!

Jonathan was slain on your high places.

26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan.

You have been very pleasant to me.

Your love to me was wonderful,

surpassing the love of women.

27 How the mighty have fallen,

and the weapons of war have perished!"