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!"

1 En n die dood van Saul, toe Dawid terug was van die verslaan van die Amalekiete en Dawid twee dae in Siklag gebly het,

2 kom daar op die derde dag 'n man uit die leër, van Saul af, met geskeurde klere en grond op sy hoof. En toe hy by Dawid kom, val hy op die grond en buig hom neer.

3 En Dawid sê vir hom: Waar kom jy vandaan? En hy antwoord hom: Ek het ontvlug uit die leër van Israel.

4 Verder sê Dawid vir hom: Wat het gebeur? Vertel my tog. Toe antwoord hy: Die manskappe het uit die geveg gevlug, en baie van die manskappe het ook geval en gesterwe; ja, ook Saul en sy seun Jonatan is dood.

5 En Dawid vra die jongman wat hom die boodskap gebring het: Hoe weet jy dat Saul en sy seun Jonatan dood is?

6 Daarop sê die jongman wat hom die boodskap gebring het: Ek was bygeval op die gebergte Gilboa, en kyk, Saul het op sy spies geleun, terwyl die strydwaens en perderuiters hom agternasit;

7 en hy het agter hom omgekyk en my gesien en my geroep, en ek het gesê: Hier is ek.

8 Toe vra hy my: Wie is jy? En ek antwoord hom: Ek is 'n Amalekiet.

9 Daarop sê hy vir my: Kom staan tog by my en maak my van kant, omdat 'n duiseling my bevang het; want my lewe is nog heeltemal in my.

10 En ek het by hom gaan staan en hom van kant gemaak, want ek het geweet dat hy n sy val nie sou leef nie; en ek het die kroon wat op sy hoof en die armband wat om sy arm was, geneem en dit hier na my heer gebring.

11 Toe gryp Dawid sy klere en skeur dit; net so al die manne wat by hom was.

12 En hulle het gerouklaag en geween en gevas tot die aand toe oor Saul en oor sy seun Jonatan en oor die volk van die HERE en oor die huis van Israel, omdat hulle deur die swaard geval het.

13 Verder sê Dawid aan die jongman wat hom die boodskap gebring het: Waar kom jy vandaan? En hy antwoord: Ek is die seun van 'n vreemde man, 'n Amalekiet.

14 En Dawid sê vir hom: Hoe? Jy was nie bevrees om jou hand uit te steek om die gesalfde van die HERE om te bring nie?

15 Daarop roep Dawid een van die jongmanne en sê: Kom nader, val op hom aan! En die het hom neergeslaan, dat hy gesterf het.

16 En Dawid het vir hom gesê: Jou bloed is op jou hoof, want jou mond getuig teen jou, omdat jy sê: Ek het die gesalfde van die HERE gedood.

17 Toe het Dawid hierdie klaaglied aangehef oor Saul en oor sy seun Jonatan,

18 en hy het beveel om die kinders van Juda die Booglied te leer; kyk, dit is geskrywe in die Boek van die Opregte.

19 Die sieraad, o Israel -- op jou hoogtes lê dit verslaan. Hoe het die helde geval!

20 Vertel dit nie in Gat, verkondig dit nie op die strate van Askelon nie, sodat die dogters van die Filistyne hulle nie verheug, die dogters van die onbesnedenes nie jubel nie!

21 Berge van Gilboa, mag op julle geen dou en geen reën en geen velde van offergawes wees nie! Want daar is die skild van die helde weggegooi, die skild van Saul, sonder dat dit met olie gesalf is.

22 Sonder die bloed van die gesneuweldes, sonder die vet van die helde het die boog van Jonatan nie agteruitgewyk en die swaard van Saul nie leeg teruggekeer nie.

23 Saul en Jonatan, die bemindes en lieflikes, is in hulle lewe en in hulle dood nie geskeie nie. Vinniger as arende was hulle, sterker as leeus.

24 Dogters van Israel, ween oor Saul, wat julle weelderig beklee het met skarlaken, wat goue versiersels aangebring het op julle gewaad.

25 Hoe het die helde geval diep in die geveg! Jonatan lê verslaan op jou hoogtes.

26 Ek is benoud om jou ontwil, my broer Jonatan! Jy was vir my baie lieflik; jou liefde was vir my wonderliker as die liefde van vroue.

27 Hoe het die helde geval en die oorlogswapens verlore gegaan!