1 ¶ Now after the death of Saul, when David returned from slaughtering the Amalekites, he remained in Ziklag for two days;

2 Then on the third day, a man with torn clothes and dirt on his head came from Saul’s camp: and when he came to David he fell to the ground, and paid homage.

3 And David said to him, Where have you come from? And he said to him, I have escaped from the camp of Israel.

4 And David said to him, How did it go? Please tell me. And he answered, The men fled from the battle, many have fallen and are now dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are also dead.

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

6 And the young man said, By chance I happened to be on mount Gilboa, and I saw Saul leaning on his spear; and the chariots and horsemen were closing in on him.

7 And when he looked back, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, I am at your service.

8 And he asked me, Who are you? And I told him, I am an Amalekite.

9 He then said to me, Stand over me, and kill me: for I am in anguish, even though I am still alive.

10 So I stood over him, and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen: and I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and 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 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and his son Jonathan, for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they had fallen by the sword.

13 And David said to the young man who told him, Where are you from? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

14 And David said to him, How is it that you were not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the LORD’S anointed?

15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go over, and strike him down. And he struck him so that he died.

16 And David said to him, Your blood is on your own head; for your mouth has testified against you, by saying, I have slain the LORD’S anointed.

17 ¶ Then David sang the following lament over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

18 And he also said that the song should be taught to the children of Judah: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.

19 Your glory O Israel lies dead upon your high places: how are the mighty fallen!

20 Do not proclaim it in Gath, do not publish it in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised gloat.

21 O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, or rain, upon you, or fruitful fields: for there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.

22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, and the sword of Saul did not 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 for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with many delights, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, you lie slain upon the hills.

26 I am grieved for you, my brother Jonathan: you were such a friend to me: your love for me was wonderful, deeper than the love of women.

27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war destroyed!