2 Samuel 1 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
~1010 BC, the days immediately after Saul's death on Mount Gilboa
Location
Ziklag, a Philistine border town in the south where David had been living as a fugitive, with news arriving from the battlefield in the far north
Audience
Israelites under the monarchy, reading the account of how David's kingship began
Situation
An Amalekite arrives from the battle claiming he finished off the wounded Saul, and brings Saul's crown and armlet to David. David has him executed and then composes a lament for Saul and Jonathan.
Key Background
The man's story contradicts the account of Saul's suicide in the previous book, and the likeliest reading is that he looted the body and invented a role expecting a reward from the man Saul had hunted. That an Amalekite tells the story is pointed, since Saul's downfall began with his failure to carry out orders against that people. The lament is introduced as a piece to be taught to Judah and cited from a lost collection called the Book of Jashar, evidence that early Israel kept written anthologies of national poetry.
After Saul died, David returned from defeating the and stayed in for two days.
On the third day, a man arrived from Saul's camp with and on When he came to David, he fell facedown on the ground to show respect.
David asked him, "Where are you coming from?" He answered, "I escaped from the Israelite camp."
David said to him, "What happened? Tell me." He said, "The troops ran from the battle. Many of them fell and died. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too."
David asked the young man who brought the report, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"
The young man said, "I happened to be on and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with chariots and horsemen closing in on him."
He turned around and saw me, and called out to me. I said, 'Here I am.'
He asked me, 'Who are you?' I answered, 'I'm an Amalekite.'
Then he said to me, 'Stand over me and kill me. I'm in but I'm on to
So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew he couldn't survive after falling like that. Then I took the from his head and the from his arm, and I've brought them here to my master.
David own and them. All the men with him did the same.
They mourned and wept and until evening for Saul and for his son Jonathan, and for and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
David asked the young man who brought the report, "Where are you from?" He answered, "I'm the son of a — an Amalekite."
David said to him, "How is it that you weren't afraid to reach out your hand and destroy
David called one of his young soldiers and said, "Go, strike him down." So the soldier struck him and he died.
David said to him, is on own own mouth testified against you when you said, 'I killed Yahweh's anointed.'"
Then David sang this for Saul and his son Jonathan.
He ordered that the people of Judah be taught this of the It's recorded in the of
Your Israel — slain on your heights. How the have fallen!
Don't announce it in Gath, don't proclaim it in the streets of — or the daughters of the Philistines will celebrate, the daughters of the will dance with joy.
Mountains of Gilboa — let no dew fall on you, no rain on your fields, no rise from your soil. For there the of the was defiled, the of Saul — no longer rubbed with oil.
The of turned back, the sword of Saul — not without the blood of the slain, not without the flesh of the mighty.
Saul and Jonathan — loved and in their lives, and in death they were not parted. Swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul — he who dressed you in and things, who laid gold ornaments on your clothes.
How the have fallen in the middle of the battle! Jonathan — slain on your heights.
I am over you, my Jonathan. You were so deeply dear to me. Your for me was extraordinary — surpassing the of women.
How the mighty have fallen, and the of have perished.