The Amalekite, who brought tidings of the overthrow, and accused himself of Saul's death, is slain.

1 ¶ Now it came to pass² afterº the deathº of Saul,º when Davidº was returnedºª from the slaughterºª² of² the Amalekites,º and Davidº had abodeºª twoº daysº in Ziklag;º 2 It came even to pass² on the thirdº day,º that, behold,² a manº cameºª out of² the campº from²² Saulº with his clothesº rent,ºª and earthº upon² his head:º and [so] it was,² when he cameºª to² David,º that he fellºª to the earth,º and did obeisance.ºª 3 And Davidº saidºª unto him, From whence²²² comestºª thou? And he saidºª unto² him, Out of the campº² of Israelº am I escaped.ºª 4 And Davidº saidºª unto² him, Howº went² the matter?º I pray thee,² tellºª me. And he answered,ºª That² the peopleº are fledºª from² the battle,º and manyºª of² the peopleº also² are fallenºª and dead;ºª and Saulº and Jonathanº his sonº are deadºª also.² 5 And Davidº saidºª unto² the young manº that toldºª him, How² knowestºª thou that² Saulº and Jonathanº his sonº be dead?ºª 6 And the young manº that toldºª him said,ºª As I happenedºª by chanceºª upon mountº Gilboa,º behold,² Saulº leanedºª upon² his spear;º and, lo,² the chariotsº and horsemenºº followed hardºª after him. 7 And when he lookedºª behindº him, he sawºª me, and calledºª unto² me. And I answered,ºª Here² [am] I. 8 And he saidºª unto me, Who² [art] thou?² And I answeredºª him,² I² [am] an Amalekite.º 9 He saidºª unto² me again, Stand,ºª I pray thee,² upon² me, and slayºª me: for² anguishº is comeºª upon me, because² my lifeº [is] yet² whole² in me. 10 So I stoodºª upon² him, and slewºª him, because² I was sureºª that² he could not² liveºª after¹ that² he was fallen:ºª and I tookºª the crownº that² [was] upon² his head,º and the braceletº that² [was] on² his arm,º and have broughtºª them hither² unto² my lord.º 11 Then Davidº took holdºª on his clothes,º and rentºª them; and likewise² all² the men¹² that² [were] with² him: 12 And they mourned,ºª and wept,ºª and fastedºª until² even,º for² Saul,º and for² Jonathanº his son,º and for² the peopleº of the LORD,º and for² the houseº of Israel;º because² they were fallenºª by the sword.º

13 ¶ And Davidº saidºª unto² the young manº that toldºª him, Whence²²² [art] thou?² And he answered,ºª I² [am] the sonº of a stranger,ºº an Amalekite.º 14 And Davidº saidºª unto² him, How² wast thou not² afraidºª to stretch forthºª thine handº to destroyºª² the LORD'Sº anointed?º 15 And Davidº calledºª oneº of the young men,º² and said,ºª Go near,ºª [and] fallºª upon him. And he smoteºª him that he died.ºª 16 And Davidº saidºª unto² him, Thy bloodº [be] upon² thy head;º for² thy mouthº hath testifiedºª against thee, saying,ºª I² have slainºª² the LORD'Sº anointed.º

David lamenteth Saul and Jonathan with a song.

17 ¶ And Davidº lamentedºª with² this² lamentationº over² Saulº and over² Jonathanº his son:º 18 (Also he badeºª them teachºª the childrenº of Judahº [the use of] the bow:º behold,² [it is] writtenºª in² the bookº of Jasher.)º 19 The beautyº of Israelº is slainº upon² thy high places:º how² are the mightyº fallen!ºª 20 Tellºª [it] not² in Gath,º publishºª [it] not² in the streetsº of Askelon;º lest² the daughtersº of the Philistinesº rejoice,ºª lest² the daughtersº of the uncircumcisedº triumph.ºª 21 Ye mountainsº of Gilboa,º [let there be] no² dew,º neither² [let there be] rain,º upon² you, nor fieldsº of offerings:º for² there² the shieldº of the mightyº is vilely cast away,ºª the shieldº of Saul,º [as though he had] not² [been] anointed¹² with oil.º 22 From the bloodº² of the slain,º from the fatº² of the mighty,º the bowº of Jonathanº turnedºª not² back,º and the swordº of Saulº returnedºª not² empty.º 23 Saulº and Jonathanº [were] lovelyºª and pleasantº in their lives,º and in their deathº they were not² divided:ºª they were swifterºª than eagles,º² they were strongerºª than lions.º² 24 Ye daughtersº of Israel,º weep² over¹ª² Saul,º who clothedºª you in scarlet,º with² [other] delights,º who put¹ª on² ornamentsº of goldº upon² your apparel.º 25 How² are the mightyº fallenºª in the midstº of the battle!º O Jonathan,º [thou wast] slainº in² thine high places.º 26 I am distressedºª for² thee, my brotherº Jonathan:º veryº pleasantºª hast thou been unto me: thy loveº to me was wonderful,ºª passing the loveº² of women.º 27 How² are the mightyº fallen,ºª and the weaponsº of warº perished!ºª