| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; | 1After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed at Ziklag two days. |
| 2It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. | 2On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head came from Saul's camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. |
| 3And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. | 3David asked him, "Where have you come from?" He replied to him, "I've escaped from the Israelite camp."" |
| 4And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. | 4What was the outcome? Tell me," David asked him." The troops fled from the battle," he answered. "Many of the troops have fallen and are dead. Also, Saul and his son Jonathan are dead." |
| 5And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? | 5David asked the young man who had brought him the report, "How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"" |
| 6And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. | 6I happened to be on Mount Gilboa," he replied, "and there was Saul, leaning on his spear. At that very moment the chariots and the cavalry were closing in on him. |
| 7And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. | 7When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, so I answered: I'm at your service. |
| 8And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. | 8He asked me, 'Who are you?' I told him: I'm an Amalekite. |
| 9He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. | 9Then he begged me, 'Stand over me and kill me, for I'm mortally wounded, but my life still lingers.' |
| 10So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord. | 10So I stood over him and killed him because I knew that after he had fallen he couldn't survive. I took the crown that was on his head and the armband that was on his arm, and I've brought them here to my lord." |
| 11Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: | 11Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and all the men with him did the same. |
| 12And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. | 12They mourned, wept, and fasted until the evening for those who died by the sword--for Saul, his son Jonathan, the LORD's people, and the house of Israel. |
| 13And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. | 13David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, "Where are you from?"" I'm the son of a foreigner," he said. "I'm an Amalekite." |
| 14And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed? | 14David questioned him, "How is it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?" |
| 15And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. | 15Then David summoned one of his servants and said, "Come here and kill him!" The servant struck him, and he died. |
| 16And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed. | 16For David had said to the Amalekite, "Your blood is on your own head because your own mouth testified against you by saying, 'I killed the LORD's anointed.'" |
| 17And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: | 17David sang the following lament for Saul and his son Jonathan, |
| 18(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) | 18and he ordered that the Judahites be taught The Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar: |
| 19The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! | 19The splendor of Israel lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen! |
| 20Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. | 20Do not tell it in Gath, don't announce it in the marketplaces of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised will gloat. |
| 21Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. | 21Mountains of Gilboa, let no dew or rain be on you, or fields of offerings, for there the shield of the mighty was defiled-- the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil. |
| 22From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. | 22Jonathan's bow never retreated, Saul's sword never returned unstained, from the blood of the slain, from the bodies of the mighty. |
| 23Saul 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. | 23Saul and Jonathan, loved and delightful, they were not parted in life or in death. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions. |
| 24Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. | 24Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with luxurious things, who decked your garments with gold ornaments. |
| 25How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. | 25How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. |
| 26I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. | 26I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were such a friend to me. Your love for me was more wonderful than the love of women. |
| 27How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! | 27How the mighty have fallen and the weapons of war have perished! |
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