| King James Bible | International Standard Version |
| 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; | 1Shortly after Saul had died, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and remained in Ziklag for 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. | 2The next day, a man escaped from Saul's camp! With torn clothes and dirty hair, he approached David, fell to the ground, and bowed down to him. |
| 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 did you come from? He answered him, "I just escaped from Israel's encampment." |
| 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. | 4David continued questioning him, "How did things go? Please tell me!" He replied, "The army has fled the battlefield, many of the army are wounded or have died, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also 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 related the story, "How do you know that 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. | 6The young man who had been relating the story answered, "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa and there was Saul, leaning on his spear! Meanwhile, the chariots and horsemen were rapidly drawing near. |
| 7And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. | 7Saul glanced behind him, saw me, and called out to me, so I replied, 'Here I am!' |
| 8And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. | 8He asked me, 'Who are you?' So I answered 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. | 9He begged me, 'Please—come stand here next to me and kill me, because I'm still alive.' |
| 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 next to him and killed him, because I knew that he wouldn't live after he had fallen. I took the crown that had been on his head, along with the bracelet that had been on his arm, and I have brought them to your majesty." |
| 11Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: | 11On hearing this, David grabbed his clothes and tore them, as did all the men who were attending to him. |
| 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 and wept, and then decided to fast until dusk for Saul, for his son Jonathan, for the army of the LORD, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen in battle. |
| 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. | 13Meanwhile, David asked the young man who had told him the story, "Where are you from?" He answered, "I'm an Amalekite, the son of a foreign man." |
| 14And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed? | 14At this David asked him, "How is it that you weren't afraid to raise your hand to strike 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 called out to one of his young men and ordered him, "Go up to him and cut him down!" So he attacked him and killed him. |
| 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. | 16David told him, "Your blood is on your own head, because your own words testified against you! After all, you said, 'I myself have killed the LORD's anointed!'" |
| 17And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: | 17So David intoned this song of lament about 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 gave orders to teach the descendants of Judah the art of warfare, as is recorded in the Book of Jashar: |
| 19The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! | 19"Your beauty, Israel, lies slain on your high places! O, how the valiant 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. | 20Don't make it known in Gath! Don't declare it in the avenues of Ashkelon! Otherwise, the daughters of Philistia will rejoice; and the daughters of the uncircumcised will triumph. |
| 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 fall on you, and may none of your fields be filled with plenty, because in that place the shield of the valiant ones was defiled, the shield of Saul without an anointing 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. | 22From the blood of the slain, from the blood of the valiant, Jonathan's bow would not retreat nor would Saul's sword return empty. |
| 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 handsome in life, in death were not separated. Swifter than eagles they were, and more valiant 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 over Saul! He clothed you in scarlet luxury and decorated your garments with gold. |
| 25How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. | 25How have the valiant fallen in the tumult of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your high places. |
| 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 am in distress for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been most kind to me. Your love for me was extraordinary — beyond love from women. |
| 27How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! | 27How the valiant have fallen! How the weapons of war are destroyed!" |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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