| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. | 1After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, he stayed at Ziklag for two days. |
| 2On the third day a man arrived from Saul's camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor. | 2On the third day a man arrived from the camp of Saul with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. When he approached David, the man threw himself to the ground. |
| 3"Where have you come from?" David asked him. He answered, "I have escaped from the Israelite camp." | 3David asked him, "Where are you coming from?" He replied, "I have escaped from the camp of Israel." |
| 4"What happened?" David asked. "Tell me." "The men fled from the battle," he replied. "Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead." | 4David inquired, "How were things going? Tell me!" He replied, "The people fled from the battle and many of them fell dead. Even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead!" |
| 5Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?" | 5David said to the young man who was telling him this, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?" |
| 6"I happened to be on Mount Gilboa," the young man said, "and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit. | 6The young man who was telling him this said, "I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and came across Saul leaning on his spear for support. The chariots and leaders of the horsemen were in hot pursuit of him. |
| 7When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, 'What can I do?' | 7When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me. I answered, 'Here I am!' |
| 8"He asked me, 'Who are you?' "'An Amalekite,' I answered. | 8He asked me, 'Who are you?' I told him, 'I'm an Amalekite.' |
| 9"Then he said to me, 'Stand here by me and kill me! I'm in the throes of death, but I'm still alive.' | 9He said to me, 'Stand over me and finish me off! I'm very dizzy, even though I'm still alive.' |
| 10"So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord." | 10So I stood over him and put him to death, since I knew that he couldn't live in such a condition. Then I took the crown which was on his head and the bracelet which was on his arm. I have brought them here to my lord." |
| 11Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. | 11David then grabbed his own clothes and tore them, as did all the men who were with him. |
| 12They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. | 12They lamented and wept and fasted until evening because Saul, his son Jonathan, the LORD's people, and the house of Israel had fallen by the sword. |
| 13David said to the young man who brought him the report, "Where are you from?" "I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite," he answered. | 13David said to the young man who told this to him, "Where are you from?" He replied, "I am an Amalekite, the son of a resident foreigner." |
| 14David asked him, "Why weren't you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?" | 14David replied to him, "How is it that you were not afraid to reach out your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?" |
| 15Then David called one of his men and said, "Go, strike him down!" So he struck him down, and he died. | 15Then David called one of the soldiers and said, "Come here and strike him down!" So he struck him down, and he died. |
| 16For David had said to him, "Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, 'I killed the LORD's anointed.'" | 16David said to him, "Your blood be on your own head! Your own mouth has testified against you, saying 'I have put the LORD's anointed to death.'" |
| 17David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, | 17Then David chanted this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan. |
| 18and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar): | 18(He gave instructions that the people of Judah should be taught "The Bow." Indeed, it is written down in the Book of Yashar.) |
| 19"A gazelle lies slain on your heights, Israel. How the mighty have fallen! | 19The beauty of Israel lies slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! |
| 20"Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice. | 20Don't report it in Gath, don't spread the news in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate! |
| 21"Mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, may no showers fall on your terraced fields. For there the shield of the mighty was despised, the shield of Saul--no longer rubbed with oil. | 21O mountains of Gilboa, may there be no dew or rain on you, nor fields of grain offerings! For it was there that the shield of warriors was defiled; the shield of Saul lies neglected without oil. |
| 22"From the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied. | 22From the blood of the slain, from the fat of warriors, the bow of Jonathan was not turned away. The sword of Saul never returned empty. |
| 23Saul and Jonathan-- in life they were loved and admired, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. | 23Saul and Jonathan were greatly loved during their lives, and not even in their deaths were they separated. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions. |
| 24"Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. | 24O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet as well as jewelry, who put gold jewelry on your clothes. |
| 25"How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. | 25How the warriors have fallen in the midst of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your high places! |
| 26I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women. | 26I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan! You were very dear to me. Your love was more special to me than the love of women. |
| 27"How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!" | 27How the warriors have fallen! The weapons of war are destroyed! |
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