| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 1After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. | 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 army camp. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show that he was in mourning. He fell to the ground before David in deep respect. | 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. “I escaped from the Israelite camp,” the man replied. | 3David asked him, "Where are you coming from?" He replied, "I have escaped from the camp of Israel." |
| 4“What happened?” David demanded. “Tell me how the battle went.” The man replied, “Our entire army fled from the battle. Many of the men are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also 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!" |
| 5“How do you know Saul and Jonathan are dead?” David demanded of the young man. | 5David said to the young man who was telling him this, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?" |
| 6The man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots and charioteers closing in on him. | 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 and saw me, he cried out for me to come to him. ‘How can I help?’ I asked him. | 7When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me. I answered, 'Here I am!' |
| 8“He responded, ‘Who are you?’ “‘I am an Amalekite,’ I told him. | 8He asked me, 'Who are you?' I told him, 'I'm an Amalekite.' |
| 9“Then he begged me, ‘Come over here and put me out of my misery, for I am in terrible pain and want to die.’ | 9He said to me, 'Stand over me and finish me off! I'm very dizzy, even though I'm still alive.' |
| 10“So I killed him,” the Amalekite told David, “for I knew he couldn’t live. Then I took his crown and his armband, and I have brought them here to you, 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." |
| 11David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. | 11David then grabbed his own clothes and tore them, as did all the men who were with him. |
| 12They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the LORD’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day. | 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. |
| 13Then David said to the young man who had brought the news, “Where are you from?” And he replied, “I am a foreigner, an Amalekite, who lives in your land.” | 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." |
| 14“Why were you not afraid to kill the LORD’s anointed one?” David asked. | 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 said to one of his men, “Kill him!” So the man thrust his sword into the Amalekite and killed him. | 15Then David called one of the soldiers and said, "Come here and strike him down!" So he struck him down, and he died. |
| 16“You have condemned yourself,” David said, “for you yourself confessed that you killed the LORD’s anointed one.” David’s Song for Saul and Jonathan | 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.'" |
| 17Then David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan, | 17Then David chanted this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan. |
| 18and he commanded that it be taught to the people of Judah. It is known as the Song of the Bow, and it is recorded 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.) |
| 19Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills! Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen! | 19The beauty of Israel lies slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! |
| 20Don’t announce the news in Gath, don’t proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon, or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice and the pagans will laugh in triumph. | 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! |
| 21O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fruitful fields producing offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled; the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed 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. |
| 22The bow of Jonathan was powerful, and the sword of Saul did its mighty work. They shed the blood of their enemies and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes. | 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. |
| 23How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan! They were together in life and in death. They were swifter than eagles, 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. |
| 24O women of Israel, weep for Saul, for he dressed you in luxurious scarlet clothing, in garments decorated with gold. | 24O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet as well as jewelry, who put gold jewelry on your clothes. |
| 25Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies dead on the hills. | 25How the warriors have fallen in the midst of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your high places! |
| 26How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan! Oh, how much I loved you! And your love for me was deep, deeper than the love 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. |
| 27Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen! Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead. | 27How the warriors have fallen! The weapons of war are destroyed! |
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