1 Now it came about after A1 Sam 31:6the death of Saul, when David had returned from B1 Sam 30:1, 17, 26the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 On the third day, behold, A2 Sam 4:10a man came out of the camp from Saul, B1 Sam 4:12with his clothes torn and 1Lit grounddust on his head. And it came about when he came to David that C1 Sam 25:23he fell to the ground and prostrated himself. 3 Then David said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 David said to him, “A1 Sam 4:16How did things go? Please tell me.” And he said, “The people have fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.” 5 So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 The young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on A1 Sam 28:4; 31:1-6; 1 Chr 10:4-10Mount Gilboa, and behold, B1 Sam 31:2-4Saul was leaning on his spear. And behold, the chariots and the horsemen pursued him closely. 7  “When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I said, ‘Here I am.’ 8  “He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I 1Lit said toanswered him, ‘A1 Sam 15:3; 30:1, 13, 17I am an Amalekite.’ 9  “Then he said to me, ‘Please stand beside me and kill me, for agony has seized me because my 1Lit whole life is still in melife still lingers in me.’ 10  “So I stood beside him AJudg 9:54and killed him, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. And B2 Kin 11:12I took the crown which was on his head and the bracelet which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

11 Then AGen 37:29, 34; Josh 7:6; 2 Chr 34:27; Ezra 9:3David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so also did all the men who were with him. 12 They mourned and wept and A2 Sam 3:35fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan and for the people of the Loʀᴅ and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” And he 1Lit saidanswered, “A2 Sam 1:8I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite.” 14 Then David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid A1 Sam 24:6; 26:9, 11, 16to stretch out your hand to destroy the Loʀᴅ’s anointed?” 15 And David called one of the young men and said, “Go, 1Lit fall upon himcut him down.” A2 Sam 4:10, 12So he struck him and he died. 16 David said to him, “A1 Sam 26:9; 2 Sam 3:28, 29; 1 Kin 2:32Your blood is on your head, for B2 Sam 1:10; Luke 19:22your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Loʀᴅ’s anointed.’ ”

17 Then David A2 Chr 35:25chanted with this lament over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in AJosh 10:13the book of Jashar.