Saul’s Death Reported to David (1 Samuel 31:1–6; 1 Chronicles 10:1–6)
1 DBY And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David abode two days in Ziklag. BSB BSB: After the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.
2 DBY And it came to pass on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his garments rent, and earth upon his head; and as soon as he came to David, he fell to the earth and did obeisance. BSB BSB: On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head arrived from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him homage.
3 DBY And David said to him, Whence comest thou? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. BSB BSB: “Where have you come from?” David asked. “I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he replied.
4 DBY And David said to him, What has taken place? I pray thee, tell me. And he said that the people had fled from the battle, and many of the people also had fallen and died, and that Saul and Jonathan his son were dead also. BSB BSB: “What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” “The troops fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
5 DBY And David said to the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead? BSB BSB: Then David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6 DBY And the young man that told him said, I happened by chance to be upon mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul leaned on his spear; and behold, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. BSB BSB: “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.
7 DBY And he looked behind him, and saw me, and called to me. And I said, Here am I. BSB BSB: When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I answered, ‘Here I am!’
8 DBY And he said to me, Who art thou? And I said to him, I am an Amalekite. BSB BSB: ‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9 DBY He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and slay me; for anguish has seized me; for my life is yet whole in me. BSB BSB: Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me, but my life still lingers.’
10 DBY So I stood over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he would not live after his fall; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither to my lord. BSB BSB: So I stood over 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 that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
11 DBY Then David took hold of his garments and rent them; and all the men that were with him did likewise. BSB BSB: Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.
12 DBY And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. BSB BSB: They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 DBY And David said to the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he said, I am the son of an Amalekite stranger. BSB BSB: And David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of a foreigner,” he answered. “I am an Amalekite.”
14 DBY And David said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy Jehovah's anointed? BSB BSB: So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”
15 DBY Then David called one of the young men and said, Draw near, and fall on him. And he smote him that he died. BSB BSB: Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died.
16 DBY And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain Jehovah's anointed. BSB BSB: For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”
David’s Song for Saul and Jonathan 17 DBY And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son; BSB BSB: Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,
18 DBY and he bade them teach the children of Judah the song of the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of Jasher: — BSB BSB: and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:
19 DBY The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! BSB BSB: “Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!
20 DBY Tell it not in Gath, carry not the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. BSB BSB: Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 DBY Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, no rain upon you, nor fields of heave-offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul, as not anointed with oil. BSB BSB: O mountains of Gilboa, may you have no dew or rain, no fields yielding offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.
22 DBY From 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. BSB BSB: From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not retreat, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23 DBY Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their lives, Even in their death were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. BSB BSB: Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in life, were not divided in death. They were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions.
24 DBY Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet with splendour, Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel. BSB BSB: O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and luxury, who decked your garments with ornaments of gold.
25 DBY How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain upon thy high places. BSB BSB: How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26 DBY I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant wast thou unto me; Thy love to me was wonderful, passing women's love. BSB BSB: I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
27 DBY How are the mighty fallen, and the instruments of war perished! BSB BSB: How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!”
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