Saul’s Death Reported to David (1 Samuel 31:1–6; 1 Chronicles 10:1–6)
1 UST After they defeated the Amalekites, David and the men who were with him returned to the city of Ziklag. By that time, the Philistines had already killed Saul. David and his men stayed there that day and the next one{ without receiving any news of the battle between the Philistines and Israelites}. BSB BSB: After the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.
2 UST But on the day after that, a young man unexpectedly arrived there who had been in the camp where Saul’ s soldiers had set up their tents. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show that he was grieving. He came to David and knelt down and lay flat on the ground{ to show respect for him}. 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 UST David asked him,“Where have you come from?” The man replied,“I have fled here from the camp where the Israelite soldiers set up their tents.” BSB BSB: “Where have you come from?” David asked. “I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he replied.
4 UST David asked him,“What happened? Please tell me about the battle!” The man replied,“The Philistines defeated our army so badly that our soldiers ran away. The Philistines killed many of them. They even killed King Saul and his son Jonathan.” 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 UST David asked the young man who told him this,“How do you know that the Philistines killed Saul and Jonathan?” 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 UST The young man replied,“As it happened, I was on Mount Gilboa{ where the Israelites had fled from the Philistines}. I saw Saul.{ He was wounded and} leaning on his spear{ for support}. I noticed that the Philistine chariot drivers and the commanders of their soldiers on horseback{ had seen him, and they all} were rushing toward 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 UST Saul turned around and saw me, and he called out to me. I called back,‘What do you want me to do?’ BSB BSB: When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I answered, ‘Here I am!’
8 UST He asked me,‘Who are you?’ I replied,‘I am an Amalekite.’ BSB BSB: ‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9 UST Then he said to me,‘I can no longer fight, because I am in such pain from my many wounds. But those wounds will not kill me. So please use one of the weapons here to kill me yourself.’ BSB BSB: Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me, but my life still lingers.’
10 UST I knew that the Philistines would soon come and kill him, so he was not going to live anyway. So I used one of the weapons there to kill him. Then I took the crown he had been wearing and his armband. Here they are for you to see, sir.” 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 UST Then David took hold of his clothing and ripped it{ to show how sad he was} All the men who were with him ripped their clothes as well. 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 UST They felt very sad, and they cried. They did not eat anything for the rest of that day. This was to honor and remember Saul and his son Jonathan and all of the Israelite soldiers whom the Philistines had killed in the battle. They were also very sorry for all of the Israelite people{, who had lost their king and many of their men and much of their territory}. 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 UST But then David asked the young man who had told him about the battle,“Where do you come from?” He replied,“I come from an Amalekite family, but we are living here in Israel.” 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 UST David told him,“You should have respected Saul as the man whom Yahweh chose to be the king of Israel and not dared to kill him!” BSB BSB: So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”
15 UST Then David summoned one of his soldiers and told him,“Come over here and kill this man!” So the soldier came over and killed him. 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 UST David said to the Amalekite,“You yourself said,‘I killed the man whom Yahweh appointed to be the king.’ So you admitted that you were guilty and deserved to die!” 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 UST Then David composed a sad song about Saul and Jonathan. BSB BSB: Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,
18 UST He called this song“The Bow.”{ When David became the king of Judah shortly afterward,} he told his officials to teach this song to the people of Judah. You can find the words in the Book of Jashar{. These are the words to the song}: 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 UST “You Israelite people, the Philistines have pursued your great warriors even onto the mountains and killed them there! It is very sad that these strong soldiers have died! BSB BSB: “Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!
20 UST Do not let anyone who lives in cities such as Gath and Ashkelon find out about this! Otherwise, the women among the pagan Philistines will have victory celebrations. 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 UST The shield of Saul, that mighty king, remains on the ground on Mount Gilboa. No one is caring for it by rubbing it with olive oil. So I hope there will never be rain or dew there again{ so that the shield does not rust}. I hope that there is so little rain that the fields do not even produce the small amount of grain that someone would bring as an offering. 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 UST When Jonathan shot arrows from his bow at enemy soldiers, the arrows struck them so that they bled and died. When Saul stabbed strong men with his sword, he wounded them so deeply that they died. 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 UST People loved Saul and Jonathan. They delighted many people during their lives. And they died fighting together against their enemies. They were warriors who could run fast, as eagles fly fast, and who were strong, as lions are strong. 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 UST You women in Israel should mourn for Saul. He made Israel a safe and prosperous place in which you had beautiful scarlet clothes and expensive jewelry and gold ornaments to wear. 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 UST It is very sad that Jonathan, that strong soldier, has died while fighting a war! The Philistines pursued him even onto a mountain and killed him there. BSB BSB: How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26 UST Jonathan, my dear friend, I grieve for you. You were very dear to me. You loved me in a wonderful way. It was much better than the fleeting feelings of romance that men and women have for each other. 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 UST It is very sad that these strong soldiers have died. Saul and Jonathan are not using their sword and bow anymore.” BSB BSB: How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!”
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