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2 Samuel

David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan

1After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. ²On the third day, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and did obeisance. ³David said to him, ‘Where have you come from?’ He said to him, ‘I have escaped from the camp of Israel.’ ⁴David said to him, ‘How did things go? Tell me!’ He answered, ‘The army fled from the battle, but also many of the army fell and died; and Saul and his son Jonathan also died.’

11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did the same. ¹²They mourned and wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
¹⁹ Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places!
   How the mighty have fallen!
²⁰ Tell it not in Gath,
   proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
   the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.

²¹ You mountains of Gilboa,
   let there be no dew or rain upon you,
   nor bounteous fields!^*
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
   the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more.

²² From the blood of the slain,
   from the fat of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
   nor the sword of Saul return empty.

²³ Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
   In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles,
   they were stronger than lions.

²⁴ O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
   who clothed you with crimson, in luxury,
   who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

²⁵ How the mighty have fallen
   in the midst of the battle!

Jonathan lies slain upon your high places.
²⁶   I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
greatly beloved were you to me;
   your love to me was wonderful,
   passing the love of women.

²⁷ How the mighty have fallen,
   and the weapons of war perished!