II Samuel 1 · שמואל ב

Now it came to pass after the death of Sha᾽ul, when David was returned from the slaughter of ῾Amaleq, and David had remained two days in Żiqlag;

it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Sha᾽ul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and bowed down.

And David said to him, From where dost thou come? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Yisra᾽el am I escaped.

And David said to him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Sha᾽ul and Yehonatan his son are dead also.

And David said to the young man that told him, How dost thou know that Sha᾽ul and Yehonatan his son are dead?

And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Sha᾽ul leaned upon his spear: and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, Here I am.

And he said to me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an ῾Amaleqite.

He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and slay me: for the agony has seized me, and yet I still have life in me.

So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.

Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:

and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Sha᾽ul, and for Yehonatan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Yisra᾽el; because they were fallen by the sword.

And David said to the lad that told him, From where art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an ῾Amaleqite.

And David said to him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch out thy hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?

And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.

And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord’s anointed.

And David lamented with this lamentation over Sha᾽ul and over Yehonatan his son,

and he said: (To teach the children of Yehuda the use of the bow; behold, it is written in the book, Yashar.)

The beauty, O Yisra᾽el, is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!

Tell it not in Gat, publish it not in the streets of Ashqelon; lest the daughters of the Pelishtim rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

Mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Sha᾽ul, as though not anointed with oil.

From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Yehonatan turned not back, and the sword of Sha᾽ul returned not empty.

Sha᾽ul and Yehonatan were loved and dear in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

Daughters of Yisra᾽el, weep over Sha᾽ul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Yehonatan, slain on thy high places.

I am distressed for thee, my brother Yehonatan: very dear hast thou been to me: thy love to me was wonderful, more than the love of women.

How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war cast away.