The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
King James Version KJV
1 Sha'ul had died, and David had been two days in Ziklag after returning from the slaughter of the 'Amaleki.
1
Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
2 On the third day, there came a man from Sha'ul's camp with his clothes torn and earth on his head. He approached David, fell to the ground and prostrated himself.
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It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul 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 did obeisance.
3 David said to him, "Where are you coming from?""I escaped from the camp of Isra'el," he replied.
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And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
4 "Tell me, please, how did things go?" asked David. "The people have fled the battle," he answered, "and many of them are wounded or dead. Sha'ul and Y'honatan his son are dead too."
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And David said unto 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 Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
5 David asked the young man who had told him this, "How do you know that Sha'ul and Y'honatan his son are dead?"
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And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
6 The young man who had told him said, "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa when I saw Sha'ul leaning on his spear. The chariots and cavalry were bearing down on him.
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And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
7 He looked behind him, saw me and called to me. I answered, 'Here I am.'
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And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
8 He said to me, 'Who are you?' and I answered, 'I'm an 'Amaleki'
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And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
9 He said to me, 'I'm in agony, and I'm going to die, but I'm still alive. So please, stand next to me; and kill me.'
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He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.
10 So I stood next to him and killed him, because I was sure he was so badly wounded that he couldn't live. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet on his arm and have brought them here to my lord."
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So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that 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 hither unto my lord.
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and likewise all the men who were with him.
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Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
12 They wailed and cried, and they fasted until evening for Sha'ul, for Y'honatan his son, for ADONAI's people and for the house of Isra'el; because they had fallen by the sword.
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And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
13 David said to the young man who had told him, "Where are you from?" He answered, "I'm the son of a [resident] foreigner, an 'Amaleki."
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And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
14 David asked him, "How is it that you weren't afraid to raise your hand to destroy ADONAI's anointed?"
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And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?
15 David called one of his young men and said, "Go over to him, and kill him." The man struck him down, and he died.
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And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
16 David said to him, "Your blood is on your own head. Your own mouth convicted you when you said, 'I killed ADONAI's anointed.'"
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And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.
17 Then David pronounced this lament over Sha'ul and over Y'honatan his son,
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And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
18 in order to teach the people of Y'hudah [not to underestimate] archery (the lament has been written down in the book of Yashar):
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(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
19 "Your glory, Isra'el, lies dead on your high places! How the heroes have fallen!
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The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
20 Don't speak of it in Gat; don't proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon; then the daughters of the P'lishtim won't rejoice, the daughters of the uncircumcised won't gloat.
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Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 "Mountains of Gilboa - may there be on you no dew, no rain, no fields with good crops; because there the shields of the heroes were dishonored, the shield of Sha'ul was no longer rubbed with oil.
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Ye 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 Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
22 "From the blood of the dead, from the flesh of heroes, the bow of Y'honatan did not retreat or the sword of Sha'ul return unsatisfied.
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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.
23 Sha'ul and Y'honatan, loved and gracious while alive, were not separated even in death; they were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
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Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24 "Daughters of Isra'el, weep over Sha'ul! He clothed you luxuriously in scarlet and put gold jewelry on your clothing.
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Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25 "How the heroes have fallen in the heat of battle, Y'honatan killed on your high places!
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How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
26 I grieve for you, my brother Y'honatan, you meant so much to me! Your love for me was deeper than the love of women.
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I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
27 How the heroes have fallen and the weapons of war perished"
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How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The King James Version is in the public domain.