The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 Shortly after Saul died, David returned to Ziklag from his rout of the Amalekites.
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After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.
2 Three days later a man showed up unannounced from Saul's army camp.
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And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage.
3 David asked, "What brings you here?" He answered, "I've just escaped from the camp of Israel."
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David said to him, “Where do you come from? ” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel. ”
4 "So what happened?" said David. "What's the news?" He said, "The Israelites have fled the battlefield, leaving a lot of their dead comrades behind. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead."
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And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me. ” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead. ”
5 David pressed the young soldier for details: "How do you know for sure that Saul and Jonathan are dead?"
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Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead? ”
6 "I just happened by Mount Gilboa and came on Saul, badly wounded and leaning on his spear, with enemy chariots and horsemen bearing down hard on him.
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And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him.
7 He looked behind him, saw me, and called me to him. 'Yes sir,' I said, 'at your service.'
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And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am. ’
8 He asked me who I was, and I told him, 'I'm an Amalekite.'"
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And he said to me, ‘Who are you? ’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite. ’
9 "Come here," he said, "and put me out of my misery. I'm nearly dead already, but my life hangs on."
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And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers. ’
10 "So I did what he asked - I killed him. I knew he wouldn't last much longer anyway. I removed his royal headband and bracelet, and have brought them to my master. Here they are."
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So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord. ”
11 In lament, David ripped his clothes to ribbons. All the men with him did the same.
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Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him.
12 They wept and fasted the rest of the day, grieving the death of Saul and his son Jonathan, and also the army of God and the nation Israel, victims in a failed battle.
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And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 Then David spoke to the young soldier who had brought the report: "Who are you, anyway?" "I'm from an immigrant family - an Amalekite."
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And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from? ” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite. ”
14 "Do you mean to say," said David, "that you weren't afraid to up and kill God's anointed king?"
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David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed? ”
15 Right then he ordered one of his soldiers, "Strike him dead!" The soldier struck him, and he died.
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Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him. ” And he struck him down so that he died.
16 "You asked for it," David told him. "You sealed your death sentence when you said you killed God's anointed king."
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And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed. ’”
17 Then David sang this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan,
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And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son,
18 and gave orders that everyone in Judah learn it by heart. Yes, it's even inscribed in The Book of Jashar.
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and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:
19 Oh, oh, Gazelles of Israel, struck down on your hills, the mighty warriors - fallen, fallen!
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“Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!
20 Don't announce it in the city of Gath, don't post the news in the streets of Ashkelon. Don't give those coarse Philistine girls one more excuse for a drunken party!
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Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 No more dew or rain for you, hills of Gilboa, and not a drop from springs and wells, For there the warriors' shields were dragged through the mud, Saul's shield left there to rot.
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“You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
22 Jonathan's bow was bold - the bigger they were the harder they fell. Saul's sword was fearless - once out of the scabbard, nothing could stop it.
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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 Saul and Jonathan - beloved, beautiful! Together in life, together in death. Swifter than plummeting eagles, stronger than proud lions.
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“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 Women of Israel, weep for Saul. He dressed you in finest cottons and silks, spared no expense in making you elegant.
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“You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 The mighty warriors - fallen, fallen in the middle of the fight! Jonathan - struck down on your hills!
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“How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! “Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 O my dear brother Jonathan, I'm crushed by your death. Your friendship was a miracle-wonder, love far exceeding anything I've known - or ever hope to know.
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I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
27 The mighty warriors - fallen, fallen. And the arms of war broken to bits.
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“How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished! ”
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025