大衛得知掃羅的死訊
1大衛戰勝了亞瑪力人之後便回到洗革拉，在那裡住了兩天。那時掃羅已經死了。 2第三天，有一個衣服撕裂、頭蒙灰塵的人從掃羅軍營中跑到大衛面前，俯伏下拜。 3大衛問他：「你從哪裡來？」那人答道：「我是從以色列軍營逃出來的。」 4大衛說：「請告訴我那邊的情況。」他說：「以色列軍潰逃，傷亡慘重，掃羅和他兒子約拿單都死了！」 5大衛又問報信的青年：「你怎麼知道掃羅和他兒子約拿單死了？」 6青年說：「我偶然到基利波山，看見掃羅在那裡扶槍而立，敵人的戰車騎兵緊緊追來。 7他回頭看到我，便呼喚我。我說，『我在這裡。』 8他問我是什麼人。我告訴他我是亞瑪力人。 9掃羅說他痛苦難當，卻又死不掉，要我殺了他。 10我知道他身受重傷，必死無疑，就把他殺了，並取下他頭上的王冠和臂上的鐲子帶來獻給我主。」
11大衛就撕裂衣服，他的隨從也撕裂衣服。 12他們因掃羅、他的兒子約拿單和耶和華的子民——以色列同胞陣亡而悲哀痛哭，禁食直到黃昏。 13大衛又問報信的青年：「你是哪裡的人？」他答道：「我是寄居在以色列的亞瑪力人。」 14大衛說：「你怎麼敢下手殺耶和華所膏立的王？ 15-16你是咎由自取！因為你親口承認自己殺了耶和華所膏立的王。」大衛隨即命令一個年輕的隨從殺死他，隨從便殺死了他。
大衛的哀歌
17大衛作了一首輓歌哀悼掃羅和他兒子約拿單， 18並吩咐人教導猶大人唱這首弓歌。這首歌記在《雅煞珥書》上，歌詞說：
19「以色列啊，
你榮耀的王伏屍山上，
偉大的勇士竟然倒下！
20不要在迦特宣告，
不要在亞實基倫的街上傳揚，
免得非利士的婦女幸災樂禍，
免得未受割禮之人的女子歡喜雀躍。
21「基利波山啊，願你沒有雨露，
你的田地不長獻祭用的五穀，
因為在那裡勇士的盾牌污跡斑斑，
掃羅的盾牌沒有抹油。
22「約拿單的弓射敵無數，
掃羅的劍不殺強敵不收回。
23「掃羅和約拿單深受愛戴，
生死不分離。
他們比鷹更敏捷，
比獅子還強壯。
24「以色列的女子啊，
為掃羅哀哭吧！
他曾使你們衣服華美，
穿金戴銀。
25「勇士竟戰死沙場！
約拿單竟伏屍山上！
26我的兄弟約拿單啊，
我為你悲傷，
你對我情深義重，
你對我的愛勝過女人的戀情。
27「偉大的勇士竟然倒下！
兵器竟然長埋！」
David Hears That Saul Has Died
1After Saul died, David returned to Ziklag. He had won the battle over the Amalekites. He stayed in Ziklag for two days. 2On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp. His clothes were torn. He had dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to show him respect.
3“Where have you come from?” David asked him.
He answered, “I’ve escaped from Israel’s camp.”
4“What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.”
He said, “Israel’s men ran away from the battle. Many of them were killed. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
5David spoke to the young man who brought him the report. He asked him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6“I just happened to be there on Mount Gilboa,” the young man said. “Saul was there too. He was leaning on his spear. The enemy chariots and chariot drivers had almost caught up with him. 7Then he turned around and saw me. He called out to me. I said, ‘What do you want me to do?’
8“He asked me, ‘Who are you?’
“ ‘An Amalekite,’ I answered.
9“Then he said to me, ‘Stand here by me and kill me! I’m close to death, but I’m still alive.’
10“So I stood beside him and killed him. I did it because I knew that after he had lost the battle he would be killed anyway. So I took the crown that was on his head. I also took his armband. I’ve brought them here to you. You are my master.”
11Then David tore his clothes. And all his men tore their clothes. 12All of them were filled with sadness. They mourned over the whole nation of Israel. They didn’t eat anything until evening. That’s because Saul and Jonathan and the Lord’s army had been killed by swords.
13David spoke to the young man who had brought him the report. He asked, “Where are you from?”
“I’m the son of an outsider, an Amalekite,” he answered.
14David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to kill the Lord’s anointed king?”
15Then David called for one of his men. He said, “Go! Strike him down!” So he struck the man down, and the man died. 16That’s because David had said to him, “Anything that happens to you will be your own fault. What your own mouth has spoken is a witness against you. You said, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed king.’ ”
David’s Song of Sadness About Saul and Jonathan
17David sang a song of sadness about Saul and his son Jonathan. 18He ordered that it be taught to the people of Judah. It is a song that is played on a stringed instrument. It is written down in the Book of Jashar. David sang,
19“Israel, a gazelle lies dead on your hills.
Your mighty men have fallen.
20“Don’t announce it in Gath.
Don’t tell it in the streets of Ashkelon.
If you do, the daughters of the Philistines will be glad.
The daughters of men who haven’t been circumcised will be joyful.
21“Mountains of Gilboa,
may no dew or rain fall on you.
May no showers fall on your hillside fields.
The shield of the mighty king wasn’t respected there.
The shield of Saul lies there. It isn’t rubbed with oil anymore.
22The bow of Jonathan didn’t turn back.
The sword of Saul didn’t return without being satisfied.
They spilled the blood of their enemies.
They killed mighty men.
23“When they lived, Saul and Jonathan were loved and respected.
When they died, they were not parted.
They were faster than eagles.
They were stronger than lions.
24“Daughters of Israel, mourn over Saul.
He dressed you in the finest clothes.
He decorated your clothes with ornaments of gold.
25“Your mighty men have fallen in battle.
Jonathan lies dead on your hills.
26My brother Jonathan, I’m filled with sadness because of you.
You were very special to me.
Your love for me was wonderful.
It was more wonderful than the love of women.
27“Israel’s mighty men have fallen.
Their weapons of war are broken.”
