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.”
Davi Recebe a Notícia da Morte de Saul
1Depois da morte de Saul, Davi retornou de sua vitória sobre os amalequitas. Fazia dois dias que ele estava em Ziclague 2quando, no terceiro dia, chegou um homem que vinha do acampamento de Saul, com as roupas rasgadas e terra na cabeça. Ao aproximar-se de Davi, prostrou-se com o rosto em terra, em sinal de respeito.
3Davi então lhe perguntou: “De onde você vem?”
Ele respondeu: “Fugi do acampamento israelita”.
4Disse Davi: “Conte-me o que aconteceu”.
E o homem contou: “O nosso exército fugiu da batalha, e muitos morreram. Saul e Jônatas também estão mortos”.
5Então Davi perguntou ao jovem que lhe trouxera as notícias: “Como você sabe que Saul e Jônatas estão mortos?”
6O jovem respondeu: “Cheguei por acaso ao monte Gilboa, e lá estava Saul, apoiado em sua lança. Os carros de guerra e os oficiais da cavalaria estavam a ponto de alcançá-lo. 7Quando ele se virou e me viu, chamou-me gritando, e eu disse: Aqui estou.
8“Ele me perguntou: ‘Quem é você?’
“Sou amalequita, respondi.
9“Então ele me ordenou: ‘Venha aqui e mate-me! Estou na angústia da morte!’.
10“Por isso aproximei-me dele e o matei, pois sabia que ele não sobreviveria ao ferimento. Peguei a coroa e o bracelete dele e trouxe-os a ti, meu senhor”.
11Então Davi rasgou suas vestes; e os homens que estavam com ele fizeram o mesmo. 12E se lamentaram, chorando e jejuando até o fim da tarde, por Saul e por seu filho Jônatas, pelo exército do Senhor e pelo povo de Israel, porque muitos haviam sido mortos à espada.
13E Davi perguntou ao jovem que lhe trouxera as notícias: “De onde você é?”
E ele respondeu: “Sou filho de um estrangeiro, sou amalequita”.
14Davi lhe perguntou: “Como você não temeu levantar a mão para matar o ungido do Senhor?”
15Então Davi chamou um dos seus soldados e lhe disse: “Venha aqui e mate-o!” O servo o feriu, e o homem morreu. 16Davi tinha dito ao jovem: “Você é responsável por sua própria morte. Sua boca testemunhou contra você, quando disse: ‘Matei o ungido do Senhor’ ”.
Davi Lamenta-se por Saul e Jônatas
17Davi cantou este lamento sobre Saul e seu filho Jônatas, 18e ordenou que se ensinasse aos homens de Judá; é o Lamento do Arco, que foi registrado no Livro de Jasar:
19“O seu esplendor, ó Israel, está morto sobre os seus montes.
Como caíram os guerreiros!
20“Não conte isso em Gate,
não o proclame nas ruas de Ascalom,
para que não se alegrem as filhas dos filisteus
nem exultem as filhas dos incircuncisos.
21“Ó colinas de Gilboa,
nunca mais haja orvalho
nem chuva sobre vocês,
nem campos que produzam trigo para as ofertas.
Porque ali foi profanado o escudo dos guerreiros,
o escudo de Saul, que nunca mais será polido com óleo.
22“Do sangue dos mortos,
da carne1.22 Hebraico: gordura. dos guerreiros,
o arco de Jônatas nunca recuou,
a espada de Saul sempre cumpriu a sua tarefa.
23“Saul e Jônatas, mui amados,
nem na vida nem na morte foram separados.
Eram mais ágeis que as águias,
mais fortes que os leões.
24“Chorem por Saul,
ó filhas de Israel!
Chorem aquele que as vestia de rubros ornamentos
e que suas roupas enfeitava com adornos de ouro.
25“Como caíram os guerreiros no meio da batalha!
Jônatas está morto sobre os montes de Israel.
26Como estou triste por você, Jônatas, meu irmão!
Como eu lhe queria bem!
Sua amizade era, para mim, mais preciosa
que o amor das mulheres!
27“Caíram os guerreiros!
As armas de guerra foram destruídas!”
