2 Samuel 1 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible
World English Bible
2 Samuel 1 (WEBP)
[1] After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag,
[2] on the third day, behold,§ a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth and showed respect.
[3] David said to him, “Where do you come from?” He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.”
[4] David said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.” He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”
[5] David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
[6] The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind him.
[7] When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’
[8] He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
[9] He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me, for anguish has taken hold of me because my life lingers in me.’
[10] So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”
[11] Then David took hold on his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise.
[12] They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh,° and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
[13] David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.”
[14] David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy Yahweh’s anointed?”
[15] David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and cut him down!” He struck him so that he died.
[16] David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain Yahweh’s anointed.’ ”
[17] David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son
[18] (and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):
[19] “Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!
[20] Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
[21] You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away, the shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.
[22] From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back. Saul’s sword didn’t return empty.
[23] Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.
[24] You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you delicately in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.
[25] How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle! Jonathan was slain on your high places.
[26] I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women.
[27] How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!”
2 Samuel 1:2 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
2 Samuel 1:12 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.
Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.
King James w/Strong’s #s
2 Samuel 1 (KJVS)
[1] Now it came to pass after H310 the death H4194 of Saul H7586, when David H1732 was returned H7725 (8804) from the slaughter H5221 (8687) of the Amalekites H6002, and David H1732 had abode H3427 (8799) two H8147 days H3117 in Ziklag H6860;
[2] It came even to pass on the third H7992 day H3117, that, behold, a man H376 came H935 (8802) out of the camp H4264 from Saul H7586 with his clothes H899 rent H7167 (8803), and earth H127 upon his head H7218: and [so] it was, when he came H935 (8800) to David H1732, that he fell H5307 (8799) to the earth H776, and did obeisance H7812 (8691).
[3] And David H1732 said H559 (8799) unto him, From whence comest H935 (8799) thou? And he said H559 (8799) unto him, Out of the camp H4264 of Israel H3478 am I escaped H4422 (8738).
[4] And David H1732 said H559 (8799) unto him, How H4100 went the matter H1697? I pray thee, tell H5046 (8685) me. And he answered H559 (8799), That the people H5971 are fled H5127 (8804) from the battle H4421, and many H7235 (8687) of the people H5971 also are fallen H5307 (8804) and dead H4191 (8799); and Saul H7586 and Jonathan H3083 his son H1121 are dead H4191 (8804) also.
[5] And David H1732 said H559 (8799) unto the young man H5288 that told H5046 (8688) him, How knowest H3045 (8804) thou that Saul H7586 and Jonathan H3083 his son H1121 be dead H4191 (8804)?
[6] And the young man H5288 that told H5046 (8688) him said H559 (8799), As I happened H7136 (8738) by chance H7122 (8736) upon mount H2022 Gilboa H1533, behold, Saul H7586 leaned H8172 (8737) upon his spear H2595; and, lo, the chariots H7393 and horsemen H1167 H6571 followed hard H1692 (8689) after him.
[7] And when he looked H6437 (8799) behind H310 him, he saw H7200 (8799) me, and called H7121 (8799) unto me. And I answered H559 (8799), Here [am] I.
[8] And he said H559 (8799) unto me, Who [art] thou? And I answered H559 (8799) him, I [am] an Amalekite H6003.
[9] He said H559 (8799) unto me again, Stand H5975 (8798), I pray thee, upon me, and slay H4191 (8786) me: for anguish H7661 is come H270 (8804) upon me, because my life H5315 [is] yet whole in me.
[10] So I stood H5975 (8799) upon him, and slew H4191 (8787) him, because I was sure H3045 (8804) that he could not live H2421 (8799) after H310 that he was fallen H5307 (8800): and I took H3947 (8799) the crown H5145 that [was] upon his head H7218, and the bracelet H685 that [was] on his arm H2220, and have brought H935 (8686) them hither unto my lord H113.
[11] Then David H1732 took hold H2388 (8686) on his clothes H899, and rent H7167 (8799) them; and likewise all the men H582 that [were] with him:
[12] And they mourned H5594 (8799), and wept H1058 (8799), and fasted H6684 (8799) until even H6153, for Saul H7586, and for Jonathan H3083 his son H1121, and for the people H5971 of the LORD H3068, and for the house H1004 of Israel H3478; because they were fallen H5307 (8804) by the sword H2719.
[13] And David H1732 said H559 (8799) unto the young man H5288 that told H5046 (8688) him, Whence [art] thou? And he answered H559 (8799), I [am] the son H1121 of a stranger H376 H1616, an Amalekite H6003.
[14] And David H1732 said H559 (8799) unto him, How wast thou not afraid H3372 (8804) to stretch forth H7971 (8800) thine hand H3027 to destroy H7843 (8763) the LORD’S H3068 anointed H4899?
[15] And David H1732 called H7121 (8799) one H259 of the young men H5288, and said H559 (8799), Go near H5066 (8798), [and] fall H6293 (8798) upon him. And he smote H5221 (8686) him that he died H4191 (8799).
[16] And David H1732 said H559 (8799) unto him, Thy blood H1818 [be] upon thy head H7218; for thy mouth H6310 hath testified H6030 (8804) against thee, saying H559 (8800), I have slain H4191 (8790) the LORD’S H3068 anointed H4899.
[17] And David H1732 lamented H6969 (8787) with this lamentation H7015 over Saul H7586 and over Jonathan H3083 his son H1121:
[18] (Also he bade H559 (8799) them teach H3925 (8763) the children H1121 of Judah H3063 [the use of] the bow H7198: behold, [it is] written H3789 (8803) in the book H5612 of Jasher H3477.)
[19] The beauty H6643 of Israel H3478 is slain H2491 upon thy high places H1116: how are the mighty H1368 fallen H5307 (8804)!
[20] Tell H5046 (8686) [it] not in Gath H1661, publish H1319 (8762) [it] not in the streets H2351 of Askelon H831; lest the daughters H1323 of the Philistines H6430 rejoice H8055 (8799), lest the daughters H1323 of the uncircumcised H6189 triumph H5937 (8799).
[21] Ye mountains H2022 of Gilboa H1533, [let there be] no dew H2919, neither [let there be] rain H4306, upon you, nor fields H7704 of offerings H8641: for there the shield H4043 of the mighty H1368 is vilely cast away H1602 (8738), the shield H4043 of Saul H7586, [as though he had] not [been] anointed H4899 with oil H8081.
[22] From the blood H1818 of the slain H2491, from the fat H2459 of the mighty H1368, the bow H7198 of Jonathan H3083 turned H7734 (8738) not back H268, and the sword H2719 of Saul H7586 returned H7725 (8799) not empty H7387.
[23] Saul H7586 and Jonathan H3083 [were] lovely H157 (8737) and pleasant H5273 in their lives H2416, and in their death H4194 they were not divided H6504 (8738): they were swifter H7043 (8804) than eagles H5404, they were stronger H1396 (8804) than lions H738.
[24] Ye daughters H1323 of Israel H3478, weep over H1058 (8798) Saul H7586, who clothed H3847 (8688) you in scarlet H8144, with [other] delights H5730, who put H5927 (8688) on ornaments H5716 of gold H2091 upon your apparel H3830.
[25] How are the mighty H1368 fallen H5307 (8804) in the midst H8432 of the battle H4421! O Jonathan H3083, [thou wast] slain H2491 in thine high places H1116.
[26] I am distressed H6887 (8804) for thee, my brother H251 Jonathan H3083: very H3966 pleasant H5276 (8804) hast thou been unto me: thy love H160 to me was wonderful H6381 (8738), passing the love H160 of women H802.
[27] How are the mighty H1368 fallen H5307 (8804), and the weapons H3627 of war H4421 perished H6 (8799)!
Young’s Literal Translation
2 Samuel 1 (YLT)
[1] And it cometh to pass, after the death of Saul, that David hath returned from smiting the Amalekite, and David dwelleth in Ziklag two days,
[2] and it cometh to pass, on the third day, that lo, a man hath come in out of the camp from Saul, and his garments are rent, and earth on his head; and it cometh to pass, in his coming in unto David, that he falleth to the earth, and doth obeisance.
[3] And David saith to him, ‘Whence comest thou?’ and he saith unto him, ‘Out of the camp of Israel I have escaped.’
[4] And David saith unto him, ‘What hath been the matter? declare, I pray thee, to me.’ And he saith, that ‘The people hath fled from the battle, and also a multitude hath fallen of the people, and they die; and also Saul and Jonathan his son have died.’
[5] And David saith unto the youth who is declaring it to him, ‘How hast thou known that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?’
[6] And the youth who is declaring it to him saith, I happened to meet in mount Gilboa, and lo, Saul is leaning on his spear; and lo, the chariots and those possessing horses have followed him;
[7] and he turneth behind him, and seeth me, and calleth unto me, and I say, Here am I.
[8] And he saith to me, Who art thou? and I say unto him, An Amalekite I am.’
[9] ‘And he saith unto me, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and put me to death, for seized me hath the arrow, for all my soul is still in me.
[10] And I stand over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he doth not live after his falling, and I take the crown which is on his head, and the bracelet which is on his arm, and bring them in unto my lord hither.’
[11] And David taketh hold on his garments, and rendeth them, and also all the men who are with him,
[12] and they mourn, and weep, and fast till the evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they have fallen by the sword.
[13] And David saith unto the youth who is declaring it to him, ‘Whence art thou?’ and he saith, ‘Son of a sojourner, an Amalekite, I am.’
[14] And David saith unto him, ‘How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the anointed of Jehovah?’
[15] And David calleth to one of the youths, and saith, ‘Draw nigh-fall upon him;’ and he smiteth him, and he dieth;
[16] and David saith unto him, ‘Thy blood is on thine own head, for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I-I put to death the anointed of Jehovah.’
[17] And David lamenteth with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son;
[18] and he saith to teach the sons of Judah ‘The Bow;’ lo, it is written on the book of the Upright:-
[19] ‘The Roebuck, O Israel, On thy high places is wounded; How have the mighty fallen!
[20] Declare it not in Gath, Proclaim not the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon, Lest they rejoice- The daughters of the Philistines, Lest they exult- The daughters of the Uncircumcised!
[21] Mountains of Gilboa! No dew nor rain be on you, And fields of heave-offerings! For there hath become loathsome The shield of the mighty, The shield of Saul-without the anointed with oil.
[22] From the blood of the wounded, From the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan Hath not turned backward; And the sword of Saul doth not return empty.
[23] Saul and Jonathan! They are loved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they have not been parted. Than eagles they have been lighter, Than lions they have been mightier!
[24] Daughters of Israel! for Saul weep ye, Who is clothing you in scarlet with delights. Who is lifting up ornaments of gold on your clothing.
[25] How have the mighty fallen In the midst of the battle! Jonathan! on thy high places wounded!
[26] I am in distress for thee, my brother Jonathan, Very pleasant wast thou to me; Wonderful was thy love to me, Above the love of women!
[27] How have the mighty fallen, Yea, the weapons of war perish!’