2 Samuel 1:1-10 ▼

1 Now it happened after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, that he stayed two days in Ziklag.

2 On the third day a man came [unexpectedly] from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head [as in mourning]. When he came to David, he bowed to the ground and lay himself face down [in an act of great respect and submission].

3 Then David asked him, “Where do you come from?” He said, “I have escaped from 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. Also, many of the people have fallen and are dead; Saul and Jonathan his son are also dead.”

5 So David said to the young man who informed him, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

6 And the young man who told him explained, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and the chariots and horsemen [of the Philistines] were close behind him.

7 When he turned to look behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’

8 He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’

9 He said to me, ‘Stand up facing me and kill me, for [terrible] agony has come over me, yet I still live [and I will be taken alive].’

10 So I stood facing him and killed him, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. Then I took the crown which was on his head and the band which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”