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AND IT came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
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it came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head;
and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and prostrated himself.
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And David said unto him: "From whence comest thou?" And he said unto him: "Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped."
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And David said unto him: "How went the matter?
I pray thee, tell me." And he answered: "The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead;
and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."
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And David said unto the young man that told him: "How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?"
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And the young man that told him said: "As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear;
and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen pressed hard upon him.
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And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me.
And I answered: Here am I.
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And he said unto me: Who art thou?
And I answered him: I am an Amalekite.
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And he said unto me: Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and slay me, for the agony hath taken hold of me;
because my life is just yet in me.
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So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen;
and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord."
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Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them;
and likewise all the men that were with him.
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And they wailed, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel;
because they were fallen by the sword.
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And David said unto the young man that told him: "Whence art thou?" And he answered: "I am the son of an Amalekite stranger."
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And David said unto him: "How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the LORD"S anointed?"
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And David called one of the young men, and said: "Go near, and fall upon him." And he smote him that he died.
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And David said unto him: "Thy blood be upon thy head;
for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying: I have slain the LORD"S anointed."
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And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son,
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and said - To teach the sons of Judah the bow.
Behold, it is written in the book of Jashar:
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Thy beauty, O Israel, upon thy high places is slain!
How are the mighty fallen!
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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 triumph.
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Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of choice fruits;
for there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
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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.
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Saul and Jonathan, the lovely and the pleasant in their lives, even in their death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
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Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
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How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan upon thy high places is slain!
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I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant hast thou been unto me;
wonderful was thy love to me, passing the love of women.
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How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!