2 Samuel 1:4-12

New International Reader's Version

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.”

⁵ David 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. ⁷ Then 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.”

¹¹ Then David tore his clothes. And all his men tore their clothes. ¹² All 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.