2 Samuel 1:1-10

David Learns of Saul's Death

1¹ It happened after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; ² it happened on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn, and earth on his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 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; and 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 hard after 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, ‘Stand, please, beside me, and kill me; for anguish has taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.’ ¹⁰ So I stood beside him, and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after that 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.”