1After Saul died and David had returned from striking those of the House of Amalek, David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 On the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and earth thrown upon his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and bowed down. 3 David said to him, “Where are you coming from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “What was the situation? Tell me now.” And he said, “The people have retreated from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and have been killed; and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa; and there was Saul leaning upon his spear. And behold, the chariots and an army of horsemen overtook him. 7 And when he turned behind him, he saw me and called me. And I said, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I said to him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for trembling has seized me. And even now my soul is within me.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown which was on his head and the phylactery which was on his arms, and I have brought them here to my lord.” 11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them. And so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the House of Israel, because they had been killed by the sword. 13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” And he said, “I am the son of a proselyte, an Amalekite man.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to harm the LORD’S anointed?” 15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Draw near, overpower him.” And he struck him down and killed him. 16 And David said to him, “The guilt of killing you be upon your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD’s anointed.’” 17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son. 18 And he promised to teach the sons of Judah the bending of the bow, behold, it is written in the book of the Torah. 19 “You took your stand, O Israel, upon your stronghold you were thrown, killed. How are the heroes killed! 20 Tell it not in Gath, announce it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. 21 You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, let there be no sufficient yield on you that they make from it a dough offering. For there the heroes’ shields were broken, the shield of Saul, anointed as if with anointing oil.[1] 22 From the blood of the killed, from the fat of the heroes, the arrows of Jonathan’s bow are not turning back, and Saul’s sword is not returning empty. 23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely in their life, and in their death not distinguished from their people; swifter than eagles, more heroic than lions. 24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you with scarlet clothes and brought you delicacies, and put golden ornaments on your clothes. 25 How are the heroes shattered in the midst of the battle! Jonathan, you are killed on your stronghold! 26 I am troubled for you, my brother Jonathan, you were very lovely for me! Your love was more distinguished for me than the love of my two wives. 27 How are the heroes shattered and the utensils of war perished!”
2As David had passed a little beyond the top of the mountain, behold, Ziba the young man of Mephibosheth came to meet him, with a pair of asses saddled, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of dried grapes, a hundred mines of dried figs, and a skin of wine. 2 And the king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these things?” And Ziba said, “The asses are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and the dried figs for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the desert to drink.” 3 And the king said, “And where is your lord’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the House of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’” 4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I give thanks. May I find favour in your sight, my lord the king.” 5 When King David came to Almalth, behold, from there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. And he went along, cursing as he went. 6 And he was throwing stones at David, and at all the servants of King David, and at all the people and all the heroes on his right and his left hand. 7 And thus said Shimei as he cursed, “Go forth! Go forth, you man deserving to die, you evil man! 8 The Lord has returned on you the sins of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. And the Lord has made the kingship prosper in the hand of your son Absalom. Behold, you are in your own evil, for you are a man deserving to die.” 9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” 10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Thus he curses, because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” 11 And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son whom I begot seeks to kill me; how much more now this son of the tribe of Benjamin. Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has said him so. 12 It may be that the tear of my eye will be revealed before the Lord, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” 13 So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him, cursing as he went, and threw stones at him and flung dust. 14 And the king and all the people who were with him, arrived weary, and he rested there. 15 Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, had come to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 16 And when Hushai the Archite, David’s close friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “May the king prosper! May the king prosper!” 17 And Absalom said to Hushai, “This is your goodness towards your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” 18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be and with him I will remain. 19 And again, before whom should I serve? Should it be before his son? As I have served before your father, so I will serve before you.” 20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel, what shall we do?” 21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubine, whom he has left to keep the house. And all Israel will hear that you have challenged your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a canopy bed for Absalom upon the roof, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 Now in those days the counsel of Ahithophel was as if a man inquired of the word of the Lord; so was all the counsel, both by David and by Absalom.