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shall seem good unto thee.' Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily. 6 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. 7 And he said unto his men: "The LORD forbid it me, that I should do this thing unto my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed.' 8 So David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.

9 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying: 'My lord the king.' And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and prostrated himself. 10 And David said to Saul: 'Wherefore hearkenest thou to men's words, saying: Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

11 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to-day into my hand in the cave; and some bade me kill thee; but mine eye spared thee; and I said: I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed. 12 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in my hand, and I have not sinned against thee, though thou layest wait for my soul to take it. 13 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee; but my hand shall not be upon thee. 14 As saith the proverb of the ancients: Out of the wicked cometh forth wicked

ness; but my hand shall not be upon thee. 15 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. 16 The LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.

17 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said: 'Is this thy voice, my son David?' And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. 18 And he said to David: "Thou art more righteous than I; for thou hast rendered unto me good, whereas I have rendered unto thee evil. 19 And thou hast declared this day how that thou hast dealt well with me; forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me up into thy hand, thou didst not kill me. 20 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that which thou hast done unto me this day. 21 And now, behold, I know that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thy hand. 22 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my father's house.' 23 And David swore unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his men got them up unto the stronghold.

1

SECOND SAMUEL

David's Lament

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; 2 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.

3 And David said unto him: 'From whence comest thou?' And he said unto him: 'Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.' 4 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.' 5 And David said unto the young man that told him: 'How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?' 6 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. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered: Here am I. 8 And he said unto me: Who art thou? And I answered him: I am an Amalekite. 9 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. 10 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.'

11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him. 12 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. 13 And David said unto the young man that told him: 'Whence art thou?' And he answered: 'I am the son of an Amalekite stranger.' 14 And David said unto him: 'How wast thou not afraid to put forth thy hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?' 15 And David called one of the young men, and said: 'Go near, and fall upon him.' And he smote him that he died. 16 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.'

17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, 18 and said-To teach the sons of Judah the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of Jashar:

19 Thy beauty, O Israel, upon thy high places is slain!

How are the mighty fallen!

20 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.

21 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. 22 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. 23 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.

24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights,

Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!

Jonathan upon thy high places is slain! 26 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.

27 How are the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!

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