David found out about Saul’s death

1 After Saul died, David and the men who were with him returned to Ziklag town after defeating the descendants of Amalek. They stayed in Ziklag for two days. 2 On the third day, unexpectedly a man arrived there who had come from where Saul’s army was camped. He had torn his clothes and put dust on his head to show that he was grieving. He came to David, and prostrated himself on the ground in front of David to show respect for him.

3 David asked him, “Where have you come from?” The man replied, “I escaped from where the Israeli army had been camped.”

4 David asked him, “What happened? Tell me about the battle!” The man replied, “The Israeli soldiers ran away from the battle. Many of them were killed. And Saul and his son Jonathan ◄are dead/were also killed►.”

5 David said to the young man, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

6 The young man replied, “It happened that I was on Gilboa Mountain where the battle occurred, and I saw Saul, leaning on his spear. The enemy chariots and their drivers had come very close to Saul. 7 Saul turned around and saw me, and he called out to me. I answered him and said, ‘What do you want me to do?’

8 He replied, ‘Who are you?’ I replied, ‘I am a descendant of Amalek.’

9 Then he said to me, ‘Come over here and kill me. I am still alive, but I am enduring a lot of pain.’

10 So I went to him and killed him, because I knew that he was wounded very badly and would ◄not continue to live/soon die►. I took the crown that was on his head and the band/bracelet that was on his arm, and I have brought them to you.”

11 Then David and all the men who were with him tore their clothes to show that they were very sad. 12 They mourned for Saul and his son Jonathan, and they cried and ◄fasted/abstained from eating food► until it was evening. They also mourned for all the army of Yahweh, and for all the Israeli people, because many of their soldiers had been killed in the battle [MTY].

13 Then David asked the young man who had told him about the battle, “Where are you from?” He replied, “My father is a descendant of Amalek, but we live in Israel.”

14 David asked him, “◄Why were you not afraid that you would be punished if you killed Saul, whom Yahweh had appointed [MTY] to be the king?/You should have been afraid that you would be punished if you killed Saul, whom Yahweh had appointed [MTY] to be the king.► [RHQ] 15-16 15-16You yourself said, ‘I killed the man whom Yahweh appointed to be the king.’ So you have caused yourself to be guilty [MTY] of causing your own death!” Then David summoned one of his soldiers and said to him, “Kill him!” So the soldier killed him by striking him with a sword.