Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 4Sylvester, Charles Herbert
General
Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 4
Sylvester, Charles Herbert
Children's literature; Literature -- Collections
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."
And David said unto the young man that told him, "How knowest thou that
Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?"
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 horsemen followed hard after him. And when he looked behind him, he
saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, 'Here am I.'
"And he said unto me, 'Who art thou?'
"And I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite.'
"He said unto me again, 'Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for
anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.'
"So I stood upon 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."
Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all
the men that were with him: and they mourned 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.
And David said unto the young man that told him, "Whence art thou?"
And he answered, "I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite."
And David said unto him, "How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth
thine hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?"
And David called one of the young men and said, "Go near, and fall upon
him." And he smote him that he died.
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.'"
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan
his son:
"The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty
fallen!
"Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be
rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the
mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not
been anointed with oil.
"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.
"Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in
their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they
were stronger than lions.
"Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet,
with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
"How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou
wast slain in thine high places.
"I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou
been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
"How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!"
DAVID THE KING
I
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account