Then, on the third day, a young soldier from Saul's camp came to Ziklag. His clothes were torn, and he had dirt on his head. He came to David and bowed with his face to the ground.
David asked him, "Please tell me, who won the battle?" The man answered, "Our people ran away from the battle. Many of them were killed in the battle. Even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead."
The young soldier said, "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa. I saw Saul leaning on his spear. The Philistine chariots and horse soldiers were coming closer and closer to Saul.
He was hurt so badly that I knew he wouldn't live. So I stopped and killed him. Then I took the crown from his head and the bracelet from his arm and brought them here to you, my lord."
They were very sad and cried. They did not eat until evening. They cried because Saul and his son Jonathan were dead. David and his men cried for the Lord's people, and they cried for Israel. They cried because Saul, his son Jonathan, and many Israelites had been killed in battle.
Then David talked with the young soldier who had told him about Saul's death. David asked, "Where are you from?" The young soldier answered, "I am the son of a foreigner. I am an Amalekite."
Then David told the Amalekite, "You are responsible for your own death. You said you killed the Lord's chosen king, so your own words prove you are guilty." Then David called one of his young servants and told him to kill the Amalekite. So the young Israelite killed him.
"May no rain or dew fall on you, mountains of Gilboa. May there be no offerings coming from your fields. The shields of the heroes rusted there. Saul's shield was not rubbed with oil.
Jonathan's bow killed its share of enemies, and Saul's sword killed its share! They have spilled the blood of men now dead. They cut into the fat of strong men.
"Saul and Jonathan—how dear they were to us! In life they loved being together, and even death did not separate them! They were faster than eagles and stronger than lions.