2 Samuel 1

2 Samuel · Chapter 1

2 Samuel 1:20

1Now 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;2It 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 did obeisance.3And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.4And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That 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.5And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?6And 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.7And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.8And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.9He 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.10So 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.11Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:12And 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.13And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.14And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?15And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.16And 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.17And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:18(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)19The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!20Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.21Ye 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.22From 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.23Saul 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.24Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.25How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.26I 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.27How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
20Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.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.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Where

Locations from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Some ancient sites are uncertain.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
may notאַל־'al-H0408
not

אַל (al) 1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference) 1a) do not, let not (with a verb) 1b) let there not be (with a verb understood) 1c) not, no (with substantive) 1d) nothing (as substantive) Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)

you tellתַּגִּ֣ידוּta-GI-duH5046
to tell

נָגַד (na.gad) 1) to be conspicuous, tell, make known 1a) (Hiphil) to tell, declare 1a1) to tell, announce, report 1a2) to declare, make known, expound 1a3) to inform of 1a4) to publish, declare, proclaim 1a5) to avow, acknowledge, confess 1a5a) messenger (participle) 1b) (Hophal) to be told, be announced, be reported

in Gathבְגַ֔תve-GATH1661
Gath

גַּיְא (gay) valley, a steep valley, narrow gorge Another spelling of gat (גַּת "Gath" H1661)

may notאַֽל־'al-H0408
not

אַל (al) 1) not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference) 1a) do not, let not (with a verb) 1b) let there not be (with a verb understood) 1c) not, no (with substantive) 1d) nothing (as substantive) Aramaic equivalent: al (אַל "not" H0409)

you bear newsתְּבַשְּׂר֖וּte-va-se-RUH1319
to bear tidings

בָּשַׂר (ba.sar) 1) to bear news, bear tidings, publish, preach, show forth 1a) (Piel) 1a1) to gladden with good news 1a2) to bear news 1a3) to announce (salvation) as good news, preach 1b) (Hithpael) to receive good news

in [the] streets ofבְּחוּצֹ֣תbe-chu-TZOTH2351
outside

חוּץ (chuts) outside, outward, street, the outside

Ashkelonאַשְׁקְל֑וֹן'ash-ke-LONH0831
Ashkelon

אַשְׁקְלוֹן (ash.qe.lon) Askelon or Ashkelon = "the fire of infamy: I shall be weighed" a maritime city of the Philistines, southwest of Jerusalem Also named: esh.qe.lo.ni (אֶשְׁקְלוֹנִי "Ashkelon" H0832)

lestפֶּן־pen-H6435
lest

פֶּן־ (pen) conj 1) lest, not, beware lest adv 2) lest

they should rejoiceתִּשְׂמַ֙חְנָה֙tis-MACH-nahH8055
to rejoice

שָׂמַח (sa.mach) 1) to rejoice, be glad 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to rejoice 1a2) to rejoice (arrogantly), exult (at) 1a3) to rejoice (religiously) 1b) (Piel) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad 1c) (Hiphil) to cause to rejoice, gladden, make glad

[the] daughters ofבְּנ֣וֹתbe-NOTH1323G
daughter

בַּת (bat) : daughter 1) daughter 1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin 1a1) as polite address 1a2) as designation of women of a particular place 2) young women, women 1a3) as personification 1a4) daughter-villages 1a5) description of character Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)

[the] Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔יםpe-lish-TIMH6430G
Philistine

פְּלִשְׁתִּי (pe.lish.ti) Philistine = "immigrants" an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan Another spelling of pe.le.shet (פְּלֶ֫שֶׁת "Philistia" H6429)

lestפֶּֽן־pen-H6435
lest

פֶּן־ (pen) conj 1) lest, not, beware lest adv 2) lest

they should exultתַּעֲלֹ֖זְנָהta-'a-LO-ze-nahH5937
to exult

עָלַז (a.laz) (Qal) to exult, rejoice, triumph

[the] daughters ofבְּנ֥וֹתbe-NOTH1323G
daughter

בַּת (bat) : daughter 1) daughter 1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin 1a1) as polite address 1a2) as designation of women of a particular place 2) young women, women 1a3) as personification 1a4) daughter-villages 1a5) description of character Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)

the uncircumcisedהָעֲרֵלִֽים׃ha-'a-re-LIMH6189
uncircumcised

עָרֵל (a.rel) uncircumcised, having foreskin

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.