2 Samuel 1:17-27

Contemporary English Version

David Sings in Memory of Saul

¹⁷David sang a song in memory of Saul and Jonathan, ¹⁸^(A) and he ordered his men to teach the song to everyone in Judah. He called it “The Song of the Bow,” and it can be found in The Book of Jashar.^[a] This is the song:

¹⁹Israel, your famous hero
    lies dead on the hills,
and your mighty warriors
    have fallen!
²⁰Don't tell it in Gath
or spread the news
    on the streets of Ashkelon.
The godless Philistine women
will be happy
    and jump for joy.
²¹Don't let dew or rain fall
    on the hills of Gilboa.
Don't let its fields
    grow offerings for God.^[b]
There the warriors' shields
    were smeared with mud,
and Saul's own shield
    was left unpolished.^[c]

²²The arrows of Jonathan struck,
and warriors died.
The sword of Saul cut
the enemy apart.

²³It was easy to love Saul
    and Jonathan.
Together in life,
    together in death,
they were faster than eagles
    and stronger than lions.

²⁴Women of Israel, cry for Saul.
He brought you fine red cloth
    and jewelry made of gold.
²⁵Our warriors have fallen
    in the heat of battle,
and Jonathan lies dead
    on the hills of Gilboa.

²⁶Jonathan, I miss you most!
I loved you
like a brother.
You were truly loyal to me,
more faithful than a wife
to her husband.^[d]

²⁷Our warriors have fallen,
and their weapons^[e]
are destroyed.

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Footnotes

1.18 The Book of Jashar: This book may have been a collection of ancient war songs.
1.21 Don't let its fields … for God: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
1.21 unpolished: Some shields were made of leather and were polished with olive oil.
1.26 You … husband: Or “You loved me more than a wife could possibly love her husband.”
1.27 weapons: This may refer to Saul and Jonathan.