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David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

17 Then David (A)chanted with this funeral lament over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in (B)the book of Jashar.

19 [a]Your beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
(C)How have the mighty fallen!
20 (D)Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
Lest (E)the daughters of the Philistines be glad,
Lest the daughters of (F)the uncircumcised exult.
21 (G)O mountains of Gilboa,
(H)Let not dew or rain be on you, nor fields of offerings;
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
The shield of Saul, not (I)anointed with oil.
22 (J)From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,
(K)The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their life,
And in their death they were not separated;
(L)They were swifter than eagles,
(M)They were mightier than lions.
24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
Who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.
25 (N)How have the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan is slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been very pleasant to me.
(O)Your love to me was more wonderful
Than the love of women.
27 (P)How have the mighty fallen,
And (Q)the weapons of war perished!”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:19 Lit The

David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan

17 David took up this lament(A) concerning Saul and his son Jonathan,(B) 18 and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):(C)

19 “A gazelle[a] lies slain on your heights, Israel.
    How the mighty(D) have fallen!(E)

20 “Tell it not in Gath,(F)
    proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,(G)
lest the daughters of the Philistines(H) be glad,
    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.(I)

21 “Mountains of Gilboa,(J)
    may you have neither dew(K) nor rain,(L)
    may no showers fall on your terraced fields.[b](M)
For there the shield of the mighty was despised,
    the shield of Saul—no longer rubbed with oil.(N)

22 “From the blood(O) of the slain,
    from the flesh of the mighty,
the bow(P) of Jonathan did not turn back,
    the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.
23 Saul and Jonathan—
    in life they were loved and admired,
    and in death they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles,(Q)
    they were stronger than lions.(R)

24 “Daughters of Israel,
    weep for Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and finery,
    who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.(S)

25 “How the mighty have fallen in battle!
    Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26 I grieve(T) for you, Jonathan(U) my brother;(V)
    you were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,(W)
    more wonderful than that of women.

27 “How the mighty have fallen!
    The weapons of war have perished!”(X)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:19 Gazelle here symbolizes a human dignitary.
  2. 2 Samuel 1:21 Or / nor fields that yield grain for offerings