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

David Laments Jonathan with the “Song of the Bow”

17 Then David sang this funeral song over Saul and over Jonathan his son. 18 And he ordered “The Bow” to be taught to the children of Judah. Look, it is written on the scroll of Jashar.[a]

19 “The glory of Israel is on your high places; how the mighty have fallen!
20 Do not tell it in Gath; do not proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon,
    lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you
    or on the fields of grain for offerings,
    for there the small shield of the mighty was defiled,
    the small shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,
    the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
    and the sword of Saul did not return without effect.[b]
23 Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives
    and were not separated in their death.
    They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
24 O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
    the one who clothed you with crimson,
    the one who adorned your clothing with golden ornaments.[c]
25 How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle;
    Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed[d] over you, my brother Jonathan.
    you were very dear to me;
    your love was more wonderful to me than the love of women.
27 How the mighty have fallen and the weapons of warfare perished.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:18 The Book of Jashar (“the upright”) is also mentioned in Josh 10:13.
  2. 2 Samuel 1:22 Literally “empty handedly”
  3. 2 Samuel 1:24 Literally “put gold ornaments on your clothing”
  4. 2 Samuel 1:26 Literally “Distress is for me”