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David’s Song for Saul and Jonathan

17 Then David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan, 18 and he commanded that it be taught to the people of Judah. It is known as the Song of the Bow, and it is recorded in The Book of Jashar.[a]

19 Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills!
    Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!
20 Don’t announce the news in Gath,
    don’t proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon,
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice
    and the pagans will laugh in triumph.

21 O mountains of Gilboa,
    let there be no dew or rain upon you,
    nor fruitful fields producing offerings of grain.[b]
For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled;
    the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil.
22 The bow of Jonathan was powerful,
    and the sword of Saul did its mighty work.
They shed the blood of their enemies
    and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes.

23 How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan!
    They were together in life and in death.
They were swifter than eagles,
    stronger than lions.
24 O women of Israel, weep for Saul,
for he dressed you in luxurious scarlet clothing,
    in garments decorated with gold.

25 Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen in battle!
    Jonathan lies dead on the hills.
26 How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan!
    Oh, how much I loved you!
And your love for me was deep,
    deeper than the love of women!

27 Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!
    Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:18 Or The Book of the Upright.
  2. 1:21 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.

17-18 Then David composed a dirge for Saul and Jonathan and afterward commanded that it be sung throughout Israel. It is quoted here from the book Heroic Ballads.

19 O Israel, your pride and joy lies dead upon the hills;

Mighty heroes have fallen.

20 Don’t tell the Philistines, lest they rejoice.

Hide it from the cities of Gath and Ashkelon,

Lest the heathen nations laugh in triumph.

21 O Mount Gilboa,

Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,

Let no crops of grain grow on your slopes.[a]

For there the mighty Saul has died;

He is God’s appointed king no more.

22 Both Saul and Jonathan slew their strongest foes,

And did not return from battle empty-handed.

23 How much they were loved, how wonderful they were—

Both Saul and Jonathan!

They were together in life and in death.

They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

24 But now, O women of Israel, weep for Saul;

He enriched you

With fine clothing and gold ornaments.

25 These mighty heroes have fallen in the midst of the battle.

Jonathan is slain upon the hills.

26 How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan;

How much I loved you!

And your love for me was deeper

Than the love of women!

27 The mighty ones have fallen,

Stripped of their weapons, and dead.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:21 Let no crops of grain grow on your slopes. The text is uncertain in the original manuscripts.