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17 David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son 18 (and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):

19 “Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places!
    How the mighty have fallen!
20 Don’t tell it in Gath.
    Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
    lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 You mountains of Gilboa,
    let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings;
    For there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away,
    The shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain,
    from the fat of the mighty,
    Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back.
    Saul’s sword didn’t return empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives.
    In their death, they were not divided.
They were swifter than eagles.
    They were stronger than lions.
24 You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
    who clothed you delicately in scarlet,
    who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.
25 How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle!
    Jonathan was slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan.
    You have been very pleasant to me.
    Your love to me was wonderful,
    passing the love of women.
27 How the mighty have fallen,
    and the weapons of war have perished!”

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17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son 18 (and he bade them teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of [a]Jashar):

19 [b]Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places!
How are the mighty fallen!
20 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.
21 Ye mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings:
For there the shield of the mighty was [c]vilely cast away,
The shield of Saul, [d]not anointed with oil.
22 From 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.
23 Saul 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.
24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet [e]delicately,
Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!
[f]Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.
26 I 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.
27 How are the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:18 Or, The Upright
  2. 2 Samuel 1:19 Or, The gazelle
  3. 2 Samuel 1:21 Or, defiled
  4. 2 Samuel 1:21 Or, as of one not anointed
  5. 2 Samuel 1:24 Hebrew with delights.
  6. 2 Samuel 1:25 Or, O Jonathan, slain etc.