David’s Dirge for Saul and Jonathan

17 Then David achanted with this 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 athe book of Jashar.

19 “1Your beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places!

aHow have the mighty fallen!

20 “aTell it not in Gath,

Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,

Or bthe daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,

The daughters of cthe uncircumcised will exult.

21 “aO mountains of Gilboa,

bLet 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 canointed with oil.

22 “aFrom the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,

bThe 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 parted;

aThey were swifter than eagles,

bThey were stronger than lions.

24 “O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,

Who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,

Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 “aHow 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.

aYour love to me was more wonderful

Than the love of women.

27 “aHow have the mighty fallen,

And bthe weapons of war perished!”