2 Samuel 1:19–27

¹⁹Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills!

Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!

²⁰Don’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.

²¹O mountains of Gilboa,

let there be no dew or rain upon you,

nor fruitful fields producing offerings of grain.

For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled;

the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil.

²²The 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.

²³How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan!

They were together in life and in death.

They were swifter than eagles,

stronger than lions.

²⁴O women of Israel, weep for Saul,

for he dressed you in luxurious scarlet clothing,

in garments decorated with gold.

²⁵Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen in battle!

Jonathan lies dead on the hills.

²⁶How 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!

²⁷Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!

Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead.