1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag;

2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth on his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

3 And David said to him, From where come you? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

4 And David said to him, How went the matter? I pray you, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

5 And David said to the young man that told him, How know you that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance on mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned on his spear; and, see, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, Here am I.

8 And he said to me, Who are you? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

9 He said to me again, Stand, I pray you, on me, and slay me: for anguish is come on me, because my life is yet whole in me.

10 So I stood on him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.

11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:

12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.

13 And David said to the young man that told him, From where are you? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

14 And David said to him, How were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?

15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall on him. And he smote him that he died.

16 And David said to him, Your blood be on your head; for your mouth has testified against you, saying, I have slain the LORD's anointed.

17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

19 The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places: how are the mighty fallen!

20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, on you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been 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 You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 How are the mighty fallen in the middle of the battle! O Jonathan, you were slain in your high places.

26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant have you been to me: your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

The Lament of David over Saul and Jonathan

1. There is no break between the two books of Samuel; they really form one continuous narrative. This v. is a continuation of 1 Samuel 30, which describes David’s successful attack upon Ziklag. He had not heard of the events narrated in 1 Samuel 31.

2. With his clothes rent, etc.] In 1Sa 4:12, which describes the arrival of the messenger at Shiloh with tidings of the capture of the ark, these were the same indications that he was the bearer of evil tidings.

8, 9. The Amalekite’s account contradicts 1Sa 31:4 and is also improbable in itself. The man was probably lying in the hope of currying favour with David.

10. For the practice of wearing signs of royalty, when going into battle, see 1Ki 22:30. Bracelet] In the Assyrian sculptures warriors are often represented with such ornaments.

18. The use of the bow] RV ’the song of the bow,’ lit. ’the bow.’ The text of this v. is doubtful, but if the words are right, ’the bow’ will be the title of the lamentation following. There is, however, no warrant for this in Hebrew usage. Some see an allusion to 2Sa 1:22, ’the bow of Jonathan.’ The book of Jasher] RV ’Jashar,’ mentioned also in Jos 10:13. It was apparently a book of martial or historical poetry. Jashar is probably a name of Israel. We get it in Deu 32:15 under the form Jeshurun: the word properly means ’righteous.’

21. Fields of offerings] fields bearing produce, from which firstfruits are offered. Not.. anointed with oil] It is doubtful if this refers to Saul or his shield. Shields were greased to preserye the leather and to prevent spears from sticking: cp. Isa 21:5.

22. In this figurative language, the bow is represented as drinking the blood of the slain and the sword as eating the fat of the mighty: cp. Deu 32:42; Isa 34:6. Turned not back] i.e. empty, as the parallel clause shows.

24. Scarlet.. gold] These were the ordinary ornaments of a Hebrew woman: cp. Jer 4:30.

25. O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places] RV ’Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.’ The address is to Israel.

27. The weapons of war] The parallel clause shows that these are Saul and Jonathan themselves, regarded as the sword and bow of the nation. It is remarkable that this poem makes no distinction between Saul and Jonathan, but praises the courage, the success, and the patriotism of both alike. The gloomy picture of Saul given in the later chapters of 1 Sam must not be allowed to efface the courage and determination of his struggle with Israel’s foes. On the other hand, the genuine grief expressed in this lament (which cannot be anything else than authentic) over the father as well as the son, shows David’s chivalry in a very pleasing light.