2 Samuel 1:17-27 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

David's Lament over Saul and Jonathan. This poem is almost universally accepted as the work of David. It was included in the Book of Jashar (Joshua 10:12 ff., p. 45), and probably borrowed from that book by the author of one of the documents from which Samuel was composed (p. 273).

Let the evil tidings be kept from the Philistines, lest they triumph over Israel. May Gilboa be accursed. Saul and Jonathan were mighty warriors, united in life and death. Let the Israelite women lament them. Alas for Jonathan.

2 Samuel 1:18. he bade them... bow: the RV insertion of the song of represents a theory that The Bow was the title of the poem: this is hardly likely to be correct. Probably the text is corrupt. The favourite explanation is that 2 Samuel 1:18 a contains a corruption of the opening words of the poem. Eg., SBOT proposes the following reconstruction of 2 Samuel 1:18 f.:

Behold it is written in the Book of Jashar. And he said:

Think on calamity, O Judah!

Grieve, O Israel!

On thy heights are the slain;

How are the mighty fallen!

2 Samuel 1:21. not anointed with oil: i.e. uncared for.

2 Samuel 1:25. Jonathan is slain upon thy high places: the text and rendering are uncertain; Cent.B, following Budde, proposes to restore 2 Samuel 1:25 thus:

How are the mighty fallen

In the midst of the battle!

Jonathan, my heart (?) by thy death

Is pierced through.

Related Commentaries of 2 Samuel 1:17

2 Samuel 1:17-27

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 upon thy 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 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon 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 pleasantd 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, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine 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!