And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him.
And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah, the brother of David, slew him, х Yªhownaataan (H3083) (given by Yahweh); Shim`aah (H8093) or Shamaah (H8048), Shammah (1 Samuel 16:9; 1 Samuel 17:13: see other variations of the name, 1 Chronicles 2:13; 1 Chronicles 11:27; 1 Chronicles 27:8)]. This achievement of Jonathan almost rivalled the gallant exploit of his uncle in his encounter with Goliath.
The song contained in this chapter is the same as the 18th Psalm. Jewish writers, as well as modern critics, have noticed a great number of very minute variations, amounting to no less than seventy-four, in the language of the song as recorded in this passage from that embodied in the Book of Psalms. And this difference is to be accounted for, not, as Lengerke, Hitzig, and others have asserted, by the carelessness of transcribers, who have introduced great corruptions into the text, but by the fact that this, the first copy of the poem, was carefully revised corrected, and improved by its author afterward, when it was set to music for public worship in the sanctuary. This inspired ode was manifestly the effusion of a mind glowing with the highest fervour and gratitude; and it is full of the noblest imagery that is to be found within the range of sacred poetry. The universal verdict of criticism is, that it is a genuine production of David; with the exception of J. Olshausen, who, denying the Davidic origin of any of the Psalms, refuses, in the instance before us, the double testimony of history and the Book of Psalms. (See this subject discussed by Hengstenberg, 'Psalms,' vol. 1:, Psalms 18:1-50.) It was composed by David near the close of his life; and it is a grand hallelujah, or thanksgiving tribute, not for any particular benefit, bait for general and long continued marks of the divine favour, especially for deliverance from his numerous and malignant enemies, and establishing him in the power and glory of his kingdom. It is divisible into five parts, including the introduction, in which the royal worshipper declares his purpose to celebrate the praises of God as the large and inexhaustible theme of his song.