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19 [a]“Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your heights.
    How the mighty have fallen!
20 “Do not mention it in Gath
    or proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon.
Let not the daughters of the Philistines rejoice
    and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 “You mountains of Gilboa,
    may no dew or rain fall upon you,
    and may your fields not bring forth grain.
For there the shields of the warriors were tarnished,
    and the shield of Saul is no longer anointed with oil.
22 “From the blood of the slain,
    from the flesh of the valiant,
The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
    nor did the sword of Saul return unbloodied.
23 “Saul and Jonathan:
    in life they were beloved and kind;
    in death they were not separated.
They were swifter than eagles
    and stronger than lions.
24 “O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul
    who clothed you in scarlet and fine embroidery,
    and who beautified your apparel with ornaments of gold.
25 “How the mighty have fallen in battle!
    Jonathan lies slain upon your heights.
26 “I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother.
    To me you were greatly beloved.
Your love for me was more wonderful
    than the love of a woman.
27 “The warriors have fallen,
    and their weapons have been abandoned!”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:19 Here again we see the immense generosity of spirit that David displayed in spite of his struggles with Saul. A gifted musician, he composed a stirring song, known as “The Song of the Bow,” for the king and his son.

19 “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places!
(A)How the mighty have fallen!
20 (B)Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of (C)Ashkelon—
Lest (D)the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of (E)the uncircumcised triumph.

21 “O (F)mountains of Gilboa,
(G)Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
Nor fields of offerings.
For the shield of the mighty is [a]cast away there!
The shield of Saul, not (H)anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain,
From the fat of the mighty,
(I)The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return empty.

23 “Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives,
And in their (J)death they were not divided;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were (K)stronger than lions.

24 “O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury;
Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 “How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan was slain in your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been very pleasant to me;
(L)Your love to me was wonderful,
Surpassing the love of women.

27 “How(M) the mighty have fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 1:21 Lit. defiled