VERSE STUDY • KJV

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 pleasant 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!

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KJV King James Version

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 pleasant 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!

BSB Berean Standard Bible

¹⁷ Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan, ¹⁸ and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar: ¹⁹ “Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen! ²⁰ Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. ²¹ O mountains of Gilboa, may you have no dew or rain, no fields yielding offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil. ²² From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not retreat, and the sword of Saul did not return empty. ²³ Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in life, were not divided in death. They were swifter than eagles; they were stronger than lions. ²⁴ O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and luxury, who decked your garments with ornaments of gold. ²⁵ How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. ²⁶ I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women. ²⁷ How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!”

WEB World English Bible

¹⁷ David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son ¹⁸ (and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar): ¹⁹ “Your glory, Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! ²⁰ Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. ²¹ You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain on you, neither fields of offerings; For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul was not anointed with oil. ²² From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back. Saul’s sword didn’t return empty. ²³ Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. 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 delicately, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing. ²⁵ How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain on your high places. ²⁶ I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant 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!”

ASV American Standard Version

¹⁷ And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son ¹⁸ (and he bade them teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar): ¹⁹ Thy glory, O 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 Ashkelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. ²¹ Ye mountains of Gilboa, Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, neither fields of offerings: For there the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul, not 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 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who clothed you in scarlet delicately, Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel. ²⁵ How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain upon thy 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!

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

¹⁷ And David lamenteth with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son; ¹⁸ and he saith to teach the sons of Judah ‘The Bow;’ lo, it is written on the book of the Upright:— ¹⁹ The Roebuck, O Israel, On thy high places is wounded; How have the mighty fallen! ²⁰ Declare it not in Gath, Proclaim not the tidings in the streets of Ashkelon, Lest they rejoice—The daughters of the Philistines, Lest they exult—The daughters of the Uncircumcised! ²¹ Mountains of Gilboa! No dew nor rain be on you, And fields of heave-offerings! For there hath become loathsome The shield of the mighty, The shield of Saul—without the anointed with oil. ²² From the blood of the wounded, From the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan Hath not turned backward; And the sword of Saul doth not return empty. ²³ Saul and Jonathan! They are loved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they have not been parted. Than eagles they have been lighter, Than lions they have been mightier! ²⁴ Daughters of Israel! for Saul weep ye, Who is clothing you in scarlet with delights. Who is lifting up ornaments of gold on your clothing. ²⁵ How have the mighty fallen In the midst of the battle! Jonathan! on thy high places wounded! ²⁶ I am in distress for thee, my brother Jonathan, Very pleasant wast thou to me; Wonderful was thy love to me, Above the love of women! ²⁷ How have the mighty fallen, Yea, the weapons of war perish!’

Surrounding context — 2 Samuel 1

14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’S anointed?

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

16 And David said unto him, Thy blood [be] upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, 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 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 pleasant 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!

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