David's Lament for Saul and Jonathan

When word came that Saul and Jonathan had fallen on Mount Gilboa, David mourned them with a lament he ordered to be taught to the children of Judah, called 'the use of the bow' and recorded in the book of Jasher. Its refrain is 'How are the mighty fallen!' David asks that the news not be told in Gath or Askelon, calls on the mountains of Gilboa to have no dew or rain, honors Saul and Jonathan as swifter than eagles and stronger than lions, and grieves for Jonathan, whose love to him was wonderful.

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Strongest connections in Scripture

2 Samuel 1

Key Passages

How Are the Mighty Fallen

2 Samuel 1:17-27

David honors the king who hunted him and grieves deeply for his friend Jonathan, showing grace and love in his sorrow.

A¹⁷nd 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!