2 Samuel 1:17-27 - How the Mighty have Fallen!

2 Samuel 1:17-27

The Song of the Bow

17 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son, 18 and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow; indeed it is written in the Book of Jasher:

19 “The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places!
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,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 “O mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
Nor fields of offerings.
For the shield of the mighty is cast away there!
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 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 death they were not divided;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were 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;
Your love to me was wonderful,
Surpassing the love of women.

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

David mourned the death of Jonathan his best friend and Saul the chosen but fallen king of the king by composing this song, The Song of the Bow (1 Samuel 31:3) in remembrance of the king’s demise by an enemy archer.  He taught Israel to sing this song to recall the calling of God and the end brought to the mighty who had fallen in battle and had it written in the Book of Jasher (Joshua 10:13) for posterity.  This non-canonical Hebrew book was not part of scripture, but a historical collection of poems and accounts of Israel's formation and heroes to remember that is long since lost.  This poem is also preserved here in scripture for us to see and read for ourselves.  It begins with an epitaph to these beautiful lost leaders as, “How the mighty have fallen!”  It was to be told and sung only among God’s people, not to the enemy who had slaughtered Saul and Jonathan to keep the enemy from gloating over their victory as if a lasting triumph.  It praised the bravery of these two who fought for God’s people to the death describing their efforts as the bow that did not relent and the sword that did not miss its mark on the enemy.  It praised their strength and unity in the fight as swift and mighty.  It called for God’s people to mourn their loss of the one who ruled over them to provide good things.  David lamented the loss of his best friend whose friendship was deeper than even a woman’s affection as a united concern for God’s people and rule as only such best friends of camaraderie experience in battle.  They were a pair and band of brothers and David missed Jonathan terribly because they were to rule Israel together with David as king and Jonathan as his right hand man.  The lament ends with the lingering thought of the mighty who had fallen and the weapons of war that led to their loss destroyed in the end.  How the mighty fall in fighting the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 2:11, Revelation 14:13) even now for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the seed and branch of David who is our Messiah and King!  Those tortured, drowned, and burned at the stake for their testimony fought this fight well for us to remember and honor them also who fell as mighty in faith and faithfulness to the end with the reward (Hebrews 11:13, 37-38) in sight as many before them did in anticipation of the heavenly kingdom (Hebrews 11:16) to come through the Christ seen to come as the chosen and Anointed King of kings after the example of David.