Waiting with Hope

¹ After Saul’s death, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, he stayed in Ziklag two days. ¹⁷ Then David sang this funeral song for Saul and his son Jonathan. ¹⁸ David ordered everyone in Judah to learn the Song of the Bow. (In fact, it is written in the scroll from Jashar.) ¹⁹ Oh, no, Israel! Your prince lies dead on your heights. Look how the mighty warriors have fallen! ²⁰ Don’t talk about it in Gath; don’t bring news of it to Ashkelon’s streets, or else the Philistines’ daughters will rejoice; the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate. ²¹ You hills of Gilboa! Let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields yielding grain offerings. Because it was there that the mighty warrior’s shield was defiled the shield of Saul!—never again anointed with oil. ²² Jonathan’s bow never wavered from the blood of the slain, from the gore of the warriors. Never did Saul’s sword return empty. ²³ Saul and Jonathan! So well loved, so dearly cherished! In their lives and in their deaths they were never separated. They were faster than eagles, stronger than lions! ²⁴ Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul! He dressed you in crimson with jewels; he decorated your clothes with gold jewelry. ²⁵ Look how the mighty warriors have fallen in the midst of battle! Jonathan lies dead on your heights. ²⁶ I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan! You were so dear to me! Your love was more amazing to me than the love of women. ²⁷ Look how the mighty warriors have fallen! Look how the weapons of war have been destroyed!