2 Samuel 1:23

2 Samuel 1:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Saul and Jonathan— in life they were loved and admired, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan! They were together in life and in death. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

Context of 2 Samuel 1:23

21"You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you, nor fields of offerings! For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, 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. "Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in 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 luxuriously in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. 25"How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! "Jonathan lies slain on your high places.

2 Samuel 1:23 word by word

שָׁא֣וּל וִיהוֹנָתָ֗ן הַנֶּאֱהָבִ֤ים וְהַנְּעִימִם֙ בְּחַיֵּיהֶ֔ם וּבְמוֹתָ֖ם לֹ֣א נִפְרָ֑דוּ מִנְּשָׁרִ֣ים קַ֔לּוּ מֵאֲרָי֖וֹת גָּבֵֽרוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• and Jonathanיְהוֹנָתָןyehônâthân · JonathanH3083
• lovelyאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
• and pleasantנָעִיםnâ‛îym · pleasantH5273
• in their livesחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
• and in their deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• they were not dividedפָּרַדpârad · to separateH6504
• they were swifterקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
• than eaglesנֶשֶׁרnesher · eagleH5404
• they were strongerגָּבַרgâbar · to prevailH1396
• than lionsאֲרִי'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 1:23

• 1 Samuel 18:1As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.
• 1 Samuel 20:2And he said to him, "Far from it! You shall not die. Behold, my father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me. And why should my father hide this from me? It is not so."
• 1 Samuel 31:1Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
• 2 Samuel 2:18And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle.
• Deuteronomy 28:49The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, swooping down like the eagle, a nation whose language you do not understand,
• 1 Chronicles 12:8From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains:
• Job 9:26They go by like skiffs of reed, like an eagle swooping on the prey.
• Jeremiah 4:13Behold, he comes up like clouds; his chariots like the whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles— woe to us, for we are ruined!
• Lamentations 4:19Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles in the heavens; they chased us on the mountains; they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
• 2 Samuel 23:20And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.
• Judges 14:18And the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down, "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?" And he said to them, "If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have found out my riddle."
• Proverbs 30:30the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any;

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 1:23

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-27Verses 17-27 Kasheth, or "the bow," probably was the title of this mournful, funeral song. David does not commend Saul for what he was not; and says nothing of his piety or goodness. Jonathan was a dutiful son, Saul an affectionate father, therefore dear to each other. David had reason to say, that Jonathan's love to him was wonderful. Next to the love between Christ and his people, that affection which springs form it, produces the strongest friendship…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23beloved and delightful … not divided in death: The relationship between Saul and Jonathan was often strained. This was especially true because of Saul’s treatment of David (see 1 Samuel 20:30–33). Even so, Jonathan fought alongside his father and died with him while defending Israel against the Philistines.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 1:23

• David
• Death
• Elegy
• Friendship
• Jonathan
• Mourning
• Poetry
• Song

In the dictionaries

• Jonathan
• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Beauty
• David
• Eagle
• Empty
• Gilboa
• Jasher
• Lamentation

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings