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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"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.
• 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“Mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, may no showers fall on your terraced fields. For there the shield of the mighty was despised, the shield of Saul—no longer rubbed with oil. 22“From the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied. 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. 24“Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. 25“How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.

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 18:1After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.
• 1 Samuel 20:2“Never!” Jonathan replied. “You are not going to die! Look, my father doesn’t do anything, great or small, without letting me know. Why would he hide this from me? It isn’t so!”
• 1 Samuel 31:1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa.
• 2 Samuel 2:18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.
• Deuteronomy 28:49The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the ends of the earth, like an eagle swooping down, a nation whose language you will not understand,
• 1 Chronicles 12:8Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.
• Job 9:26They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey.
• Jeremiah 4:13Look! He advances like the clouds, his chariots come like a whirlwind, his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! We are ruined!
• Lamentations 4:19Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert.
• 2 Samuel 23:20Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
• Judges 14:18Before sunset on the seventh day the men of the town said to him, “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” Samson said to them, “If you had not plowed with my heifer, you would not have solved my riddle.”
• Proverbs 30:30a lion, mighty among beasts, who retreats before nothing;

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