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.
• 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 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“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. 22From 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. “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.

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 18:1Now when 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 20:2So Jonathan said to him, “By no means! You shall not die! Indeed, my father will do nothing either great or small without first telling me. And why should my father hide this thing from me? It is not so!”
• 1 Samuel 31:1Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
• 2 Samuel 2:18Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle.
• Deuteronomy 28:49The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand,
• 1 Chronicles 12:8Some Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains:
• Job 9:26They pass by like swift ships, Like an eagle swooping on its prey.
• Jeremiah 4:13“Behold, he shall come up like clouds, And his chariots like a whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are plundered!”
• Lamentations 4:19Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
• 2 Samuel 23:20Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
• Judges 14:18So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down: “What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger than a lion?” And he said to them: “If you had not plowed with my heifer, You would not have solved my riddle!”
• Proverbs 30:30A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from 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
• Beauty
• David
• Eagle
• Empty
• Gilboa
• Jasher
• Lamentation
• Lamentations, Book of

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