2 Samuel 1:23

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(23) Lovely and pleasant.—This applies peculiarly to Jonathan, but also in a good degree to Saul in his earlier years and his better moments, which David chose at this moment to recall. It also applies truthfully to them both in their relations to each other.

Benson Commentary

2 Samuel 1:23. Saul and Jonathan were lovely — Hebrew, הנאהבים, hanneehabim, were loved, namely, by each other, and by the people. And pleasant in their lives — Amiable and obliging in their carriage and conversation, both toward one another and toward others: for, as for Saul’s fierce behaviour toward Jonathan, it was only a sudden passion, by which his ordinary temper was not to be measured; and as for his carriage toward David, it proceeded from that jealousy, and those reasons of state, which too often engage even well-natured princes in similar hostilities. And in their death they were not divided — They were united in life and death; in life by the same common affection; in death by the same common fate. This is just what David intends to express. He does not, by any means, appear to design a commendation of their lives in any other respect. Nor does he speak, a word of Saul’s piety; he only commends him for those qualities which he really possessed; a fit pattern for all preachers in their funeral commendations. Dr. Lowth has beautifully expressed David’s meaning: —

“Nobile par, quos junxit, amor, quos gloria junxit, Una nunc fato jungit acerba dies.”

We will not attempt to give our readers a translation of this elegant couplet, but we will present them below with a paraphrase not inferior, perhaps, in elegance or spirit, on this and two or three of the other stanzas of this elegy, from a poetical version of it by Thomas Roberts, Esq., late of Bristol, with which he has kindly favoured us, and in which both the beauty and force of the original seem to be well imitated. We wish the narrow limits of our work would admit of our inserting the whole.

They were swifter than eagles — In pursuing their enemies, and executing their designs: which is a great commendation in a prince, and a requisite quality in a warrior. They were stronger than lions — Or, rather, more courageous than lions. According to Agur’s observation, Proverbs 30:30, the lion never betakes himself to flight, but faces his foe to the last. Courage then seems the most remarkable property of the lion. And since David uses the same word here in speaking of Saul and Jonathan which Agur uses in speaking of this property of the lion, he evidently means to celebrate the courage of his heroes rather than their strength; and to say that, in facing the enemy and braving of danger, they were undaunted as lions.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:17-27 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. The trouble of the Lord's people, and triumphs of his enemies, will always grieve true believers, whatever advantages they may obtain by them.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Let there be no dew ... - For a similar passionate form of poetical malediction, compare Job 3:3-10; Jeremiah 20:14-18.

Nor fields of offerings - He imprecates such complete barrenness on the soil of Gilboa, that not even enough may grow for an offering of first-fruits. The latter part of the verse is better rendered thus: For there the shield of the mighty was polluted, the shield of Saul was not anointed with oil, but with blood). Shields were usually anointed with oil in preparation for the battle Isaiah 21:5.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21. let there be no dew, neither let there be rain—To be deprived of the genial atmospheric influences which, in those anciently cultivated hills, seem to have reared plenty of first-fruits in the corn harvests, was specified as the greatest calamity the lacerated feelings of the poet could imagine. The curse seems still to lie upon them; for the mountains of Gilboa are naked and sterile.

the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away—To cast away the shield was counted a national disgrace. Yet, on that fatal battle of Gilboa, many of the Jewish soldiers, who had displayed unflinching valor in former battles, forgetful of their own reputation and their country's honor, threw away their shields and fled from the field. This dishonorable and cowardly conduct is alluded to with exquisitely touching pathos.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Pleasant; amiable and obliging in their carriage and conversation, both towards one another, and towards their people; for as for Saul’s fierce behaviour towards Jonathan, 1 Samuel 20:30,33, it was only a sudden passion, by which his ordinary temper was not to be measured; and for his carriage towards David, that was from that jealousy and reason of state which usually engageth even good-natured and well-nurtured princes to the same hostilities in like cases. But it is observable, that David speaks not a word here of his piety and other virtues; but only commends him for those things which were truly in him; a fit pattern for all preachers in their funeral commendations.

In their lives; Jonathan was not false to his father, as was reported; but stuck close to him.

In their death they were not divided; and as he lived, so he died with him, at the same time, and in the same common and good cause.

Swifter than eagles; expeditious and nimble in pursuing their enemies, and executing their designs; which is a great commendation in a prince and in a soldier.

Stronger than lions, in regard of their bodily strength and the courage of their minds.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives,.... To one another, had no quarrel or difference with each other, only on the account of David; otherwise they agreed together in the court, and in the camp, in their councils, and in their conduct:

and in their death they were not divided; neither from the people, nor from one another; Jonathan stuck close by his father to the last; which is observed to clear him from any imputation of conspiracy against him:

they were swifter than eagles; in the quick dispatch of business, in hasting to the relief of the distressed, as Saul to the men of Jabeshgilead, and in the pursuit of their enemies, as of the Philistines, more than once:

they were stronger than lions; fighting with their enemies, who became an case prey to them; and what is stronger than a lion among beasts? Judges 14:18; or swifter than an eagle among birds, which is said to cut the air with its wings (x)?

(x) Aelian. Hist. Animal. l. 15. c. 22. Vid. Ciceron. de Divinatione, l. 2. prope finem.

Geneva Study Bible

Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not {k} divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

(k) They died both together in Gilboa.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

23. lovely and pleasant] Perhaps rather, loving and kindly. The words express the mutual affection which existed between father and son. Jonathan remained faithful to his filial duty even when his father was persecuting his closest friend, and Saul, in spite of temporary outbursts of passion, loved his son to the last. Some commentators would render “in their lives and in their death they were not divided,” but the E. V. preserves the balance of the clauses better.

swifter than eagles] Cp. Jeremiah 4:13; Habakkuk 1:8.

stronger than lions] Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 17:10; Jdg 14:18.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 23. - Lovely and pleasant. The words of the Authorized Version contain a beautiful antithesis, which, however, does not exist in the Hebrew, which celebrates the close union of father and son in life as well as in death.

"Saul and Jonathan, the lovely and pleasant,
Neither in their lives nor in their death were they divided." Notwithstanding Saul's rash vow, Jonathan had ever been his father's faithful friend and companion, nor had his affection for David made him untrue to the ties of natural affection. And David generously commends his friend for thus acting. 2 Samuel 1:23

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

In death as in life, the two heroes were not divided, for they were alike in bravery and courage. Notwithstanding their difference of character, and the very opposite attitude which they assumed towards David, the noble Jonathan did not forsake his father, although his fierce hatred towards the friend whom Jonathan loved as his own soul might have undermined his attachment to his father. The two predicates, נאהב, loved and amiable, and נעים, affectionate or kind, apply chiefly to Jonathan; but they were also suitable to Saul in the earliest years of his reign, when he manifested the virtues of an able ruler, which secured for him the lasting affection and attachment of the people. In his mourning over the death of the fallen hero, David forgets all the injury that Saul has inflicted upon him, so that he only brings out and celebrates the more amiable aspects of his character. The light motion or swiftness of an eagle (cf. Habakkuk 1:8), and the strength of a lion (vid., 2 Samuel 17:10), were the leading characteristics of the great heroes of antiquity. - Lastly, in 2 Samuel 1:24, David commemorates the rich booty which Saul had brought to the nation, for the purpose of celebrating his heroic greatness in this respect as well. שׁני was the scarlet purple (see at Exodus 25:4). "With delights," or with lovelinesses, i.e., in a lovely manner.