David’s Lament over the Death of Saul and Jonathan

When King Saul and his son Jonathan were killed in battle, David could assume the throne of Israel with no obstruction from the House of Saul. David must have been secretly pleased that Saul was dead, for Saul had tried several times to kill him, and David was also saddened by the death of his good friend Jonathan. The politically astute David publicly lamented both deaths, praising the heroism of both men, but verse 26 shows that David’s true grief was over the death of Jonathan. Laments for the dead were well known in the ancient world. The author has fashioned this lament according to their model, but for his own purpose, to show the character of David. The refrain “How have the mighty fallen” occurs in verses 19, 25, and 27.