Death of Saul and Jonathan
While David was fighting the Amalekites, a furious battle was raging between the Philistines and the Jews.
The tide of battle swiftly turned against the Jews, as Samuel had predicted, and Saul's army was utterly routed. The king's own sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua were among the slain. Many fled for their lives. Saul was severely wounded by the Philistine archers. Then, giving up all hope and dreading the thought of falling into the hands of his heathen enemies, he called upon his armor-bearer to slay him. But the man was afraid and durst not obey. Saul, therefore, fell upon his sword to kill himself. However, the wound not proving immediately mortal, he entreated an Amalekite who had by chance come near the place, to pierce him with his sword, and the stranger, seeing that the king could not possibly recover, did as he was requested. Saul's armor-bearer, now unwilling to live, died also by his own hand. The Philistines then occupied without a struggle many of the Hebrew towns, deserted by their inhabitants who had fled in despair. On the next day, the Philistines came to the battle-field to strip the slain. When they recognized the bodies of the king and of his three sons, they set up a wild shout of rejoicing, cut off Saul's head, and took his arms, which they sent to their own country to be kept in a chief temple of Ashtarte; but the bodies of Saul and of his sons they fixed on the wall of Beth-Shan, a town not far from the Jordan opposite to the territory of Gilead. They were rescued, however, by the brave men of Jabesh, who brought them into their town and buried them under a tamarisk-tree. All the people kept a fast for seven days.
David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan
David was in Ziklag, confident that the great heroes of Israel, Saul and Jonathan, would once again, with G‑d's help, prevail over the enemy. But soon he was stunned with grief. There came running into the city a messenger with his blood-stained clothes rent, and with earth upon his head. He bore in his hand the royal crown and bracelet, which he laid before David with all signs of homage. He then related the defeat of the Israelites and the death of Saul and his sons. Grief and mourning prevailed among the Jews of Ziklag. All tore their garments and abstained from food that day.
David sincerely mourned the death of Saul and Jonathan and the defeat of Israel. In a lament he composed over the fallen princes, David proved his deep affection for Saul and Jonathan, and his sincere grief at the terrible catastrophe that had befallen Israel;
"The pride of Israel is slain upon thy heights.
"How are the heroes fallen!
"Tell it not in Gath,
"Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
"Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
"Lest the daughters of the heathen triumph!
"Ye mountains of Gilboa!
"Let there be no dew and no rain upon you,
"Nor fields for first-fruit offerings;
"For there the shields of the heroes were tarnished,
"And the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oil.
"From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the heroes,
"The bow of Jonathan never shrank back,
"And the sword of Saul returned not empty.
"Saul and Jonathan, beloved and graceful in their lives,
"Were not parted in their death.
"They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
"Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul!
"Who clothed you in scarlet and precious garments;
"Who put golden ornaments upon your apparel.
"How are the heroes fallen in battle!
"O, Jonathan, thou wast slain upon thy heights!
"I am grieved for thee, my brother Jonathan!
"Thou wast very dear to me!
"How are the heroes fallen!"
Saul, the first crowned Jewish monarch, was survived only one son Ishbosheth, aged forty. Jonathan too left a son Mephibosheth, at that time five years old. When the sad tidings arrived from the battle-field of Gilboa, his nurse, in her alarm, tried to flee with the child; he fell, and was lamed for life.
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