How Will the Mighty Fall?

[After Saul and his 3 sons, including Jonathan, were killed in battle against the Philistines] David composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan, and he commanded that it be taught to the people of Judah. It is known as the Song of the Bow, and it is recorded in The Book of Jashar:
Your pride and joy, O Israel, lies dead on the hills!
Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!
Don’t announce the news in Gath, don’t proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon,
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice and the pagans will laugh in triumph.
O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor fruitful fields producing offerings of grain.
For there the shield of the mighty heroes was defiled;
the shield of Saul will no longer be anointed with oil.
The bow of Jonathan was powerful, and the sword of Saul did its mighty work.
They shed the blood of their enemies and pierced the bodies of mighty heroes.
How beloved and gracious were Saul and Jonathan! They were together in life and in death.
They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
O women of Israel, weep for Saul, for he dressed you in luxurious scarlet clothing, in garments decorated with gold.
Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen in battle!
Jonathan lies dead on the hills.
How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan! Oh, how much I loved you!
And your love for me was deep, deeper than the love of women!
Oh, how the mighty heroes have fallen!
Stripped of their weapons, they lie dead.

2 Samuel 1:17–27 (NLT)
When this lament reached the newly widowed Rizpah with two small sons, she could not help but reflect on it with the man she could trust…

My Esteemed Commander Abner,

As I sit in the solitude of my chamber, the melancholy strains of a mournful melody seep through the walls, a tune that has now become a haunting refrain across the streets of Israel. The Lament of the Bow, they call it, a melody of grief and respect composed by David, now resonates with the melancholy that pervades our land following the demise of our beloved King Saul and his valiant son Jonathan, lying cold on the fields of Gilboa [1].

Oh, the chilling refrain, “How the mighty have fallen?” echoes through the halls of my thoughts and resonates through the core of my being, a haunting melody that strings together the hearts of the people, evoking a cascade of memories that flow through the patchwork of my soul. How fate has woven such a tragic tapestry for the House of Saul, leaving us to pick up the threads of what once was a glorious reign [2]. The refrain is not merely a lament for the fallen but a profound query that beckons reflection from the living [3].

I pen down my thoughts to you, mighty Abner, for in the folds of this refrain, the somber notes of the lament remind us that the mighty will indeed fall. It is a question that beckons us to look within, to ponder the paths of those mighty men who walked before us, for we all are warriors in this life. I find myself contrasting the lives of Saul and Jonathan. The divergent paths that led them to the same hill of destiny would be the different hues of might to paint vivid pictures of the legacy they leave behind.

King Saul, our lord, whose descent into the abyss of envy and bitterness was as gradual as it was tragic. The lord who once sought the face of God, found himself lost in the murky shadows of his own fears and insecurities. His fall was not marked by the loss in the battlefield alone, but by the slow yet steady relinquishing of his faith and trust in God. His desperate quest for affirmation led him down a path of darkness: the actions toward David, the massacre to secure his reign [4], the consorting with the witch of Endor on the eve of his demise [5], all bear testimony to a might that crumbled from within before it fell on the battlefield.

On the other hand, there was Jonathan, the embodiment of loyalty, honor, and divine reverence. He who embraced David as a brother, setting aside the lure of the throne for the higher call of righteousness. His might was of a different kind – a might that stemmed from a heart aligned with God’s will, a heart that embraced love, loyalty, and humility over pride, envy, and fear. His fall was noble, alongside his father, on the very soil he vowed to protect. His loyalty to David, his unyielding faith in God, his unwavering stand for what was right even in the face of adversity, have all etched his memory in the hearts of Israel as a hero who stood tall even in death.

Now, as I reflect upon these contrasting tales of might, I am drawn to think of you, Abner. You, who have stood as a pillar of strength beside the throne. You are mighty, a warrior of renown, a loyal servant to the throne. Yet, the refrain echoes, how will the mighty fall? The day will dawn when you too shall face the inevitable fall [6]. Time will demand a narrative of your fall, mighty Abner. Will your fall resonate with the bitterness of lost glory or with the sweet fragrance of honor to the divine?

In the eyes of God and man, the manner of one’s fall, my dear Abner, is a reflection of the heart’s posture throughout the journey of life. Each dawn brings with it the promise of redemption or the peril of descent. Your actions now carve the narrative of your fall or rise, mighty Abner. Will your tale be a somber refrain or a melody of hope? I beseech you, the mighty commander of Israel’s army, a cherished friend [7], and a pillar of Saul’s reign, to reflect upon the essence of this lament with its haunting refrain, “How the mighty have fallen?” The choice lies within the sanctum of your heart, each day.

As the dusk descends upon the annals of our history, and the Lament of the Bow echoes through the heart of Israel, may your heart find the melody of divine guidance, and may your steps resonate with the rhythm of righteousness, leading you towards a legacy of valor, akin to Jonathan’s noble fall.

With a heart brimming with grief and a spirit fervent in prayer

Rizpah

Share with your friends “How do the contrasting ends of Saul and Jonathan serve as a reflection on the choices and consequences faced by each one of us in our daily life?”

[1] 1 Samuel 31:1–6 recorded the details of Saul and Jonathan’s death in battle against the Philistine
[2] At this point, Rizpah had become a concubine of Saul (probably not by choice) and bore him 2 sons
[3] In Hebrew language, the phrase “How the mighty have fallen” is an exclamation point, but it could be used as a question in English. So I am taking creative liberty at this point.
[4] 1 Samuel 22:11–23 recorded the massacre of the priestly community at Nob by Saul’s order
[5] 1 Samuel 28:3–25 recorded that Saul consult a witch a Endor before the battle with the Philistine
[6] 2 Samuel 3:22–39 recorded that Abner was murdered by Joab as he revenged the death of his brother Ashasel
[7] Saul’s son Ish-bosheth accused Abner of sleeping with Rizpah, which would have been a claim to Saul’s throne. The narrative of 2 Samuel 3:7 and later never says whether Ish-bosheth’s claim was accurate. Nevertheless, the accusation was enough to turn Abner’s loyalties to David right before he was murdered.
[8] After Abner died, the House of Saul collapsed and David became King of Israel. He was 30 years old.