2 Samuel 1:18
New International Version
and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:

Berean Standard Bible
and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:

King James Bible
(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

New King James Version
and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow; indeed it is written in the Book of Jasher:

New American Standard Bible
and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the mourning song of the bow; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar.

NASB 1995
and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar.

NASB 1977
and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar.

Legacy Standard Bible
and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar.

Amplified Bible
and he told them to teach the sons of Judah, the song of the bow. Behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar:

Christian Standard Bible
and he ordered that the Judahites be taught The Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and he ordered that the Judahites be taught The Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:

American Standard Version
(and he bade them teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he said to teach the children of Yehuda the bow. Behold it is written in the book of Ashir:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he gave orders to teach it the sons of Juda: behold, it is written in the book of Right.

Contemporary English Version
and he ordered his men to teach the song to everyone in Judah. He called it "The Song of the Bow," and it can be found in The Book of Jashar. This is the song:

Douay-Rheims Bible
(Also he commanded that they should teach the children of Juda the use of the bow, as it is written in the book of the just.) And he said: Consider, O Israel, for them that are dead, wounded on thy high places.

English Revised Version
And he bade them teach the children of Judah the song of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jashar.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He said, "Teach this [kesheth] to the people of Judah." (It is recorded in the Book of Jashar.)

Good News Translation
and ordered it to be taught to the people of Judah. (It is recorded in The Book of Jashar.)

International Standard Version
and he gave orders to teach the descendants of Judah the art of warfare, as is recorded in the Book of Jashar:

JPS Tanakh 1917
and said--To teach the sons of Judah the bow. Behold, it is written in the book of Jashar:

Literal Standard Version
and he says to teach the sons of Judah “The Bow”; behold, it is written on the Scroll of the Upright:

Majority Standard Bible
and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar:

New American Bible
(he commanded that it be taught to the Judahites; it is recorded in the Book of Jashar):

NET Bible
(He gave instructions that the people of Judah should be taught "The Bow." Indeed, it is written down in the Book of Yashar.)

New Revised Standard Version
(He ordered that The Song of the Bow be taught to the people of Judah; it is written in the Book of Jashar.) He said:

New Heart English Bible
and said it should be taught to the people of Judah. Look, it is written in the book of Jashar.

Webster's Bible Translation
(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

World English Bible
(and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):

Young's Literal Translation
and he saith to teach the sons of Judah 'The Bow;' lo, it is written on the book of the Upright: --

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Song for Saul and Jonathan
17Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan, 18and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar: 19“Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!…

Cross References
Joshua 10:13
So the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? "So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day."

2 Samuel 1:19
"Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!


Treasury of Scripture

(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

teach

Genesis 49:8
Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.

Deuteronomy 4:10
Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

bow

1 Samuel 20:36
And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

the book

Joshua 10:13
And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

Jasher.

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2 Samuel 1
1. The Amalekite who accused himself of Saul's death is slain
17. David laments Saul and Jonathan with a song














(18) The use of the bow.--The words in italics, the use of, are not in the original, and should be omitted. David "bade them teach the children of Judah the bow": i.e., the following dirge called "the bow," not merely from the allusion to Jonathan's bow in 2Samuel 1:22, but because it is a martial ode, and the bow was one of the chief weapons of the time with which the Benjamites were particularly skilful (1Chronicles 12:2; 2Chronicles 14:8; 2Chronicles 17:17). The word is omitted in the Vatican LXX. He taught this song to "the children of Judah" rather than to all Israel, because for the following seven and a half years, while the memory of Saul was fresh, he reigned only over Judah and Benjamin.

In the book of Jasher.--This book is also referred to in Joshua 10:13, and nothing more is really known about it, although it has been the subject of endless discussion and speculation. It is supposed to have been a collection of songs relating to memorable events and men in the early history of Israel, and it appears that this elegy was included among them. . . .

Verse 18. - Also he bade them teach the children of Judah [the use of] the bow. The old view is that given by the inserted words, and is well put by Ephrem Syrus in his commentary upon the passage. He says that, as Israel's defeat at Gilboa was the presage of a long struggle, and as the Philistines had gained the victory there by their skill in archery, David used his utmost authority with his own tribe to get them to practise this art for their protection in future wars. This explanation would be plausible were it not that we have reason for believing that the Israelites were already skilful in the use both of the sling and the bow, in both of which the Benjamites especially excelled (1 Chronicles 12:2). The modern view is that given in the Revised Version, where the inserted words are "the song of" the bow. "The Bow" is thus the name of the elegy, taken from the allusion to Jonathan's skill in the use of that weapon (ver. 22; comp. 1 Samuel 18:4; 1 Samuel 20:36); and the meaning is that David made his own tribesmen, who were probably ill disposed to Saul and his family, learn this dirge, not so much for its preservation, as to make them give the fallen king due honour. Similarly Exodus 3. is called "The Bush" in Mark 12:26. The book of Jasher. See on this book Joshua 10:13, where the Syriac Version calls it "The Book of Canticles," and understands by it a collection of national ballads commemorative of the brave deeds of Israelite heroes. Jasher literally means "upright," and the Book of Jasher would be equivalent to "Hero book," the Hebrews always looking to the moral rather than the physical prowess of their great men.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
and he ordered
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

that the sons
בְּנֵֽי־ (bə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Judah
יְהוּדָ֖ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

be taught
לְלַמֵּ֥ד (lə·lam·mêḏ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3925: To exercise in, learn

[the Song of] the Bow.
קָ֑שֶׁת (qā·šeṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7198: A bow, for, shooting, the iris

It is written
כְתוּבָ֖ה (ḵə·ṯū·ḇāh)
Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular
Strong's 3789: To grave, to write

in
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the Book
סֵ֥פֶר (sê·p̄er)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5612: A missive, document, writing, book

of Jashar:
הַיָּשָֽׁר׃ (hay·yā·šār)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3477: Straight, right


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OT History: 2 Samuel 1:18 And he bade them teach the children (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 1:17
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