The battle had ended. The outcome was not what was desired or anticipated.
It was 1011 B.C., and King Saul and his army had been soundly defeated on Mount Gilboa. Worse still, Saul’s three sons, Abinadab, Machi-Shua and Jonathan had been slain. Jonathan, the heir to the throne, had been a mighty man of valor, faithful in service to his father and loyal to his friend, even at the expense of his future crown. The fighting at Gilboa had been against the Philistines in league with the Amalekites in a larger campaign. Samuel the prophet had died recently, and Saul was distraught, insecure in his own kingdom, and fearful in battle. His valiant army fought bravely nonetheless.
When David heard the news about Gilboa, he had just returned from his independent ranging and raiding to recover Hebrew wives, including his own, that had been captured at Ziklag. It was a major feat of arms and leadership, pushing his exhausted men to victory. When a messenger broke the news of the defeat of King Saul at Mount Gilboa, he was devastated. Even though Saul had tried to kill him and forced him into exile to survive, he knew it was a major blow for Israel and the end of his dynasty. Even more devastating was the loss of his closest personal friend, the king’s son Jonathan.
Saul’s kingdom was marked by both internal turmoil and disobedience and battles with the Philistines unit the day he died. Jonathan fought valiantly against the enemies of Israel, being entrusted with one-third of Saul’s forces. He won an amazing victory at Geba. Later, alone with just his armor bearer, the duo launched a brilliant ambush in the rocky crag pass near Mishmash, personally killing 20 of the enemy in a violent hand-to-hand surprise attack, throwing the Philistines into great confusion. This caused their units to attack one another and eventually flee the field in panic. It was an astounding victory and demonstrated what a battlefield leader can accomplish when leading by example.
Jonathan and David became knitted together in a bond only warriors can understand when David first appeared as the youngest son of Jesse, as the Philistines were challenging Israel at the Valley of Elah. The Philistine champion, Goliath of Gath, had rallied their army to humiliate Israel, even taunting them to decide the battle in a single man-to-man contest. David, disgusted with the godless Goliath, urged Saul to let him go and fight him with his sling. The result was legendary.
Saul soon became jealous of David, his relationship with him becoming hostile toward him, and forcing him into exile. Samuel the prophet warned Saul that his disobedience had cost him his throne, and the kingdom would eventually go to David. David took refuge in enemy territory, used ruses to feign insanity, and even liberated cities along the way. Jonathan warned David of his impending peril, and they made a life-long pact of loyalty as warriors, with Jonathan willing to serve David as king even though he was heir to Saul’s throne.
Saul’s jealousy was so intense that he pursued David while fighting against the Philistines. When the Philistines threatened the kingdom once more, Saul was forced to break off the pursuit. David is presented the fortunate opportunity to kill the king at Engedi and then again later at Hachilah. He refused, even though Saul would have surely killed him. He remained faithful to God, the nation of Israel, and to his life-long friend Jonathan.
As the Philistines gathered around Mount Gilboa, Saul became angry, confused, fearful, and depressed—not an ideal state for a commander. Jonathan and his brothers fought valiantly but were slain in battle. Saul would soon be surrounded and join his sons’ fate. Their bodies were stripped, mutilated, and publicly displayed on a wall at Beth-Shan.
David was distraught at the initial news, angered, weeping, mourning, and refusing to eat. As the pain of personal loss abated, he then penned one of the most beautiful tributes to warriors in ancient literature as recorded in 2 Samuel 1:19-27. Becoming known as “The Song of the Bow,” David honors the king as the rightful authority of the nation, making no mention of Saul’s mistreatment of him. Instead, he honors their gallantry, their governance, and their families. He instructs daughters of the nation to mourn and teach the generations about the gallantry and sacrifice of the fallen, attributing to them their prosperity at home while the fallen protect them on fields afar.
Closing out the song, David adds his personal pain and feelings. He cannot find the words to adequately express it, but speaks of his loyalty and the pleasant memories of him. He states the love he has, unlike any he has known, surpasses even that of women. This is no sexual connotation, but is an attempt to explain the inseparable bond among warriors. No warrior who has forged relationships in battle would need an explanation for David’s words. We can’t explain it. We have lived it.
As a veteran of several wars in my 21 years in the US Army Infantry, I have had the privilege to lead warriors in battle for the prosperity and protection of our nation. I would do it again.
The cruelty of war is that, while you survive in life’s greatest extremes, there is little time allotted for emotion. Anger, yes, but not that other stuff. You cannot really dwell on it. The hurtful things quickly give way to the humorous, the routine, or even the mundane. The macabre is made light of. Memories and feelings are suppressed, buried perhaps for another day…or year…or decade.
People back home, other than combat veterans, cannot understand it. The soldiers you serve with do, but they often would rather not bring it back up. So, we carry the memories of our fallen friends that Americans will never get to know. They were the finest and most selfless citizens our nation produced, sacrificing so people could live in ignorance of them in a future of peace and freedom. We know them and see them every day. You never get a chance to tell them “Goodbye.”
This Memorial Day, while you enjoy some time off, leisure at the lake, gatherings with family, and get bombarded by used car advertisements and mattress sales, take some notes from David’s “Song of the Bow.” Honor the fallen, speak of their gallantry, talk about their families, tell their stories to your children, and be thankful for the prosperity we enjoy because of their sacrifice and service.
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