How the Mighty Are Fallen!

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
... The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

-- II Samuel 1: 17, 19–20 (KJV)

The last thing we want, of course, is for the daughters of the uncircumcised to go around triumphing! What David, who sings this hymn, doesn't say is that lately he could have been found fighting on the side of the Philistines -- the very uncircumcised dogs who have just defeated Saul, king of Israel, and his sons. (The Philistines kill the sons; Saul falls on his sword.)

David is apparently of two minds on these events. While Saul pursued him, he was a loyal Philistine ally, but with Saul safely dead, David laments Israel's humiliation. The threat removed, David can now fondly laud the greatness of his erstwhile enemy, celebrating qualities not so apparent while Saul was alive. The king and his sons -- especially Jonathan -- were the "beauty of Israel" (verse 19), "lovely and pleasant in their lives," "swifter than eagles," and "stronger than lions" (verse 23). They were, in short, "mighty," and now they have fallen.

That David's line is a bit opportunistic hasn't stopped anybody from solemnly quoting it when allegedly great leaders bite the dust. Also occasionally cited is the bonus phrase "tell it not in Gath" -- Gath being a chief Philistine city -- which is now an (often humorous) synonym for "keep it hush-hush."

 
Index  |  Next:  To Put Words in One's Mouth

Michael Macrone is Associate Site Producer of GraceCom and the author of nine books on language, literature, and ideas, including the best-selling Brush Up Your Shakespeare!