The women of Israel are most happily introduced. They who had come out to meet king Saul with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music" in the day of victory, are now called to weep over him.

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,.... In their mournful elegies:

who clothed you with scarlet, with other delights; not only with scarlet, but with other fine and delightful apparel, such as were very pleasing to the female sex, especially young people, who are delighted with gay apparel; this Saul was the means of, through the spoil he took from his enemies, and by other methods taken by him to the enriching of the nation, whereby husbands and parents were enabled to provide rich clothes for their wives and children:

who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel; broidered work, jewels of gold, &c. See Isaiah 3:18.

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, {l} with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

(l) As rich garments and costly jewels.

1:24 Daughters - These he mentions; because the women then used to make songs both of triumph, and of lamentation, and, because they usually are most delighted with the ornaments of the body here following. Clothed you - This he did, because he procured them so much peace as gave them opportunity of enriching themselves: and, because he took these things as spoils from the enemies, and clothed his own people with them.

24-27. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, &c.-The fondness for dress, which anciently distinguished Oriental women, is their characteristic still. It appears in their love of bright, gay, and divers colors, in profuse display of ornaments, and in various other forms. The inmost depths of the poet's feeling are stirred, and his amiable disposition appears in the strong desire to celebrate the good qualities of Saul, as well as Jonathan. But the praises of the latter form the burden of the poem, which begins and ends with that excellent prince.

1:17-27 Kasheth, or the bow, probably was the title of this mournful, funeral song. David does not commend Saul for what he was not; and says nothing of his piety or goodness. Jonathan was a dutiful son, Saul an affectionate father, therefore dear to each other. David had reason to say, that Jonathan's love to him was wonderful. Next to the love between Christ and his people, that affection which springs form it, produces the strongest friendship. The trouble of the Lord's people, and triumphs of his enemies, will always grieve true believers, whatever advantages they may obtain by them.