This book is referred to as early as Joshua 10:13, at the time of the victory of the Israelites under Joshua in the Valley of Aijalon. Little is known concerning it. It seems to have been a collection of songs relating to memorable events and men in the early history of Israel. David’s ode on the death of Saul and Jonathan appears to have been inserted in this volume (see on Joshua 10:13).

 The words “the use of” are not in the Hebrew. Literally translated the phrase would read: “And he said to teach the children of Judah the bow.” The LXX omits “the bow” and says, “And he gave orders to teach it [the lamentation] the sons of Juda.” The exact meaning of the Hebrew clause is not clear. What follows seems to have nothing to do with the bow. Some think that because the poem is a martial ode it was entitled by David, “The Bow.” The bow was one of the chief weapons of the time, and one with which the Benjamites were particularly skillful (1 Chron. 12:2; 2 Chron. 14:8; 17:17).