1 Now it came to pass after H310 the death H4194 of Saul, H7586 when David H1732 was returned H7725 from the slaughter H5221 of the Amalekites, H6002 and David H1732 had abode H3427 two H8147 days H3117 in Ziklag; H6860
2 It came even to pass on the third H7992 day, H3117 that, behold, a man H376 came H935 out of the camp H4264 from Saul H7586 with his clothes H899 rent, H7167 and earth H127 upon his head: H7218 and so it was, when he came H935 to David, H1732 that he fell H5307 to the earth, H776 and did obeisance. H7812
3 And David H1732 said H559 unto him, From whence comest H935 thou? And he said H559 unto him, Out of the camp H4264 of Israel H3478 am I escaped. H4422
4 And David H1732 said H559 unto him, How H4100 went the matter? H1697 I pray thee, tell H5046 me. And he answered, H559 That the people H5971 are fled H5127 from the battle, H4421 and many H7235 of the people H5971 also are fallen H5307 and dead; H4191 and Saul H7586 and Jonathan H3083 his son H1121 are dead H4191 also.
5 And David H1732 said H559 unto the young man H5288 that told H5046 him, How knowest H3045 thou that Saul H7586 and Jonathan H3083 his son H1121 be dead? H4191
6 And the young man H5288 that told H5046 him said, H559 As I happened H7136 by chance H7122 upon mount H2022 Gilboa, H1533 behold, Saul H7586 leaned H8172 upon his spear; H2595 and, lo, the chariots H7393 and horsemen H1167 H6571 followed hard H1692 after him.
7 And when he looked H6437 behind H310 him, he saw H7200 me, and called H7121 unto me. And I answered, H559 Here am I.
8 And he said H559 unto me, Who art thou? And I answered H559 him, I am an Amalekite. H6003
9 He said H559 unto me again, Stand, H5975 I pray thee, upon me, and slay H4191 me: for anguish H7661 is come H270 upon me, because my life H5315 is yet whole in me.
10 So I stood H5975 upon him, and slew H4191 him, because I was sure H3045 that he could not live H2421 after H310 that he was fallen: H5307 and I took H3947 the crown H5145 that was upon his head, H7218 and the bracelet H685 that was on his arm, H2220 and have brought H935 them hither unto my lord. H113
11 Then David H1732 took hold H2388 on his clothes, H899 and rent H7167 them; and likewise all the men H582 that were with him:
12 And they mourned, H5594 and wept, H1058 and fasted H6684 until even, H6153 for Saul, H7586 and for Jonathan H3083 his son, H1121 and for the people H5971 of the LORD, H3068 and for the house H1004 of Israel; H3478 because they were fallen H5307 by the sword. H2719
13 And David H1732 said H559 unto the young man H5288 that told H5046 him, Whence art thou? And he answered, H559 I am the son H1121 of a stranger, H376 H1616 an Amalekite. H6003
14 And David H1732 said H559 unto him, How wast thou not afraid H3372 to stretch forth H7971 thine hand H3027 to destroy H7843 the LORD'S H3068 anointed? H4899
15 And David H1732 called H7121 one H259 of the young men, H5288 and said, H559 Go near, H5066 and fall H6293 upon him. And he smote H5221 him that he died. H4191
16 And David H1732 said H559 unto him, Thy blood H1818 be upon thy head; H7218 for thy mouth H6310 hath testified H6030 against thee, saying, H559 I have slain H4191 the LORD'S H3068 anointed. H4899
17 And David H1732 lamented H6969 with this lamentation H7015 over Saul H7586 and over Jonathan H3083 his son: H1121
18 (Also he bade H559 them teach H3925 the children H1121 of Judah H3063 the use of the bow: H7198 behold, it is written H3789 in the book H5612 of Jasher.) H3477
19 The beauty H6643 of Israel H3478 is slain H2491 upon thy high places: H1116 how are the mighty H1368 fallen! H5307
20 Tell H5046 it not in Gath, H1661 publish H1319 it not in the streets H2351 of Askelon; H831 lest the daughters H1323 of the Philistines H6430 rejoice, H8055 lest the daughters H1323 of the uncircumcised H6189 triumph. H5937
21 Ye mountains H2022 of Gilboa, H1533 let there be no dew, H2919 neither let there be rain, H4306 upon you, nor fields H7704 of offerings: H8641 for there the shield H4043 of the mighty H1368 is vilely cast away, H1602 the shield H4043 of Saul, H7586 as though he had not been anointed H4899 with oil. H8081
22 From the blood H1818 of the slain, H2491 from the fat H2459 of the mighty, H1368 the bow H7198 of Jonathan H3083 turned H7734 not back, H268 and the sword H2719 of Saul H7586 returned H7725 not empty. H7387
23 Saul H7586 and Jonathan H3083 were lovely H157 and pleasant H5273 in their lives, H2416 and in their death H4194 they were not divided: H6504 they were swifter H7043 than eagles, H5404 they were stronger H1396 than lions. H738
24 Ye daughters H1323 of Israel, H3478 weep over H1058 Saul, H7586 who clothed H3847 you in scarlet, H8144 with other delights, H5730 who put H5927 on ornaments H5716 of gold H2091 upon your apparel. H3830
25 How are the mighty H1368 fallen H5307 in the midst H8432 of the battle! H4421 O Jonathan, H3083 thou wast slain H2491 in thine high places. H1116
26 I am distressed H6887 for thee, my brother H251 Jonathan: H3083 very H3966 pleasant H5276 hast thou been unto me: thy love H160 to me was wonderful, H6381 passing the love H160 of women. H802
27 How are the mighty H1368 fallen, H5307 and the weapons H3627 of war H4421 perished! H6
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 1
Commentary on 2 Samuel 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
2Sa 1:1-16. An Amalekite Brings Tidings of Saul's Death.
1. David had abode two days in Ziklag—Though greatly reduced by the Amalekite incendiaries, that town was not so completely sacked and destroyed, but David and his six hundred followers, with their families, could still find some accommodation.
2-12. a man came out of the camp from Saul—As the narrative of Saul's death, given in the last chapter, is inspired, it must be considered the true account, and the Amalekite's story a fiction of his own, invented to ingratiate himself with David, the presumptive successor to the throne. David's question, "How went the matter?" evinces the deep interest he took in the war, an interest that sprang from feelings of high and generous patriotism, not from views of ambition. The Amalekite, however, judging him to be actuated by a selfish principle, fabricated a story improbable and inconsistent, which he thought would procure him a reward. Having probably witnessed the suicidal act of Saul, he thought of turning it to his own account, and suffered the penalty of his grievously mistaken calculation (compare 2Sa 1:9 with 1Sa 31:4, 5).
10. the crown—a small metallic cap or wreath, which encircled the temples, serving the purpose of a helmet, with a very small horn projecting in front, as the emblem of power.
the bracelet that was on his arm—the armlet worn above the elbow; an ancient mark of royal dignity. It is still worn by kings in some Eastern countries.
13-15. David said unto the young man … Whence art thou?—The man had at the outset stated who he was. But the question was now formally and judicially put. The punishment inflicted on the Amalekite may seem too severe, but the respect paid to kings in the West must not be regarded as the standard for that which the East may think due to royal station. David's reverence for Saul, as the Lord's anointed, was in his mind a principle on which he had faithfully acted on several occasions of great temptation. In present circumstances it was especially important that his principle should be publicly known; and to free himself from the imputation of being in any way accessory to the execrable crime of regicide was the part of a righteous judge, no less than of a good politician.
2Sa 1:17-27. David Laments Saul and Jonathan.
17, 18. David lamented with this lamentation—It has always been customary for Eastern people, on the death of great kings and warriors, to celebrate their qualities and deeds in funeral songs. This inimitable pathetic elegy is supposed by many writers to have become a national war song, and to have been taught to the young Israelites under the name of "The Bow," in conformity with the practice of Hebrew and many classical writers in giving titles to their songs from the principal theme (Ps 22:1; 56:1; 60:1; 80:1; 100:1). Although the words "the use of" are a supplement by our translators, they may be rightly introduced, for the natural sense of this parenthetical verse is, that David took immediate measures for instructing the people in the knowledge and practice of archery, their great inferiority to the enemy in this military arm having been the main cause of the late national disaster.
19. The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places—literally, "the gazelle" or "antelope of Israel." In Eastern countries, that animal is the chosen type of beauty and symmetrical elegance of form.
how are the mighty fallen!—This forms the chorus.
21. let there be no dew, neither let there be rain—To be deprived of the genial atmospheric influences which, in those anciently cultivated hills, seem to have reared plenty of first-fruits in the corn harvests, was specified as the greatest calamity the lacerated feelings of the poet could imagine. The curse seems still to lie upon them; for the mountains of Gilboa are naked and sterile.
the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away—To cast away the shield was counted a national disgrace. Yet, on that fatal battle of Gilboa, many of the Jewish soldiers, who had displayed unflinching valor in former battles, forgetful of their own reputation and their country's honor, threw away their shields and fled from the field. This dishonorable and cowardly conduct is alluded to with exquisitely touching pathos.
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.