2 Samuel1

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¹Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;

²It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

³And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

⁴And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.

⁵And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

⁶And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.

⁷And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.

⁸And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

⁹He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.

¹⁰So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

¹¹Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:

¹²And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.

¹³And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

¹⁴And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?

¹⁵And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.

¹⁶And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord's anointed.

¹⁷And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

¹⁸(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

¹⁹The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!

²⁰Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

²¹Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.

²²From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

²³Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

²⁴Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

²⁵How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.

²⁶I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

²⁷How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for 2 Samuel 1.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: Tidings brought to David of the death of Saul. (1–10). The Amalekite is put to death. (11–16). David's lamentation for Saul and Jonathan. (17–27).

vv1-10

The blow which opened David's way to the throne was given about the time he had been sorely distressed. Those who commit their concerns to the Lord, will quietly abide his will. It shows that he desired not Saul's death, and he was not impatient to come to the throne.

vv11-16

David was sincere in his mourning for Saul; and all with him humbled themselves under the hand of God, laid so heavily upon Israel by this defeat. The man who brought the tidings, David put to death, as a murderer of his prince. David herein did not do unjustly; the Amalekite confessed the crime. If he did as he said, he deserved to die for treason; and his lying to David, if indeed it were a lie, proved, as sooner or later that sin will prove, lying against himself. Hereby David showed himself zealous for public justice, without regard to his own private interest.

vv17-27

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.

Key Words

AfterH310Hebrew

אַחַר: properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)

deathH4194Hebrew

מָוֶת: death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin

SaulH7586Hebrew

שָׁאוּל: Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites

DavidH1732Hebrew

דָּוִד: David, the youngest son of Jesse

returnedH7725Hebrew

שׁוּב: to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again

striking downH5221Hebrew

נָכָה: to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)

AmalekitesH6002Hebrew

עֲמָלֵק: Amalek, a descendant of Esau; also his posterity and their country

remainedH3427Hebrew

יָשַׁב: properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

twoH8147Hebrew

שְׁנַיִם: two; also (as ordinal) twofold

daysH3117Hebrew

יוֹם: a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)