Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Samuel 1

Clinging to a Counterfeit Cross
Introduction

1  The Amalekite, who brought tidings of the overthrow, and accused himself of Saul's death, is slain.
17  David laments Saul and Jonathan with a song.

Verse 1

Now 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;
when David
1 Samuel 30:17-26
Ziklag
1 Samuel 27:6

Verse 2

It 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.
the third
Genesis 22:4, Esther 4:16, 5:1, Hosea 6:2, Matthew 12:40, 16:21
a man
4:10
clothes
Genesis 37:29,34, Joshua 7:6, 1 Samuel 4:12,16, Joel 2:13
and earth
15:32, 1 Samuel 4:12
he fell
14:4, Genesis 37:7-10, 43:28, 1 Samuel 20:41, 25:23, Psalms 66:3, Revelation 3:9

Verse 3

And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
From
2 Kings 5:25
am I
Job 1:15-19

Verse 4

And 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.
How went
Heb. What was, etc.
1 Samuel 4:16; *marg:
the people
1 Samuel 31:1-6, 1 Chronicles 10:1-6

Verse 5

And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
How knowest
Proverbs 14:15, 25:2

Verse 6

And 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.
As I happened
The story of this young man appears to be wholly a fiction, formed for the purpose of ingratiating himself with David, as the next probable successor to the crown. There is no fact in the case, except for the bringing of the diadem and bracelets of Saul, as a sufficient evidence of his death, which, as he appears to been a plunderer of the slain, he seems to have stripped from the dead body of the unfortunate monarch. It is remarkable, that Saul, who had forfeited his crown by his disobedience and ill-timed clemency with respect to the Amalekites, should now have the insignia of royalty stripped from his person by one of those very people.
Ruth 2:3, 1 Samuel 6:9, Luke 10:31
mount
21, 1 Samuel 28:4, 31:1
Saul
1 Samuel 31:2-7

Verse 7

And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
Here am I
Heb. Behold me.
9:6, Judges 9:54, 1 Samuel 22:12, Isaiah 6:8; *marg:; Isaiah 65:1

Verse 8

And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
an Amalekite
Genesis 14:7, Exodus 17:8-16, Numbers 24:20, Deuteronomy 25:17-19, 1 Samuel 15:3, 27:8, 1 Samuel 30:1,13,17

Verse 9

He 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.
anguish, etc
or, my coat of mail, or, my embroidered coat hindereth me, that my, etc.

Verse 10

So 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.
slew
Judges 1:7, 9:54, 1 Samuel 22:18, 31:4,5, Matthew 7:2
crown
12:30, Lamentations 5:16
bracelet
This was probably worn as an ensign of royalty, as is frequently the case in the East. When the Khalif Cayem Bemrillah granted the investiture of certain dominions to an Eastern prince, the ceremony was performed by sending him letters patent, a crown, chain, and bracelets. The bracelet, says Mr. Morier, are ornaments fastened above the elbows, composed of precious stones of great value, and are only worn by the king and his sons.

Verse 11

Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
rent
3:31, 13:31, Genesis 37:29,34, Acts 14:14
likewise
Romans 12:15

Verse 12

And 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.
Psalms 35:13,14, Proverbs 24:17, Jeremiah 9:1, Amos 6:6, Matthew 5:44, 2 Corinthians 11:29, 1 Peter 3:8

Verse 13

2 Samuel 1:8


Verse 14

And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?
How
Numbers 12:8, 1 Samuel 31:4, 2 Peter 2:10
stretch forth
1 Samuel 24:6, 26:9, Psalms 105:15

Verse 15

And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
Go near
4:10-12, Judges 8:20, 1 Samuel 22:17,18, 1 Kings 2:25,34,46, Job 5:12, Proverbs 11:18

Verse 16

And 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.
Thy blood
Genesis 9:5,6, Leviticus 20:9,11-13,16,27, Deuteronomy 19:10, Joshua 2:19, Judges 9:24, 1 Samuel 26:9, 1 Kings 2:32,33,37, Ezekiel 18:13, 33:5, Matthew 27:25, Acts 20:26
mouth
10, Job 15:6, Proverbs 6:2, Luke 19:22, Romans 3:19

Verse 17

And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
lamented
19, Genesis 50:11, 2 Chronicles 35:25, Jeremiah 9:17-21

Verse 18

(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
teach
Genesis 49:8, Deuteronomy 4:10
bow
Kasheth, or the bow, was probably the title of the following threnody; so called, in the oriental style, because Saul's death was occasioned by that weapon, and because the bow of Jonathan, out of which "the arrow was shot beyond the lad," (1 Sa 20:36,) is celebrated in this song.
the book
Joshua 10:13
Jasher
or, the upright. So LXX. [ ;] Targum, siphra deooritha, "the book of the law;" the Arabic, "the book of Ashee: this is the book of Samuel." This book was probably a collection of divine odes, written to commemorate remarkable events.

Verse 19

The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
beauty
23, Deuteronomy 4:7,8, 1 Samuel 31:8, Isaiah 4:2, 53:2, Lamentations 2:1, Zechariah 11:7,10
how are
25,27, Lamentations 5:16

Verse 20

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.
Tell
Deuteronomy 32:26,27, Judges 14:19, 16:23,24, 1 Samuel 31:9, Micah 1:10
Philistines
Exodus 15:20,21, Judges 11:34, 1 Samuel 18:6, Ezekiel 16:27,57
uncircumcised
1 Samuel 17:26,36, 31:4,9

Verse 21

Ye 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.
mountains
1 Samuel 31:1, 1 Chronicles 10:1,8
no dew
Judges 5:23, Job 3:3-10, Isaiah 5:6, Jeremiah 20:14-16
offerings
Joel 1:9, 2:14
not
Instead of belee, "not," we should probably, with Dr. Delaney and others, read keley, "weapons," as it is found on one MS. and in the first edition of the Hebrew Bible, printed at Soncini, 1488: "the shield of Saul; the weapons of the anointed with oil."
anointed
1 Samuel 10:1, Isaiah 21:5

Verse 22

From 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.
the bow
1 Samuel 14:6-14, 18:4, Isaiah 34:6,7

Verse 23

Saul 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.
pleasant
or, sweet.
1 Samuel 18:1, 20:2
they were
1 Samuel 31:1-5
swifter
2:18, Deuteronomy 28:49, 1 Chronicles 12:8, Job 9:26, Jeremiah 4:13, Lamentations 4:19
stronger
23:20, Judges 14:18, Proverbs 30:30

Verse 24

Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
Judges 5:30, Psalms 68:12, Proverbs 31:21, Isaiah 3:16-26, Jeremiah 2:32, 1 Timothy 2:9,10, 1 Peter 3:3-5

Verse 25

How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
How
19,27, Lamentations 5:16
thou was
Judges 5:18, 1 Samuel 14:13-15

Verse 26

I 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.
thy love
1 Samuel 18:1-4, 19:2, 20:17,41, 23:16

Verse 27

How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!
How are
19,25
weapons
2 Kings 2:12, 13:14, Psalms 46:9, Ezekiel 39:9,10

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