2 Samuel 1

2 Samuel 1:1-10

In this chapter we have, 1. Tidings brought David of the death of Saul and Jonathan, ver. 1—10. 2. David’s forenoofal resentment of these tidings, ver. 11—12. 3. Justice done upon the messenger who had helped to stay Saul, ver. 13—16. 4. An elegy which David penned upon this occasion, ver. 17—27.

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: 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 obelisance. 3. And David said unto him, From whence camest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 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. 5. And David said unto the young man that told him, ‘How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? 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

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chances and horsemen followed hard after him. 7. And before Christ when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me: and I answered, Here am I. 8. And he said unto me, Who art thou? and I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 9. He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and stay me: for I anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. 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.

David had now set himself to repair the defoliations of Ziklag, and this was the third day after his return. When lo! a man arrives, whose rent choths, and the earth upon his head, declare him the messenger of evil. On David’s enquiry whence he came, we have,

1. His relation of the root of Israel before the Philistines, with great slaughter in the pursuit; and, among the rest, Saul and Jonathan are fallen, and himself, with difficulty, escaped to bring the news.

2. David enquires particularly about the death of Saul and Jonathan, for whom he was most concerned; and the messenger gives a very explicit account of Saul, waving to speak of Jonathan, because he knew David’s affection to him, and his delight was to recommend himself, by being the first to bring him notice of the death of his enemy. Among the fugitives (being a slave probably to some Israelite) he happened to pass by the foot

3. Where

Before Chord where Saul was attempting to run himself through; but whether his heart failed, or through the loss of blood exhausted, or unable to pierce his coat of mail, he called to him, enquired his country, and when he found he was not a Philistine, begged him to dispatch him immediately, as in anguish through his wounds, or the apprehension of falling into the hands of the Philistines; with his request he complied, drew his sword and thrust him through, it being impossible he should live, as he must have fallen in the pursuit, or would have given himself another thrust. The generality of commentators conceive this was a made flory, purely to recommend himself, as he thought, to David, and that though he was a spectator, he boasted of that as meritorious, in which he had no hand; but the whole of what he reports may be reconciled very well with the account given before. However, the fact he reported of Saul’s death was unquestionably true, as he produces the crown which was on his head, and the bracelet from his arm, and presents them to David, as now his succession in the kingdom. Note, (1.) Anguish often comes on departing firmers, and some foetables of eternal torments seize them on this side the grave. (2.) Men now sometimes think to fly to death, as a relief; but in that miserable world whither they go, they shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. (3.) The eminence we enjoy, like the crown on Saul’s head, makes us but the fairer mark for the arrow of envy. (4.) He who refused to execute judgment on the Amalekites, and flew on their forbidden spoil, himself probably loses his life, and is deprived of the richer designs of royalty, by the hand of an Amalekite. So just doth God appear in his judgments.

11. Then David took hold on his clothes, and sent them, and likewise all the men that were with him. 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. 13. ¶ And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. 14. And David said unto him, ‘How was thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand, to defray the LORD’s anointed? 15. And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. 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.

2 Samuel 1:11-16

Far other than the Amalekite expected, was David’s reception of these tidings.

1. In the agony of sorrow he rent his cloaths, and all that were with him followed his example; the day is spent in bitter mourning, and they observe a solemn fact until evening. He mourned for Jonathan his friend, but there was hope in his death; he mourned more bitterly for Saul his enemy, where none appeared, and especially over the desiccations of Israel, fallen by the sword of the Philistines. Note, (1.) His country’s sufferings are a grief to the true patriot’s heart. (2.) The loss of such whom we hope to meet again in glory, is much more tolerable than of those concerning whom we have no hope. (3.) As a good man loves his enemy whilst alive, he is so far from rejoicing at his fall, that he weeps over his grave.

2. He commands immediate execution on the messenger; he hoped to have met the best preferment, but he suffers the just reward of his deeds; not only as a devoured Amalekite, but as daring to stretch forth his hand against the sacred majesty of Israel’s king. Thus would David express his own detestation of rejoicing, testify the sincerity of his grief, and recommend himself to the regard of the people.

3. ¶ And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son: 18. (Also he had them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jaffaer) 19. The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: ‘how are the mighty fallen! 20. Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Athelons: ’left the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, left the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 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. 22. From the blood of the Sain, from the far of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. 23. Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were further

than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24. Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you, scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 25. ‘How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 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. 27. How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

2 Samuel 1:17-27

In song distinguished, as in battle great, Israel’s sweet finger tunes to mournful notes his harp; and whilst he weeps over the mighty fallen, in elegiac strains of plaintive woe, calls forth the Sympathetic war. We have,

1. The elegy. Whatever was great, noble, and amiable in Saul is dwelt upon; and Jonathan’s lovely name mentioned with tender daltists. In their lives they were as love anointed, in death nothing could divide them. Shocked that in Gath such tidings should be told, and that uncircumcised Philistines should triumph over the mighty fallen, he beautifully bids fame be silent, and, poetically to describe his sense of the calamity, wishes the unhappy mountains of Gilboa for ever in barrenness, to be-wait the blood that was fired upon them. The daughters of Israel, whom Saul had arrayed in fearless and gold, the spoils of conquered enemies, he calls to mourn with him; and closes with the warm remembrance of Jonathan’s uncommon love, and a fine apollingish, the third time repeated, over the loss of Israel sustained in these mighty heroes fallen, and the weapons of war perished. Note, (1.) Death should wipe out the remembrance of past injuries of those who are gone; let us speak nothing, except in their commendation. (2.) There is a friendship some great souls are capable of, that exceeds all other passions. (3.) The triumphing of the wicked, over the cause of God, is grievous to the faithful.

2. The misfortune David lamented he fought to prevent, by enjoining the children of Judah the use of the bow, in which the Philistines form now to have excelled them, for of it of a baffe deteri. And this his ordinance was inserted in the book of Jaffaer, for future generations. This book forms to have been a public register, wherein every memorable affair was faithfully recorded.