2 Samuel1

After Saul's death, an Amalekite messenger informs David in Ziklag of the defeat of Israel and the deaths of Saul and Jonathan, claiming he personally slew Saul at the king's request. David and his men mourn deeply for the fallen. David then executes the Amalekite for laying hands on the Lord's anointed and composes a lamentation for Saul and Jonathan.
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David Hears of Saul’s Death

1
After the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. ​
2
On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head arrived from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him homage. ​
3
“Where have you come from?” David asked. “I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he replied.
4
“What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” “The troops fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
5
Then David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6
“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.
7
When he turned around and saw me, he called out and I answered, ‘Here I am!’
8
‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ ​
9
Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me, but my life still lingers.’
10
So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” ​

David Executes the Amalekite Messenger

11
Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same. ​
12
They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. ​
13
And David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of a foreigner,” he answered. “I am an Amalekite.”
14
So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” ​
15
Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died.
16
For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’” ​

David’s Lament Over Saul and Jonathan (The Song of the Bow)

17
Then David took up this lament for Saul and his son Jonathan,
18
and he ordered that the sons of Judah be taught the Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar: ​
19
“Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen!
20
Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. ​
21
O mountains of Gilboa, may you have no dew or rain, no fields yielding offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil. ​
22
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not retreat, and the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23
Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in life, were not divided in death. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. ​
24
O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and luxury, who decked your garments with ornaments of gold.
25
How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26
I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women. ​
27
How the mighty have fallen and the weapons of war have perished!”

Study Notes for 2 Samuel 1

Verse 1

The transition from 1 Samuel to 2 Samuel focuses immediately on the death of Saul, which clears the way for David’s kingship. David had just returned from defeating the Amalekites who had raided Ziklag (1 Sam. 30).

Verse 2

The messenger’s actions—clothes rent and earth on his head—were traditional signs of extreme grief, ensuring David understood the gravity of the news immediately.

Verse 8

The messenger identifying himself as an Amalekite is highly significant. The Amalekites were sworn enemies of Israel, whom Saul had failed to utterly destroy (1 Sam. 15), leading to his rejection as king.

Verse 10

This account contradicts 1 Samuel 31:4-5, where Saul committed suicide by falling on his own sword. The Amalekite likely fabricated this story, believing David, Saul’s enemy, would reward him for killing the king. The crown and bracelet served as his false evidence.

Verse 11

David’s immediate and sincere mourning for Saul and Jonathan demonstrates both his genuine love for Jonathan and his political wisdom, refusing to celebrate the downfall of the LORD’s anointed.

Verse 12

The fasting and mourning lasted until evening, showing deep respect not only for the royal family but also for the common soldiers ('the people of the LORD') who had fallen in battle against the Philistines.

Verse 14

The title 'the LORD'S anointed' (Hebrew: *mashiach YHWH*) is the central theological justification for the execution. David consistently refused to harm Saul because he held the office consecrated by God, regardless of Saul’s personal wickedness or actions against David.

Verse 16

The messenger is condemned out of his own mouth, a key principle in Israelite law (Deut. 19:15). David establishes his reign immediately by demonstrating piety and legal authority in protecting the dignity of the sacred office of kingship.

Verse 18

The 'Book of Jasher' (or Jashar) was a collection of heroic poetry and national records, now lost, which served as a source for biblical writers. David’s command to teach the Song of the Bow ensured this lament became a part of Israel’s military and cultural memory.

Verse 20

Gath and Askelon were major cities of the Philistines. This verse expresses profound national shame, wishing to hide the devastating defeat lest Israel’s pagan enemies mock their God and their nation.

Verse 21

Gilboa is placed under a poetic curse. The absence of dew and rain symbolizes the land’s desolation and reflects the depth of the tragedy that occurred where Saul's shield was 'vilely cast away.'

Verse 23

David’s praise is remarkable for its magnanimity, focusing on Saul’s positive qualities and military strength while ignoring the intense conflict and sin that marked his later reign.

Verse 26

This verse is a heartfelt expression of David’s covenant love (*hesed*) for Jonathan. The phrase 'passing the love of women' emphasizes the unique loyalty, depth, and unconditional nature of their spiritual and political bond.

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