2 Samuel 1

1 Sucedió que después de la muerte de Saúl, habiendo regresado David de la derrota de los amalecitas, David permaneció dos días en Siclag.

2 Y al tercer día, he aquí, un hombre llegó del campamento de Saúl con sus ropas rasgadas y polvo sobre su cabeza, y al llegar ante David, cayó en tierra y se postró.

3 Y David le dijo: ¿De dónde vienes? Y él le respondió: Me he escapado del campamento de Israel.

4 David le preguntó: ¿Qué aconteció? Te ruego que me lo digas. Y él respondió: El pueblo ha huido de la batalla, y también muchos del pueblo han caído y han muerto; también Saúl y su hijo Jonatán han muerto.

5 Dijo David al joven que se lo había contado: ¿Cómo sabes que Saúl y su hijo Jonatán han muerto?

6 El joven que se lo había contado, dijo: Yo estaba por casualidad en el monte Gilboa, y he aquí, Saúl estaba apoyado sobre su lanza. Y he aquí que los carros y los jinetes lo perseguían de cerca.

7 Al mirar él hacia atrás, me vio y me llamó. Y dije: "Heme aquí."

8 Y él me dijo: "¿Quién eres?" Y le respondí: "Soy amalecita."

9 Entonces él me dijo: "Te ruego que te pongas junto a mí y me mates, pues la agonía se ha apoderado de mí, porque todavía estoy con vida."

10 Me puse, pues, junto a él y lo maté, porque yo sabía que él no podía vivir después de haber caído. Tomé la corona que estaba en su cabeza y la pulsera que estaba en su brazo, y los he traído aquí a mi señor.

11 Entonces David agarró sus ropas y las rasgó, y así hicieron también todos los hombres que estaban con él.

12 Y se lamentaron y lloraron y ayunaron hasta el atardecer por Saúl y por su hijo Jonatán, por el pueblo del SEÑOR y por la casa de Israel, porque habían caído a espada.

13 Dijo David al joven que se lo había contado: ¿De dónde eres? Y él respondió: Soy hijo de un extranjero, un amalecita.

14 Y David le dijo: ¿Cómo es que no tuviste temor de extender tu mano para destruir al ungido del SEÑOR?

15 Llamando David a uno de los jóvenes, le dijo: Ve, mátalo. Y él lo hirió, y murió.

16 Y David le dijo: Tu sangre sea sobre tu cabeza, porque tu boca ha testificado contra ti, al decir: "Yo he matado al ungido del SEÑOR."

17 David entonó esta elegía por Saúl y por su hijo Jonatán,

18 y ordenó que enseñaran a los hijos de Judá el cántico del arco; he aquí, está escrito en el libro de Jaser.

19 Tu hermosura, oh Israel, ha perecido sobre tus montes ^[a] . ¡Cómo han caído los valientes!

20 No lo anunciéis en Gat, no lo proclaméis en las calles de Ascalón; para que no se regocijen las hijas de los filisteos, para que no se alegren las hijas de los incircuncisos.

21 Oh montes de Gilboa, no haya sobre vosotros rocío ni lluvia, ni campos de ofrendas; porque allí fue deshonrado el escudo de los valientes, el escudo de Saúl, no ungido con aceite.

22 De la sangre de los muertos, de la grosura de los poderosos, el arco de Jonatán no volvía atrás, y la espada de Saúl no volvía vacía.

23 Saúl y Jonatán, amados y amables en su vida, y en su muerte no fueron separados; más ligeros eran que águilas, más fuertes que leones.

24 Hijas de Israel, llorad por Saúl, que os vestía lujosamente de escarlata, que ponía adornos de oro en vuestros vestidos.

25 ¡Cómo han caído los valientes en medio de la batalla! Jonatán, muerto en tus alturas.

26 Estoy afligido por ti, Jonatán, hermano mío; tú me has sido muy estimado. Tu amor fue para mí más maravilloso que el amor de las mujeres.

27 ¡Cómo han caído los valientes, y perecido las armas de guerra!

2 Samuel 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

This book is the history of the reign of king David. It relates his victories, the growth of the prosperity of Israel, and his reformation of the state of religion. With these events are recorded the grievous sins he committed, and the family as well as public troubles with which he was punished. We here meet with many things worthy of imitation, and many that are written for our warning. The history of king David is given in Scripture with much faithfulness, and from it he appears, to those who fairly balance his many virtues and excellent qualities against his faults, to have been a great and good man.

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)

Verses 1-10 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.

Verses 11-16 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.

Verses 17-27 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. O, tus lugares altos

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL

This book, in many copies of the Hebrew Bible, is carried on without any new title put unto it; the reason of it is, because, by some, this, with the preceding, has been reckoned but one book: hence the Jews say {a}, Samuel wrote his book, not his books; in others it is called Samuel Second; and by the Vulgate Latin the Second Book of Samuel, which we call the Second of Kings; though why his name should be put to it at all I see not, since it neither concerns him, nor could it be written by him, being an history of events after his death. The Greek version calls it the Second of Kings; and the Syriac version, the Second Book of the Kings of Israel; whereas there is but one king of Israel it makes mention of, and of whose actions only it is an history; and therefore with greater propriety it is called, as the Arabic version, the Book of David the Prophet, of whose reign, from the beginning to the end of it, it gives an account: wherefore Isidore {b} thinks it was written by David; and if so, it has this mark of simplicity and integrity, that the writer does not spare himself, nor conceal his own faults, and particularly that very capital one, the affair of Bathsheba, and also his numbering of the people; but it is most probable that it was written by Nathan and Gad {c}, see 1Ch 29:29; but whoever was the penman of it, there is no doubt to be made of its being written by inspiration, or that it is canonical; which has never been questioned, since there stands in it a famous prophecy concerning the building of the temple by a son of David, which had an exact accomplishment, 2Sa 7:12,13; as well as of the family of David, for a great while to come, which also was fulfilled, 2Sa 7:19; and an eminent passage concerning the Messiah, the son of David, and of his divine sonship, 2Sa 7:14; quoted by the Apostle Paul in proof of it, Heb 1:5. It contains an history of about forty years, for so long David reigned, seven years and six months in Hebron, over Judah, and thirty three years in Jerusalem, over all Israel and Judah; and this book relates his last words.

{a} T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 14. 2. {b} Origin. l. 6. c. 2. {c} Alting. Theolog. Hist. loc. 2. p. 86.

\\INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 1\\

This chapter contains an account of the death of Saul and Jonathan, as related to David by an Amalekite, 2Sa 1:1-10; of the sorrow he and his men were filled with at the news of it, 2Sa 1:11,12; of his order to put to death the messenger that brought the tidings, for his concern in the death of Saul, according to his own testimony, 2Sa 1:13-16; and of a lamentation composed by David on this occasion, 2Sa 1:17-27.