2 Samuel 1:2

2 And on the third day, behold, ¹a man came from Saul's camp, ²with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, ³he fell to the ground and paid homage.

2 Samuel 1:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 1:2

It came to pass on the third day
After the battle was fought, in which Saul was slain:

that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul;
that is, from them who were in the camp with Saul, for he was dead. Some say ^F4 this was Doeg the Edomite, which is not likely that he should come with such tidings to David; besides, if he was Saul's armourbearer, as others say, see ( 1 Samuel 31:4 ) ; he died with Saul; nor his son, as others ^F5, which is not at all probable, though his being an Edomite is no objection, since the Amalekites were of the race of Edom:

with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head:
in token of mourning, and was the bringer of bad tidings, see ( 1 Samuel 4:12 ) ;

and [so] it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and
did obeisance;
as being the rising sun, Saul's successor, and now king.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Pesikta in Jarchi in loc.
F5 Tanchuma in Yalkut in loc. Hieron. Trad. Heb. in 2 lib. Reg. fol. 77. C.

2 Samuel 1:2 In-Context

1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.

2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage.

3 David said to him, "Where do you come from?" And he said to him, "I have escaped from the camp of Israel."

4 And David said to him, "How did it go? Tell me." And he answered, "The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead."

5 Then David said to the young man who told him, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"

Cross References

• 1. 2 Samuel 4:10
• 2. See Joshua 7:6
• 3. 2 Samuel 14:4