2 Samuel 1:15

15 Right then he ordered one of his soldiers, "Strike him dead!" The soldier struck him, and he died.

2 Samuel 1:15 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 1:15

And David called one of the young men
His servants that attended on him:

and said, go near, [and] fall upon him;
by smiting him with his sword:

and he smote him, that he died;
his orders were instantly obeyed. Kings and generals of armies had great power in those times and countries to execute a man immediately, without any other judge or jury: what may serve, or David might think would serve, to justify him in doing this, is what follows.

2 Samuel 1:15 In-Context

13 Then David spoke to the young soldier who had brought the report: "Who are you, anyway?" "I'm from an immigrant family - an Amalekite."
14 "Do you mean to say," said David, "that you weren't afraid to up and kill God's anointed king?"
15 Right then he ordered one of his soldiers, "Strike him dead!" The soldier struck him, and he died.
16 "You asked for it," David told him. "You sealed your death sentence when you said you killed God's anointed king."
17 Then David sang this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan,
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.