2 Samuel 1:6

6 The young man who brought the news replied, "I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and Saul was there, leaning on his spear, with chariots and horsemen closing in on him.

2 Samuel 1:6 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 1:6

And the young man that told him
So it seems he was, and therefore could not be Doeg, more likely his son of the two; but there is no reason to believe he was either of them, who cannot be thought to be well disposed to David:

said, as I happened by chance upon Mount Gilboa;
who was either a traveller that came that way just as the army was routed, and part had fled to Gilboa; or if a soldier, was not one of those that attended Saul, and was of his bodyguard, but happened on the flight to come to the same spot on Gilboa where Saul was:

behold, Saul leaned upon his spear;
that that might pierce him through and die; but this seems not true, for he fell upon his sword for that purpose, ( 1 Samuel 31:4 ) ;

and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him;
the charioteers and cavalry, of which part of the Philistine army consisted; though this also does not agree with the account in the above place; for according to that they were the archers that pressed him hard, and hit him.

2 Samuel 1:6 In-Context

4 "What's the report?" David asked him. "Tell me!" The man answered, "The troops fled from the battle! Many of the soldiers have fallen and died. What's more, Saul and his son Jonathan have also died!"

5 "How do you know," David asked the young man who brought the news, "that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"

6 The young man who brought the news replied, "I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and Saul was there, leaning on his spear, with chariots and horsemen closing in on him.

7 He turned around and saw me, then he called to me. ‘Yes, sir,' I answered.

8 ‘Who are you?' he asked, and I told him, ‘I'm an Amalekite.'