2 Samuel 2:5

5 he sent some men there with the message: "May the Lord bless you for showing your loyalty to your king by burying him.

2 Samuel 2:5 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 2:5

And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead
To return them thanks for their courage and boldness in rescuing the bodies of Saul and his sons out of the hands of the Philistines, and for their civility in the burial of them:

and said unto them, blessed [be] ye of the Lord;
which may be considered either as a wish, the Lord bless you for it, or as a prediction, the Lord will bless you:

that ye have showed this kindness unto your lord, [even] unto Saul,
and have buried him.
To bury the dead, with the Jews, was always reckoned an instance of humanity and kindness, and indeed of piety; an act done in imitation of God ^F26, who buried Moses, and so it might be expected the divine blessing would attend it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 T. Bab. Bava Metzia, fol. 32. 2. and Sotah, fol. 14. 1.

2 Samuel 2:5 In-Context

3 He also took his men and their families, and they settled in the towns around Hebron.

4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David as king of Judah. When David heard that the people of Jabesh in Gilead had buried Saul,

5 he sent some men there with the message: "May the Lord bless you for showing your loyalty to your king by burying him.

6 And now may the Lord be kind and faithful to you. I too will treat you well because of what you have done.

7 Be strong and brave! Saul your king is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me as their king."