2 Samuel 1:2

2 On the third day a man came from Saul's camp. His clothes were torn, and he had dirt on his head. When he came to David, he immediately bowed down with his face touching the ground.

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 Saul died and David returned from defeating the Amalekites, David stayed in Ziklag two days.

2 On the third day a man came from Saul's camp. His clothes were torn, and he had dirt on his head. When he came to David, he immediately bowed down with his face touching the ground.

3 "Where did you come from?" David asked him. "I escaped from the camp of Israel," he answered.

4 "What happened?" David asked him. "Please tell me." The man answered, "The army fled from the battle, and many of the soldiers died. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too."

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