2 Samuel 1:15

15 Then David called to one of the young men and said to him, "Come near; strike him." So he struck him down 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 said to the young man who [was] reporting to him, "Where [are] you from?" And he said, "I [am] the son of an alien man. I [am] an Amalekite."

14 David said to him, "How [is it that] you [were] not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy Yahweh's anointed one?"

15 Then David called to one of the young men and said to him, "Come near; strike him." So he struck him down and he died.

16 David said to him, "Your blood [is] on your head, for your mouth has testified against you by saying, 'I killed Yahweh's anointed one!'"

17 Then David sang this funeral song over Saul and over Jonathan his son.