2 Samuel 1

David Learns of Saul's Death

1 Now it came about after 1the death of Saul, when David had returned from 2the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David remained two days in Ziklag.
2 On the third day, behold, 3a man came out of the camp from Saul, 4with his clothes torn and [a]dust on his head. And it came about when he came to David that 5he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.
3 Then David said to him, "From where do you come?" And he said to him, "I have escaped from the camp of Israel."
4 David said to him, "6How did things go? Please tell me." And he said, "The people have fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."
5 So David said to the young man who told him, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"
6 The young man who told him said, "By chance I happened to be on 7Mount Gilboa, and behold, 8Saul was leaning on his spear. And behold, the chariots and the horsemen pursued him closely.
7 "When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I said, 'Here I am.'
8 "He said to me, 'Who are you?' And I [b]answered him, '9I am an Amalekite.'
9 "Then he said to me, 'Please stand beside me and kill me, for agony has seized me because my [c]life still lingers in me.'
10 "So I stood beside him 10and killed him, because I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. And 11I took the crown which was on his head and the bracelet which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord."
11 Then 12David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so also did all the men who were with him.
12 They mourned and wept and 13fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 David said to the young man who told him, "Where are you from?" And he [d]answered, "14I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite."
14 Then David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid 15to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?"
15 And David called one of the young men and said, "Go, [e]cut him down." 16So he struck him and he died.
16 David said to him, "17Your blood is on your head, for 18your mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the LORD'S anointed.' "

David's Dirge for Saul and Jonathan

17 Then David 19chanted with this lament over Saul and Jonathan his son,
18 and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in 20the book of Jashar.
19 "[f]Your beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places! 21How have the mighty fallen!
20 "22Tell it not in Gath, Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, Or 23the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, The daughters of 24the uncircumcised will exult.
21 "25O mountains of Gilboa, 26Let not dew or rain be on you, nor fields of offerings; For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, The shield of Saul, not 27anointed with oil.
22 "28From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, 29The bow of Jonathan did not turn back, And the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23 "Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their life, And in their death they were not parted; 30They were swifter than eagles, 31They were stronger than lions.
24 "O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet, Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 "32How have the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan is slain on your high places.
26 "I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; You have been very pleasant to me. 33Your love to me was more wonderful Than the love of women.
27 "34How have the mighty fallen, And 35the weapons of war perished!"

Cross References 35

  • 1. 1 Samuel 31:6
  • 2. 1 Sam 30:1, 17, 26
  • 3. 2 Samuel 4:10
  • 4. 1 Samuel 4:12
  • 5. 1 Samuel 25:23
  • 6. 1 Samuel 4:16
  • 7. 1 Samuel 28:4; 1 Samuel 31:1-6; 1 Chronicles 10:4-10
  • 8. 1 Samuel 31:2-4
  • 9. 1 Samuel 15:3; 1 Samuel 30:1, 13, 17
  • 10. Judges 9:54
  • 11. 2 Kings 11:12
  • 12. Genesis 37:29, 34; Joshua 7:6; 2 Chronicles 34:27; Ezra 9:3
  • 13. 2 Samuel 3:35
  • 14. 2 Samuel 1:8
  • 15. 1 Samuel 24:6; 1 Samuel 26:9, 11, 16
  • 16. 2 Samuel 4:10, 12
  • 17. 1 Samuel 26:9; 2 Samuel 3:28, 29; 1 Kings 2:32
  • 18. 2 Samuel 1:10; Luke 19:22
  • 19. 2 Chronicles 35:25
  • 20. Joshua 10:13
  • 21. 2 Samuel 1:25, 27
  • 22. 1 Samuel 31:8-13; Micah 1:10
  • 23. Exodus 15:20, 21; 1 Samuel 18:6
  • 24. 1 Samuel 14:6
  • 25. 1 Samuel 31:1
  • 26. Ezekiel 31:15
  • 27. Isaiah 21:5
  • 28. Deuteronomy 32:42; Isaiah 34:6
  • 29. 1 Samuel 18:4
  • 30. Jeremiah 4:13
  • 31. Judges 14:18
  • 32. 2 Samuel 1:19, 27
  • 33. 1 Samuel 18:1-4
  • 34. 2 Samuel 1:19, 25
  • 35. Isaiah 13:5

Footnotes 6

2 Samuel 1 Commentaries

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