2 Samuël 1:15-25

15 En David riep een van de jongens, en zeide: Treed toe, val op hem aan. En hij sloeg hem, dat hij stierf.

16 En David zeide tot hem: Uw bloed zij op uw hoofd; want uw mond heeft tegen u getuigd, zeggende: ik heb den gezalfde des HEEREN gedood.

17 David nu klaagde deze klage over Saul en over Jonathan, zijn zoon;

18 Als hij gezegd had, dat men den kinderen van Juda den boog zou leren; ziet, het is geschreven in het boek des Oprechten.

19 O Sieraad van Israel, op uw hoogten is hij verslagen; hoe zijn de helden gevallen!

20 Verkondigt het niet te Gath, boodschapt het niet op de straten van Askelon; opdat de dochters der Filistijnen zich niet verblijden, opdat de dochters der onbesnedenen niet opspringen van vreugde.

21 Gij, bergen van Gilboa, noch dauw noch regen moet zijn op u, noch velden der hefofferen; want aldaar is der helden schild smadelijk weggeworpen, het schild van Saul, alsof hij niet gezalfd ware geweest met olie.

22 Van het bloed der verslagenen, van het vette der helden, werd Jonathans boog niet achterwaarts gedreven; en Sauls zwaard keerde niet ledig weder.

23 Saul en Jonathan, die beminden, en die liefelijken in hun leven, zijn ook in hun dood niet gescheiden; zij waren lichter dan arenden, zij waren sterker dan leeuwen.

24 Gij, dochteren Israels, weent over Saul; die u kleedde met scharlaken, met weelde; die u sieraad van goud deed dragen over uw kleding.

25 Hoe zijn de helden gevallen in het midden van den strijd! Jonathan is verslagen op uw hoogten!

2 Samuël 1:15-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL

This book, in many copies of the Hebrew Bible, is carried on without any new title put unto it; the reason of it is, because, by some, this, with the preceding, has been reckoned but one book: hence the Jews say {a}, Samuel wrote his book, not his books; in others it is called Samuel Second; and by the Vulgate Latin the Second Book of Samuel, which we call the Second of Kings; though why his name should be put to it at all I see not, since it neither concerns him, nor could it be written by him, being an history of events after his death. The Greek version calls it the Second of Kings; and the Syriac version, the Second Book of the Kings of Israel; whereas there is but one king of Israel it makes mention of, and of whose actions only it is an history; and therefore with greater propriety it is called, as the Arabic version, the Book of David the Prophet, of whose reign, from the beginning to the end of it, it gives an account: wherefore Isidore {b} thinks it was written by David; and if so, it has this mark of simplicity and integrity, that the writer does not spare himself, nor conceal his own faults, and particularly that very capital one, the affair of Bathsheba, and also his numbering of the people; but it is most probable that it was written by Nathan and Gad {c}, see 1Ch 29:29; but whoever was the penman of it, there is no doubt to be made of its being written by inspiration, or that it is canonical; which has never been questioned, since there stands in it a famous prophecy concerning the building of the temple by a son of David, which had an exact accomplishment, 2Sa 7:12,13; as well as of the family of David, for a great while to come, which also was fulfilled, 2Sa 7:19; and an eminent passage concerning the Messiah, the son of David, and of his divine sonship, 2Sa 7:14; quoted by the Apostle Paul in proof of it, Heb 1:5. It contains an history of about forty years, for so long David reigned, seven years and six months in Hebron, over Judah, and thirty three years in Jerusalem, over all Israel and Judah; and this book relates his last words.

{a} T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 14. 2. {b} Origin. l. 6. c. 2. {c} Alting. Theolog. Hist. loc. 2. p. 86.

\\INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 1\\

This chapter contains an account of the death of Saul and Jonathan, as related to David by an Amalekite, 2Sa 1:1-10; of the sorrow he and his men were filled with at the news of it, 2Sa 1:11,12; of his order to put to death the messenger that brought the tidings, for his concern in the death of Saul, according to his own testimony, 2Sa 1:13-16; and of a lamentation composed by David on this occasion, 2Sa 1:17-27.