2 Samuel 1

1 factum est autem postquam mortuus est Saul ut David reverteretur a caede Amalech et maneret in Siceleg dies duos

2 in die autem tertia apparuit homo veniens de castris Saul veste conscissa et pulvere aspersus caput et ut venit ad David cecidit super faciem suam et adoravit

3 dixitque ad eum David unde venis qui ait ad eum de castris Israhel fugi

4 et dixit ad eum David quod est verbum quod factum est indica mihi qui ait fugit populus e proelio et multi corruentes e populo mortui sunt sed et Saul et Ionathan filius eius interierunt

5 dixitque David ad adulescentem qui nuntiabat unde scis quia mortuus est Saul et Ionathan filius eius

6 ait adulescens qui narrabat ei casu veni in montem Gelboe et Saul incumbebat super hastam suam porro currus et equites adpropinquabant ei

7 et conversus post tergum suum vidensque me vocavit cui cum respondissem adsum

8 dixit mihi quisnam es tu et aio ad eum Amalechites sum

9 et locutus est mihi sta super me et interfice me quoniam tenent me angustiae et adhuc tota anima in me est

10 stansque super eum occidi illum sciebam enim quod vivere non poterat post ruinam et tuli diadema quod erat in capite eius et armillam de brachio illius et adtuli ad te dominum meum huc

11 adprehendens autem David vestimenta sua scidit omnesque viri qui erant cum eo

12 et planxerunt et fleverunt et ieiunaverunt usque ad vesperam super Saul et super Ionathan filium eius et super populum Domini et super domum Israhel quod corruissent gladio

13 dixitque David ad iuvenem qui nuntiaverat ei unde es qui respondit filius hominis advenae amalechitae ego sum

14 et ait ad eum David quare non timuisti mittere manum tuam ut occideres christum Domini

15 vocansque David unum de pueris ait accedens inrue in eum qui percussit illum et mortuus est

16 et ait ad eum David sanguis tuus super caput tuum os enim tuum locutum est adversum te dicens ego interfeci christum Domini

17 planxit autem David planctum huiuscemodi super Saul et super Ionathan filium eius

18 et praecepit ut docerent filios Iuda arcum sicut scriptum est in libro Iustorum

19 incliti Israhel super montes tuos interfecti sunt quomodo ceciderunt fortes

20 nolite adnuntiare in Geth neque adnuntietis in conpetis Ascalonis ne forte laetentur filiae Philisthim ne exultent filiae incircumcisorum

21 montes Gelboe nec ros nec pluviae veniant super vos neque sint agri primitiarum quia ibi abiectus est clypeus fortium clypeus Saul quasi non esset unctus oleo

22 a sanguine interfectorum ab adipe fortium sagitta Ionathan numquam rediit retrorsum et gladius Saul non est reversus inanis

23 Saul et Ionathan amabiles et decori in vita sua in morte quoque non sunt divisi aquilis velociores leonibus fortiores

24 filiae Israhel super Saul flete qui vestiebat vos coccino in deliciis qui praebebat ornamenta aurea cultui vestro

25 quomodo ceciderunt fortes in proelio Ionathan in excelsis tuis occisus est

26 doleo super te frater mi Ionathan decore nimis et amabilis super amorem mulierum

27 quomodo ceciderunt robusti et perierunt arma bellica

2 Samuel 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

This book is the history of the reign of king David. It relates his victories, the growth of the prosperity of Israel, and his reformation of the state of religion. With these events are recorded the grievous sins he committed, and the family as well as public troubles with which he was punished. We here meet with many things worthy of imitation, and many that are written for our warning. The history of king David is given in Scripture with much faithfulness, and from it he appears, to those who fairly balance his many virtues and excellent qualities against his faults, to have been a great and good man.

Tidings brought to David of the death of Saul. (1-10) The Amalekite is put to death. (11-16) David's lamentation for Saul and Jonathan. (17-27)

Verses 1-10 The blow which opened David's way to the throne was given about the time he had been sorely distressed. Those who commit their concerns to the Lord, will quietly abide his will. It shows that he desired not Saul's death, and he was not impatient to come to the throne.

Verses 11-16 David was sincere in his mourning for Saul; and all with him humbled themselves under the hand of God, laid so heavily upon Israel by this defeat. The man who brought the tidings, David put to death, as a murderer of his prince. David herein did not do unjustly; the Amalekite confessed the crime. If he did as he said, he deserved to die for treason; and his lying to David, if indeed it were a lie, proved, as sooner or later that sin will prove, lying against himself. Hereby David showed himself zealous for public justice, without regard to his own private interest.

Verses 17-27 Kasheth, or "the bow," probably was the title of this mournful, funeral song. David does not commend Saul for what he was not; and says nothing of his piety or goodness. Jonathan was a dutiful son, Saul an affectionate father, therefore dear to each other. David had reason to say, that Jonathan's love to him was wonderful. Next to the love between Christ and his people, that affection which springs form it, produces the strongest friendship. The trouble of the Lord's people, and triumphs of his enemies, will always grieve true believers, whatever advantages they may obtain by them.

Chapter Summary

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.