K2 y 1-10. Amalekite's report.
z 11,12. The lamentation of David.
y 13-16. Amalekite's execution.
z 17-27. The lamentation of "the Bow".
960 B.C.
2 Samuel 1)
1: Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites (cp. 1 Sam. 30:17), and David had abode two days in Ziklag (cp. 1 Sam.27:6);
2: It came even to pass on the third day (see 1 Sam.30:12), that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes torn, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
3: And David said to him, "From which place do you come?" And he said to him, "Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped."
4: And David said to him, "How went the matter? I pray you, tell me." And he answered (he thought he brought news which would be welcomed), "That the People are fled from the battle, and many of the People also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."
5: And David said to the young man that told him, "How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?"
6: And the young man that told him said, "As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
7: And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, 'Here am I.'
8: And he said to me, 'Who are you?' And I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite' (thus Saul was dishonored by one whom his disobedience spared. Cp. 1 Sam. 15:3 and Ex. 17:16).
9: And he said to me again (his whole story is a fabrication. See the facts in 1 Sam. 31:4,5), 'Stand, I pray you, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my soul is yet whole in me.'
10: So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen (i.e. upon his own sword [1 Sam. 31:4]): and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them to this place to my lord."
11: Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
12: And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the People of the Lord (Yehovah), and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
13: And David said to the young man that told him, "From which place are you?" And he answered, "I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite."
14: And David said to him, "How were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?"
15: And David called one of the young men, and said, "Go near, and fall upon him." And he smote him that he died.
16: And David said to him, "Your blood be upon yourself (cp. v.10); for your mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have slain the Lord's anointed.' "
L1 17: The Lament.
L2 18. The Lamentation.
z a1 19-. Apostrophe (sing.). Saul.
b1 -19. Lamination (pl.). Saul and Jonathan.
a2 20,21. Apostrophe (sing.). Saul.
b2 22,23. Celebration (pl.). Saul and Jonathan.
a3 24. Apostrophe (sing.). Saul.
b3 25-. Lamentation (pl.). Saul and Jonathan.
a4 -25,26. Apostrophe (sing.). Jonathan.
b4 27. Lamentation (pl.). Saul and Jonathan.17: And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
18: {Also he bade them teach the sons of Judah the use of (the Ellipsis is wrongly supplied. The word "Lamentation" should be repeated from v.17; "The Bow" being the subject of the Lamentation [v.22]) the bow (this is the name of the Lamentation, because it is mentioned in v.22; and it was what the tribe of Saul and Jonathan [Benjamin] was noted for [cp. 1 Chron.8:40; 12:2. 2 Chron.14:8; 17:7]. For a similar reason the Scripture [Ex. 3] about "The Bush" is so called in Mark 12:28. Luke 20:37): behold, it is written in the book of Jasher (in the Book of Jasher [or The Upright One] = "Your hart, Israel, lies slain", &c.).}
19: "The gazelle (symbolic of beauty and grace) of Israel is slain upon your high places:
how are the mighty fallen!
20: Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21: All you mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, the weapon of one anointed with oil (the Heb. kelî "weapons" being read instead of belî in the first edition of the Hebrew Bible, 1488, and the Syr. and Arabic Versions and Chaldee paraphrase).
22: From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23: Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
24: All you daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25: How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!
O Jonathan, you were slain in your high places.
26: I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant have you been to me: your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
27: How is it that mighty ones have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!"