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After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag,
Verse 1. Siceleg, though it had been burnt down. Salien, A. 2949.
on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth and showed respect.
“Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
David said to him, “Where do you come from?” He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.”
David said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.” He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”
David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind him.
Verse 6. Chance. He feigned this to obtain the favour of David; but the king punished him as he deserved. Worthington.—Spear, or sword, as it is before expressed. Menochius.
When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’
He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
Verse 8. Amalecite. The Rabbins say he was the son of Doeg; and has this appellation because Amalec sprung from Esau. Genesis 36:12. But this is all very uncertain. The man seems to have gotten possession of the marks of the royal dignity in the night, as the Philistines deferred till the next day stripping the bodies of the deceased. Calmet.
He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me, for anguish has taken hold of me because my life lingers in me.’
Verse 9. Anguish. Hebrew “the coat of mail withholds me.” Septuagint “horrid darkness encompasses me.” Shabah, signifies a coat of mail, made of cloth, very thick, and boiled in vinegar, to render it more impenetrable. The Greeks emperors and the French formerly wore them much, instead of iron. Calmet.—Prot. however agrees with us.—In me. I have yet received no mortal wound. Bible.
So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”
Verse 10. I killed him. This story of the young Amalecite was not true, as may easily be proved by comparing it with the last chapter of the foregoing book. Challoner.—Fall. This he says, apprehending that David would perhaps disapprove of what he had done.—Diadem, or ribband, which was tied round his head, as a badge of his dignity. Hebrew “the crown.” But it was not of metal, though such were already common. Exodus 28:36, 1 Chronicles 20:2. Some pretend that Doeg gave these insignia to this son, that he might ingratiate himself with the future king. But they were upon Saul, so that the enemy could easily distinguish him.—Bracelet. The Hebrews took a great many from the Madianites. Numbers 31:50. Such presents were made by the Romans to soldiers who had performed some feats of valour. Plin. xxxiii. 2. Livy i. 10.
Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise.
Verse 11. Rent them, in sign of grief, as many other nations did.
Tum pius Æneas humeris abscindere vestem. Æneid v. Calmet.
They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
Verse 12. Of the Lord, the priests; (Abulensis) though it seems to be explained by the following words, of all the Israelites. Bible.
When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name (Hebrew “יהוה”, usually pronounced Yahweh).
David said to the young man who told him, “Where are you from?” He answered, “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite.”
Verse 13. Stranger, residing among the Hebrews.
David said to him, “Why were you not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?”
David called one of the young men and said, “Go near, and cut him down!” He struck him so that he died.
David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain the LORD’s anointed.’”
Verse 16. Head. None but thyself can be answerable for thy death. See Matthew 27:25. David was already supreme magistrate, and he wished that all should be convinced that he rejoiced not at the death of the king, and that none might imitate the example of this wretch. Calmet.—Thus Vitellius punished the murderers of Galba, “not out of respect to Galba; but, according to the custom of princes, as a protection for the present, and a threat of vengeance for the future,” in case any should dare to treat him in like manner. Tacit. i. Tradito principibus more, munimentum in præsens, in posterum ultionem.
David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son
(and he commanded them to teach the children of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):
Verse 18. Bow. So this canticle was entitled, because it spoke in praise of the bow and arrows of Saul and Jonathan, verse 22. So one of the works of Hesiod is called “a buckler;” of Theocritus “a flute;” of Simmias “wing;” and so forth Septuagint have neglected this word entirely ( Calmet.) in the Roman edition. But it is found in the Alex. copy, which reads “Israel,” instead of Juda, perhaps properly. Grabe, prol. iv. 2. Bible.—Chal. “to shoot with the bow.” Many suppose that David cautioned his men to exert themselves in that art, ( Menochius.) as they might soon expect to have to encounter the Philistines, ( Tirinus.) who were very expert bowmen. Worthington.—But the former interpretation seems preferable. Calmet.—The bow might be also the beginning of some favourite song, to the tune of which ( D.) David would have his men to sing this canticle, ( Bible.) particularly when they went to battle. Grotius.—Just. See Joshua 10:3. Menochius.—It seems this was a more ancient record, to which the author of this book refers. Calmet.—He might have in view the canticle of Anna, (1 Kennicott. 2:4,) or some other. Bible.—The custom of composing canticles, on such solemn occasions, is very ancient and frequent. See 3 Kennicott. 13:23. and 13:29, Jeremias 48:31. Iliad ψ & χ. The style of this piece can hardly be equalled by the most polite writers. Calmet.—David is chiefly occupied with the praises of Jonathan. Bible.—Consider … places. This sentence is omitted in Hebrew Chal. Septuagint and in some copies of S. Jerom’s version. Tirinus. i. p. 365, Nov. edit. op. It is a farther explication of the subsequent verse. Calmet.—Yet the Septuagint read, “Erect a pillar, O Israel, [upon thy heights; the Vat. Septuagint places this after slain. H.] in honour of the slain, thy wounded soldiers. How are the mighty fallen?” The Hebrew seems to be different from what the Septuagint Chal. and so forth read, as the Masora now adopts etsbi, instead of etsib, which has greatly puzzled interpreters. Hence Aquila translates ακριβωσον, with the Septuagint of Ximenes, that is “Execute or consider with attention,” this sepulchral monument on which you shall inscribe, “For the dead and for thy wounded.” It was to be placed on some “eminence,” according to custom. The present Hebrew is very indeterminate, denoting “glory, a honey-comb,” and so forth Ezekiel 20:6, Daniel 11:16, 41. See Grabe, Prol. Bible.
“Your glory, Israel, was slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!
Verse 19. Illustrious. Hebrew “the glory (beauty, hart, and so forth) of Israel hath been pierced,” and so forth The comparison of Saul with a hart, is noble enough in the ideas of the ancients. Psalms 17:34, Song of Songs 2:9 and 8:14. Syr. and Arab. “O hart of Israel, they have been slain,” and so forth Calmet.—Slain. Hebrew chalal, signifies also “a soldier;” and this word agrees perfectly well with giborim, “valiant,” both here and verse 22 and 25. Kennicott would apply it to Jonathan, upon whom David’s attention is mostly fixed. “O ornament of Israel! O warrior, upon thy high places! How,” and so forth Bible.—In this manner many such pieces commence. Lament. 1. Tirinus.
Don’t tell it in Gath. Don’t publish it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
Verse 20. Triumph. He was aware of the exultation of the infidels. Bible.
You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew or rain on you, and no fields of offerings; for there the shield of the mighty was defiled and cast away, the shield of Saul was not anointed with oil.
Verse 21. Fruits, which may be offered to the Lord. Inanimate things could not offend, nor does David curse them in earnest. But ( Tirinus.) nothing could more strikingly express his distress and grief, than this imprecation. It is false that those mountains have since been barren. This canton is one of the most fruitful of the country. Brocard. Calmet.—Job (3) speaks with the same animation, and curses his day. Menochius.—Of Saul, or “Saul, the shield of his people, was cast away, as,” and so forth Prot. “as though he had not been anointed with oil.” Bible.—He is not reproached for throwing away his buckler, for nothing was deemed more shameful. The ancient Germans would not allow such a one to enter their temples or places of assembly. Tacit. mor. Germ.—A woman of Sparta told her son, when she delivered on to him, “Bring this back, or be brought upon it” dead. Impositu scuto referunt Pallanta frequentes. Æneid x. Sanctius. Calmet.—As though. Hebrew seems to have sh, instead of s, (as it is in several MSS. correctly, in noshug) and bli, instead of cli, (Delany) as the former word seems no where else to signify quasi non; and the Syr. Arab. and Chal. omit the negation. It might therefore be the shield of Saul, “the arms of him who has been anointed with oil.” Kennicott.—Some would refer this unction to the shield, (Vatab.) as this was some times done: ( Menochius.) but the reflection would be here too trifling. Calmet.
From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, Jonathan’s bow didn’t turn back. Saul’s sword didn’t return empty.
Verse 22. From. Hebrew “without the blood of soldiers, without the fat of the valiant, the bow of Jonathan had never returned.” Kennicott.—Fat. The entrails. It might also denote the most valiant of the soldiers, as we read of “the fat or marrow of corn” for the best. Psalms 80:17. Calmet.—Jonathan attacked the most courageous, and laid them dead at his feet. Bible.—Empty. Saul carried destruction wherever he went.
Et nos tela, pater, ferrumque haud debile dextrâ,
Spargimus & nostro sequitur de vulnere sanguis. Æn. xii. 50.
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives. In their death, they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions.
Verse 23. Lovely, or united. Jonathan always behaved with due respect towards his father, though he could not enter into his unjust animosity against David. Calmet.—The latter passes over in silence all that Saul had done against himself, and seems wholly occupied with the thought of the valour and great achievements of the deceased. Bible.—Sanchez believes that these epithets were introduced of course into funeral canticles, like Alas! my noble one, (Jeremiah 22:18. Menochius.) as Saul could have no pretensions to be styled lovely, or friendly, towards the latter part of his reign; since he treated the priests, David, and even his son Jonathan, with contumely, and even with unrelenting fury. But all this David would willingly bury in oblivion. He will not even notice how different was the end of the two heroes. Jonathan died like a virtuous soldier in his country’s cause; Saul was wounded, but impiously accelerated his own death, through dread of torments and of insult. Though they died, therefore, on the same field of battle, their end was as different as that of the saint and of the impenitent sinner. Bible.
You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you delicately in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold on your clothing.
How the mighty have fallen in the middle of the battle! Jonathan was slain on your high places.
Verse 25. Battle. Hebrew “in the midst of battle! O Jonathan, thou warrior upon thy high places!” Kennicott, Diss. i. p. 123.
I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women.
Verse 26. Brother. So they lamented, Alas! my brother. Jeremiah 22:18. Menochius.—Women. He indicates the ardour of his love, not any inordinate affection. D.—I love thee more than any person can love a woman, ( Calmet.) more than women can love their husbands or children. Menochius.—Chal. “thy love is more wonderful to me than the love of two who are espoused.”—As, and so forth This is not found in Hebrew Septuagint or S. Jerom. Calmet.
How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war have perished!”
Verse 27. Perished, falling into the hands of the enemy; though Saul and Jonathan may be styled the arms, as well as the shield, of Israel. Menochius.—No character could be more worthy of praise than the latter. His breast was never agitated by envy, though he seemed to be the most interested to destroy David. Even Saul had many excellent qualities; which makes Ven. Bede compare him in those respects with Jesus Christ; as most of the memorable persons and events of the Old Testament had a view to Christ on the one hand, and to the Synagogue on the other. Saul is one of the most striking figures of the reprobation and conduct of the Jewish church. As he was adorned with many glorious prerogatives, and chosen by God, yet he no sooner beheld the rising merit of David, than he began to persecute him: so the Jews had been instructed by the prophets, and had been selected as God’s peculiar inheritance; and nevertheless took occasion from the virtues and miracles of the Son of God, to conspire his ruin. The Romans were sent to punish the Jews, who are now become the most abject of all mankind, and are filled with rage, seeing the exaltation of the Christian Church, as Saul was reduced by the Philistines to the greatest distress, and his children were forced to implore the protection of the man whom he had so cruelly persecuted, and so forth Calmet.—Saul and Judas may be a warning to us, that no person ought to live without fear, since they perished so miserably, though they had been elevated by the hand of God. Saint Ambrose and so forth Bible.