2 Samuel 1:22

_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._ From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, х_ GIBOWRIYM_ (H1368)]. Some think that this term was intended to describe the gigantic size of the Philistines; but since it is applied, 2 Samuel 1:25, to Saul and Jonathan, it must be considered as expressive of physical strength and courage, more than extraordinary stature....

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....

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 1:1 NOW IT CAME TO PASS. During the last few days events had been crowding fast upon one another. Living as fugitives at Ziklag, in the land of the Philistines, David and his men, unfit for the peaceful occupations of agriculture, had been driven to seek their maintenance by raids upon the wild tribes in the desert. Of these the chief were the Amalekites, whose home was the bare region lying between the south of Judah and Egypt. We have ample proof that this race was utterly hostile to all order and quietness; it lived by the plunder of others, and, sheltering itself in the recesses of the wilderness, broke out thence on every opportunity to carry, ravage and ruin into all the neighbouring districts. The Amalekite was thus every man's enemy, and the object of universal dislike; and the cruelty which he habitually pract

FROM THE BLOOD OF THE SLAIN, FROM THE FAT OF THE MIGHTY, THE BOW OF JONATHAN TURNED NOT BACK,.... That is, it always did execution, the arrows shot frown it pierced into men, shed their blood, and slew them; even they entered into the fat of the mighty, or mighty ones, that were fat, and brought them down; so the arrows of the Medes and Persians, the expert men among them, are said not to return in vain, Jeremiah 50:9; AND THE SWORD OF SAUL RETURNED NOT EMPTY; but was the means of slaying many; though Abarbinel observes also that this may be interpreted of the blood of the slain, and of the fat of the mighty men of Israel; and that though Saul and Jonathan saw many of these fall before their eyes, yet "for" or "because" of their blood, they were not intimidated and restrained from fighting; the bow of the one, and the shield of the other, turned not back on that account.

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. DAVID KING OF JUDAH AND THE EVENTS OF HIS REIGN 1. David's Lamentation for Saul and Jonathan CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The Death of Saul and Jonathan announced to David (2 Samuel 1:1)_ 2. David's great Grief (2 Samuel 1:11) 3. The Amalekite slain (2 Samuel 1:13) 4. David's Lamentation (2 Samuel 1:17) David heard of the death of Saul and Jonathan from the lips of the Amalekite, who also brought him the crown and the bracelet of the dead king. The story of this young man has been branded by some as a falsehood, invented to gain favor from David. It is not

DAVID'S LAMENT OVER SAUL AND JONATHAN. This poem is almost universally accepted as the work of David. It was included in the Book of Jashar (Joshua 10:12 ff., p. 45), and probably borrowed from that book by the author of one of the documents from which _Samuel_ was composed (p. 273). Let the evil tidings be kept from the Philistines, lest they triumph over Israel. May Gilboa be accursed. Saul and Jonathan were mighty warriors, united in life and death. Let the Israelite women lament them. Alas for Jonathan. 2 SAMUEL 1:18. HE BADE THEM... BOW: the RV insertion of the song of represents a theory that The Bow was the title of the poem: this is hardly likely to be correct. Probably the text is corrupt. The favourite explanation is that...

David's lamentation for Saul and Jonathan 17. _lamented with this lamentation_ The technical expression for a _death-dirge_or _mournful elegy_, such as that pronounced by David over Abner (ch. 2 Samuel 3:33-34), and by Jeremiah over Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:25)....

FROM THE BLOOD OF THE SLAIN, &C.— The Hebrew is חללים מדם _middam chalalim,_ which words, as מ _mem_ is allowed by Noldius to signify _without,_ may be thus rendered; _without the blood of the warriors, without the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan returned not back._ Upon this construction, we see, the _warriors_ and the _mighty_ are strongly connected; or rather, _the fat of the mighty,_ is a beautiful gradation upon the _blood of the warriors;_ just as in Proverbs 7:26 which should have been rendered, _she hath cast down many warriors, and many strong men have been slain by her:_ for the word חללים _chalalim,_ should not be translated _slain,_ but _warriors_ in both these places. Kennicott....

_The Song of the Bow._ 2 Samuel 1:17-27 17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: 18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah _the use of_ the bow: behold, _it is_ written in the book of Jasher:) 19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy 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 Ye 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, _as though he had_ not _been_ anointed with oil, 22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat

THE LAMENT OF DAVID OVER SAUL AND JONATHAN 1. There is no break between the two books of Samuel; they really form one continuous narrative. This v. is a continuation of 1 Samuel 30, which describes David's successful attack upon Ziklag. He had not heard of the events narrated in 1 Samuel 31....