THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL, otherwise called, THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS Ch. 2 Samuel 1:1-16. The news of Saul's death brought to David 1. _Now it came to pass_, &c. The narrative of the closing Chapter s of the First Book is continued without any break. The division of the Books is purely art... [ Continue Reading ]
_on the third day_ The exact position of Ziklag in the _Negeb_, or "South country," has not been determined. But if we may place it in the neighbourhood of Beersheba (see note on 1 Samuel 27:6), the distance from the battle-field of Gilboa was about 90 or 100 miles as the crow flies, between two and... [ Continue Reading ]
_How went the matter?_ Lit. _What was the affair?_the same phrase as that used by Eli in 1 Samuel 4:16. The form of the Amalekite's answer also closely corresponds to that of the man of Benjamin there. The rout, the slaughter among the people, the death of the leaders, are mentioned in an ascending... [ Continue Reading ]
_As I happened by chance_ He represents himself as accidentally finding Saul, while wandering over Mount Gilboa in the confusion of the rout. See note on 2 Samuel 1:2. _mount Gilboa_ See note on 1 Samuel 28:4. _Saul leaned upon his spear_ This is not to be understood of attempted suicide (1 Samuel... [ Continue Reading ]
_Stand … upon me_ Rather, STAND BY ME, or, RISE UP AGAINST ME, and similarly in 2 Samuel 1:10. Saul is represented in 2 Samuel 1:6 as still upright, not as lying prostrate on the ground. _anguish_ The Heb. word occurs nowhere else, and its sense is doubtful. The Targum renders it _agony_; the LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]
_after that he was fallen_ Not to be understood literally, of lying prostrate, but metaphorically, of defeat and disgrace. Cp. "I am a poor _fallen_man, unworthy now To be thy lord and master." Shakespeare, _Hen. VIII._Act III. Sc. 2. _the crown_ In all probability not the State-crown, but a lig... [ Continue Reading ]
_on_ "On" used as we now use "of." Cp. 1 Samuel 27:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
_mourned_ The word literally denotes the _beating of the breast_, which is still a common expression of mourning in the East. _fasted until even_ Fasting is mentioned as a sign of mourning in 1 Samuel 31:13; 2 Samuel 3:35; 2 Samuel 12:21-22. The day's fast was considered to terminate at sunset, as... [ Continue Reading ]
_the son of a stranger, an Amalekite_ Or, _the son of an Amalekite stranger_, i.e. an Amalekite who had migrated into the land of Israel. The term is one regularly used in the O.T. of foreigners residing in a country not their own.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the_Lord's _anointed_ The person of the king, consecrated to the service of Jehovah by anointing, was inviolable. Compare David's reiterated expressions on this point in 1 Samuel 24:6; 1Sa 26:9; 1 Samuel 26:11; 1 Samuel 26:16; and the armourbearer's reverence in 1 Samuel 31:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
_for thy mouth_, &c. For the expression cp. Job 15:6; Luke 19:22. He had accused himself of a capital crime, for which he deserved to die. Righteous indignation, and not merely political prudence, dictated his immediate execution. This account of Saul's death is obviously inconsistent with that giv... [ Continue Reading ]
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).... [ Continue Reading ]
_also he bade_, &c. AND HE GAVE COMMANDMENT TO TEACH THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH THE BOW. The E. V. cannot be right in inserting "the use of," for the bow was a weapon already in common use. If the text is sound, "the Bow" must be a title given to David's elegy from the mention of Jonathan's bow in 2 Samu... [ Continue Reading ]
_The beauty of Israel_, &c. Better, THY BEAUTY (lit. _the beauty_), O ISRAEL, UPON THINE HIGH PLACES IS SLAIN. Saul and Jonathan are thus described as the chief ornament and honour of Israel. The word translated _glory_may also mean _roe_or _gazelle_, a rendering which is adopted by some commentator... [ Continue Reading ]
_Tell it not in Gath_, &c. Gath on account of its political importance, Askelon as a great religious centre, are chosen as representative of the whole country. Gath seems to have had special prominence as the city of Achish; not impossibly the temple of Ashtaroth in which Saul's armour was deposited... [ Continue Reading ]
_let there be no dew_, &c. The language is poetical. Nature is as it were summoned to share in the mourning. The scene of such a terrible disaster should be unvisited by fertilizing dew and rain, and lie smitten with eternal barrenness. For the thought that nature can sympathize with man compare Eze... [ Continue Reading ]
_From the blood_, &c. In the figurative language of poetry arrows are represented as _drinking blood_, the sword as _eating flesh_. See Deuteronomy 32:42; Isaiah 34:6; Jeremiah 46:10. _the bow of Jonathan_ His favourite weapon, by the gift of which he sealed his friendship with David. See 1 Samuel... [ Continue Reading ]
_lovely and pleasant_ Perhaps rather, LOVING AND KINDLY. The words express the mutual affection which existed between father and son. Jonathan remained faithful to his filial duty even when his father was persecuting his closest friend, and Saul, in spite of temporary outbursts of passion, loved his... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye daughters of Israel_ The women who had once celebrated Saul's triumphs, and shared the spoil of his victories, are summoned to lament his loss. This incidental mention indicates how much Saul's successful wars, so briefly alluded to in the history of his reign (1 Samuel 14:47), had enriched the... [ Continue Reading ]
_O Jonathan_, thou wast _slain in thine high places_ O JONATHAN, SLAIN UPON THINE HIGH PLACES! The insertion of _thou wast_weakens the force and pathos. Cp. 2 Samuel 1:19. The hero of a hundred fights, slain at last in those mountain strong-holds of his country which he had once won and defended so... [ Continue Reading ]
_How are the mighty fallen_ This thrice-repeated refrain sounds the keynote of the elegy. Cp. Psalms 42:5; Psalms 42:11; Psalms 43:5; Psalms 107:8; Psalms 107:15; Psalms 107:21; Psalms 107:31. _the weapons of war_ Metaphorically, of Saul and Jonathan as the instruments of battle for the nation. Cp.... [ Continue Reading ]