2 Samuel 1:1
NOW IT CAME TO PASS ... - There is no break whatever between the two books of Samuel, the division being purely artificial.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW IT CAME TO PASS ... - There is no break whatever between the two books of Samuel, the division being purely artificial.... [ Continue Reading ]
ANGUISH - The Hebrew word used here occurs nowhere else, and is of doubtful meaning (compare the margin). The rabbis interpret it as a cramp or giddiness.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Amalekite was one of those who came “to strip the slain” on “the morrow” after the battle 1 Samuel 31:8, and had the luck to find Saul and possess himself of his crown and bracelet. He probably started off immediately to seek David, and invented the above story, possibly having heard from some I... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR SAUL ... - David’s thoroughly patriotic and unselfish character is strongly marked here. He looked upon the death of Saul, and the defeat of Israel by a pagan foe, with unmixed sorrow, though it opened to him the way to the throne, and removed his mortal enemy out of the way. For Jonathan he mou... [ Continue Reading ]
Whether David believed the Amalekite’s story, or not, his anger was equally excited, and the fact that the young man was an Amalekite, was not calculated to calm or check it. That David’s temper was hasty, we know from 1 Samuel 25:13, 1 Samuel 25:32.... [ Continue Reading ]
David might well think his sentence just though severe, for he had more than once expressed the deliberate opinion that none could lift up his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless (see 1 Samuel 24:6; 1 Samuel 26:9, 1 Samuel 26:11, 1 Samuel 26:16).... [ Continue Reading ]
The words lamented and lamentation must be understood in the technical sense of a funeral dirge or mournful elegy. (See similar dirges in 2 Samuel 3:33; and 2 Chronicles 35:25.) This and the brief stanza on the death of Abner are the only specimens preserved to us of David’s secular poetry.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE USE OF THE BOW - Omit “the use of.” “The bow” is the name by which this dirge was known, being so called from the mention of Jonathan’s bow in 2 Samuel 1:22. The sense would then be: And he commanded them to teach the children of Israel the song called Kasheth (the bow), i. e. he gave directions... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BEAUTY ... - i. e. Saul and Jonathan who were the chief ornament and pride of Israel, and slain upon “high places” 2 Samuel 1:25, namely, on Mount Gilboa.... [ Continue Reading ]
Gath, the royal city of Achish 1 Samuel 21:10; 1 Samuel 27:2. Askelon, the chief seat of worship (1 Samuel 31:10 note).... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THERE BE NO DEW ... - For a similar passionate form of poetical malediction, compare Job 3:3; Jeremiah 20:14. NOR FIELDS OF OFFERINGS - He imprecates such complete barrenness on the soil of Gilboa, that not even enough may grow for an offering of first-fruits. The latter part of the verse is be... [ Continue Reading ]
The women of Israel are most happily introduced. They who had come out to meet king Saul with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music” in the day of victory, are now called to weep over him.... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN - The recurrenee of the same idea 2 Samuel 1:19, 2 Samuel 1:25, 2 Samuel 1:27 is perfectly congenial to the nature of elegy, since grief is fond of dwelling upon the particular objects of the passion, and frequently repeating them. By unanimous consent this is considered on... [ Continue Reading ]