David Hears of Saul’s Death. 1-16
1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, Towards the end of 1 Samuel, in despair David left the people of God and allied himself with the Philistines. God prevented a complete alliance and brought David back through heartbreaking circumstances (the Amalekites stole the families and possessions of David and his men). Strengthening himself in God (1 Samuel 30:6), David defeated the Amalekites and brought back everyone and everything.
David remained two days in Ziklag. 2 And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. David knew this was bad news because the messenger had the traditional expressions of mourning for the dead – clothes torn and dust on his head. Therefore, he immediately reacted with humble mourning.
And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4 And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6 And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8 And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9 And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
Remember, Saul was to totally destroy the Amalekites, ironic.
Some commentators wonder if this Amalekite told the truth. He said he “mercifully” ended Saul’s life after the king mortally wounded himself (1 Samuel 31:4). It may be that he merely was the first to come upon Saul’s dead body and he took the royal crown and bracelet to receive a reward from David.
“The whole account which this young man gives is a fabrication: in many of the particulars it is grossly self-contradictory. There is no fact in the case but the bringing of the crown, or diadem, and bracelets of Saul; which, as he appears to have been a plunderer of the slain, he found on the field of battle; and he brought them to David, and told the lie of having dispatched Saul merely to ingratiate himself with David.” (Clarke)
We can gather that this was a lie because 1 Samuel 31:5 says that Saul’s armor bearer saw that he was dead.
We can easily imagine the Amalekite smiling as he said this, assuming David was delighted that his enemy and rival was dead. Now David could take the royal crown and bracelet and wear them himself.
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who 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 and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
When David heard of Saul’s death, he mourned. We might have expected celebration at the death of this great enemy and rival, but David mourned.
Out of pure jealousy, hatred, spite, and ungodliness, Saul took away David’s family, home, career, security, and the best years of David’s life – and Saul was utterly unrepentant to the end. Yet David mourned and wept and fasted when he learned of Saul’s death.
This contrast powerfully demonstrates that our hatred, bitterness, and unforgiveness are chosen, not imposed on us. As much as Saul did against David, David chose to become better instead of bitter.
13 And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” 14 David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”
Despite many opportunities to legitimately defend himself, David refused to reach out and destroy Saul. David knew that since God put Saul on the throne, it was God’s job to end his reign – and woe to the one who puts forth his hand to destroy a God-appointed leader.
15 Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16 And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”
David’s Lament for Saul and Jonathan
17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar.
This book is also mentioned in Joshua 10:13; it evidently contained a collection of early Hebrew poetry.
We shouldn’t think that this is a “missing” book of the Bible. It is a completely unjustified leap over logic to say that if the Bible mentions an ancient writing, and if that ancient writing has any material in common with biblical books, that writing is genuinely Scripture and is a “lost” book of the Bible. Our Bibles are complete and completely inspired.
He said:
19 “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen! Referencing Saul and sons
20 Tell it not in Gath, capital of philistines
publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon, place of central worship of philistines
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, don’t broadcast the death of Saul so they won’t gloat.
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21 “You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor fields of offerings! Wow! A curse on Mt. Gilboa, no mountain dew
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. Shields were many times made of leather, oil keeps from cracking.
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. The bow was a signal to David, remember…
23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
they were stronger than lions.
24 “You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 “How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
Taking our current situation, interpreting this as Gay. It’s unfair to interpret the text this way. I has never been interpreted this way until the past 50 years. ie. Closeness of a soldier.
There is not the slightest hint that David and Jonathan expressed their love in a sexual way. They had a deep, godly love for each other – but not a sexual love. Our modern age often finds it difficult to believe that love can be deep and real without it having a sexual aspect.
27 “How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”