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2014 July 6



Report of Saul's Death to David. Miniature from the Les Antiquites Judaiques (c. 1470)
Jean Fouquet (1420-1481)
Italian Renaissance Style
Bibliotheque Nationale de France, Paris, France
Image Source: Wikiart


     Explanation: 2 Samuel 1 records David's lamentation for Saul. After Saul died, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and stayed two days in Ziklag. On the third day an Amalekite came bearing news of the death of Saul and Jonathan. The man claimed to have finished Saul at his request when he failed to kill himself by falling on his spear. [The account in 2 Samuel uses the word "sword" ("chereb,") -- the general word for a cutting instrument, whether it is a sword, or a knife, or another instrument. So there is not necessarily a contradiction between the account in 1 Samuel and the Amalekite's account in 2 Samuel]. The Amalekite brought Saul's crown and bracelet as proof of Saul's death. Many commentators consider his story a lie, though some find it plausible. I take it to be true since Saul may not have died instantly after falling on his sword (or spear), and because it fit's Saul's way of doing things (as in his use of Doeg the Edomite to kill the priests when the rest of his men found it abhorrent); accordingly, I have provided a blended account below. In the version I've provided, the Amalekite kills Saul after Saul's botched attempt at suicide. When the armorbearer sees that Saul is dead (at the hand of the Amalekite) he too falls on his own sword (or spear) and dies. The Amalekite then takes Saul's crown and bracelet and flees to David (1-10). Upon hearing of the death of Saul, David and his men tore their clothes and went into mourning. And David asked the Amalekite why he was not afraid to stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed. He therefore had him executed. If the man had been lying, it would seem that the threat of imminent death would have torn the truth out of him (11-16). Then David lamented over Saul and Jonathan, designating it as a memorial song to be taught to the children of Judah. He began by saying that the beauty of Israel had been slain on the mountains and wishing that the news would not be heard among the Philistines in Gath and Askelon (17-20). He wishes that on Mount Gilboa, where Saul and his sons died, there would be neither dew, nor rain, nor fruit that the land itself might mourn (21). He recounts the success of Saul and Jonathan in war (22). He says that as they were united in life, so they were united in death, though they were swifter than eagles and stronger than lions (23). He calls on the daughters of Israel to weep over Saul who clothed them in scarlet and other delights and adorned them with gold (24). He asks, "How are the mighty fallen" (25). He expresses his personal distress for the death of Jonathan and acknowledges Jonathan's great love for him (26). He closes with the plaint, " How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished?" (27).


2 Samuel 1

     1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; 2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? 6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. 8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. 10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
     11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. 13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. 14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed? 15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. 16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD'S anointed.
     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 of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
     23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
     24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
     25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
     26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
     27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!


The Blended Account of the Death of Saul (From 1 Samuel 31 and 2 Samuel 1)

     1 Samuel 31:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons. 3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
     2 Samuel 1:5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? 6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. 8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. 10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
     1 Samuel 31:5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. 6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together. 7 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.




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