2 Sam. 1:1-16 – David’s Response To The Report Of Saul’s Death

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 21 Nov 2021

Introduction

I) The setting of the story

II) The Amalekite’s Story

III) David’s 3 responses to the message (Mourning, Justice, Historiography)

1) David’s immediate response was to grieve over the sad death of Saul and Jonathan.

2) The second thing David did in response to this message was to execute justice on the man who confessed to the murder of the king.

3) The third thing David does is to record a lament and a history.

Conclusion

2 Samuel 1:1-17 - Side-by side comparison of versionsA

LXX

Brenton LXX
(Vaticanus)

Douay
(Vulgate)

KJV

NAW

MT

1 Καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν Σαουλ καὶ Δαυιδ ἀνέστρεψεν τύπτων τὸν Αμαληκ, καὶ ἐκάθισεν Δαυιδ ἐν Σεκελακ ἡμέρας δύο.

1 And it came to pass after Saul was dead, that David returned from smiting Amalec, and David abode two days in Sekelac.

1 Now it came to pass, after Saul was dead, that David returned from the slaughter of the Amalecites, and X abode two days in Siceleg.

1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughterB of the Amalekites, and David had abodeC two days in Ziklag;

1 Now after the death of Saul, that’s when David returned from striking down the Amalekites. And David had settled down in Ziqlag for two days,

1 וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי מוֹת שָׁאוּל וְדָוִד שָׁב מֵהַכּוֹת אֶת- הָעֲמָלֵק וַיֵּשֶׁב דָּוִד בְּצִקְלָג יָמִים שְׁנָיִם:

2 καὶ ἐγενήθη τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ἦλθεν ἐκ τῆς παρεμβολῆς ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ D Σαουλ, καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ διερρωγότα, καὶ γῆ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν πρὸς Δαυιδ καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ προσεκύνη­σεν [αὐτῷE].

2 And it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came from the camp, from the people of Saul, and his garments were rent, and earth was upon his head: and it came to pass when he went in to David, that he fell upon the earth, and did obeisance [to him].

2 And on the third day, there appeared a man who came out of X X Saul's camp, with his garments rent, and dust strewed on his head: and when he came to David, he fell upon his faceF, and adored.

2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from X Saul with his clothes rentG, and earthH upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisanceI.

2 then on the third day, Look! a man came from the army-camp after being with Saul. And his clothes were torn, and mud was on top of his head. And when he came to David, he then fell to the ground and prostrated himself.

2 וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ בָּא מִן-הַמַּחֲנֶה מֵעִם שָׁאוּל וּבְגָדָיו קְרֻעִים וַאֲדָמָה עַל-רֹאשׁJוֹ וַיְהִי בְּבֹאוֹ אֶל-דָּוִד וַיִּפֹּל אַרְצָה וַיִּשְׁתָּחוּ:

3 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δαυιδ Πόθεν σὺ παραγίνῃ; καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν Ἐκ τῆς παρεμβολῆς Ισραηλ ἐγὼ διασέσῳσμαι.

3 And David said to him, Whence comest thou? and he said to him, I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.

3 And David said to him: From whence comest thou? And he said to him: I am fled out of the camp of Israel.

3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

3 Then David said to him, “Where have you come from here?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the army-camp of Israel!”

3 וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ דָּוִד אֵי מִזֶּה תָּבוֹא וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מִמַּחֲנֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל נִמְלָטְתִּי:

4 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δαυιδ Τίς ὁ λόγος οὗτος; ἀπάγγειλόν XK μοι. καὶ εἶπεν ὅτι Ἔφυγεν ὁ λαὸς ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου, καὶ X πεπτώκασι πολλοὶ ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἀπέθανον· καὶ ἀπέθανεν καὶ X Σαουλ, καὶ Ιωναθαν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπέθανεν.

4 And David said to him, What is the matter? X tell me. And he said, The people fled out of the battle, and X many of the people have fallen and are dead, and X Saul and Jonathan his son are dead.

4 And David said unto him: What is the matter that is come to pass? X tell me: X He said: The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people are fallen and dead: moreover Saul and Jonathan his son are slain.

4 And David said unto him, How went the matterL? 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.

4 Then David said to him, “What is the matter? Please communicate it to me!” And he said, “It’s that the people have fled from the battle, and also most of the people has fallen and died, and also Saul and his son Jonathan have died!”

4 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו דָּוִד מֶה-הָיָה הַדָּבָר הַגֶּד-נָא לִי וַיֹּאמֶרM אֲשֶׁרN-נָס הָעָם מִן-הַמִּלְחָמָה וְגַם-הַרְבֵּה נָפַל מִן-הָעָם וַיָּמֻתוּO וְגַם שָׁאוּל וִיהוֹנָתָן בְּנוֹ מֵתוּ:

5 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ τῷ παιδαρίῳ τῷ ἀπαγγέλλοντι αὐτῷ Πῶς οἶδας ὅτι τέθνηκεν Σαουλ καὶ Ιωναθαν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ;

5 And David said to the young man who brought him the tidings, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

5 And David said to the young man that told him: How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son, are dead?

5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

5 Then David said to the guy who was communicating to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?

5 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל-הַנַּעַר הַמַּגִּיד לוֹ אֵיךְ יָדַעְתָּ כִּי-מֵת שָׁאוּל וִיהוֹנָתָן בְּנוֹP:

6 καὶ εἶπεν τὸ παιδ­άριον τὸ ἀπαγγέλ­λον αὐτῷ Περιπτώ­ματι περιέπεσονQ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ Γελβουε, καὶ ἰδοὺ Σαουλ ἐπεστήρικτο ἐπὶ τὸ δόρυ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἰδοὺ τὰ ἅρματα καὶ οἱ ἱππάρχαι συνῆψαν αὐτῷ.

6 And the young man that brought the tidings, said to him, I happened accidentally to be upon mount Gelbue; and, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear, and, behold, the chariots and captains of horse pressed hard upon him.

6 And the young man that told him, said: I came by chance upon mount Gelboe, and X Saul leaned upon his spear: and X the chariots and horsemen drew nigh unto him,

6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chanceR upon mount Gil­boa, X behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard afterS him.

6 And the guy who was communicating with him said, “I was called – I had an encounter on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul supporting himself on his spear, and there was the chariot and the mounted officers engaged with him.

6 וַיֹּאמֶר הַנַּעַר הַמַּגִּיד לוֹ נִקְרֹאT נִקְרֵיתִי בְּהַר הַגִּלְבֹּעַ וְהִנֵּה שָׁאוּל נִשְׁעָן עַל- חֲנִיתוֹ וְהִנֵּה הָרֶכֶב וּבַעֲלֵי הַפָּרָשִׁים הִדְבִּקֻהוּU:

7 καὶ ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὰ ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶδέν με καὶ ἐκάλεσέν με, καὶ εἶπα Ἰδοὺ ἐγώ.

7 And he looked behind him, and saw me, and called me; and I said, Behold, [here am] I.

7 And looking behind him, and seeing me, X he called me. And I answered, Here am I.

7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.

7 And he glanced behind him and saw me and called out to me, so I said, “Here I am!”

7 וַיִּפֶן אַחֲרָיו וַיִּרְאֵנִי וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָי וָאֹמַר הִנֵּנִי:

8 καὶ εἶπέν μοι Τίς εἶ σύ; καὶ εἶπα Αμαληκίτης ἐγώ εἰμι.

8 And he said to me, Who art thou? and I said, I am an Amalekite.

8 And he said to me: Who art thou? And I said to him: I am an Amalecite.

8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.

8 And he said to me, “Who are you?” And {I} said to him, “I am an Amalekite.”

8 וַיֹּאמֶר לִי מִי- אָתָּה וַיֹּאמֶרV אֵלָיו עֲמָלֵקִי אָנֹכִי:

9 καὶ εἶπεν πρός με Στῆθι δὴ ἐπάνω μου καὶ θανάτωσόν με, ὅτι κατέσχεν με [σκότος] δεινόν, ὅτι πᾶσα X ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν ἐμοί.

9 And he said to me, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and slay me, for a dreadful [darkness] has come upon me, for all X my life is in me.

9 And he said to me: X Stand over me, and kill me: for anguish is come upon me, [and] as yet my whole X life is in me.

9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, uponW me, and slay me: for anguishX is come uponY me, because my life is yetZ wholeAA in me.

9 Then he said to me, “Please stand over me and kill me, for their enclosure has seized me, yet all my vitality is {} with me.”

9 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלַי עֲמָד- נָא עָלַי וּמֹתְתֵנִיAB כִּי אֲחָזַנִי הַשָּׁבָץAC כִּי-כָל- עוֹדAD נַפְשִׁי בִּי:

10 καὶ ἐπέστην ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐθανάτω­σα αὐτόν, ὅτι ᾔδειν ὅτι οὐ ζήσεται μετὰ τὸ πεσεῖν αὐτόν· καὶ ἔλαβον τὸ βασί­λειον τὸ ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν χλιδῶνα τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ βραχίονος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνήνοχα αὐτὰ τῷ κυρίῳ μου ὧδε.

10 So I stood over him and slew him, because I knew he would not live after he was fallen; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was upon his arm, and I have brought them hither to my lord.

10 So standing over him, I killed him: for I knew that he could not live after the fall: and I took the diadem that was on his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither to [thee], my lord.

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.

10 So I stood over him and I killed him, for I knew that he would not live after his fall. Then I took his crown which was upon his head and bracelet which was on his arm, and I brought them to my lord here.”

10 וָאֶעֱמֹד עָלָיו וַאֲמֹתְתֵהוּ כִּי יָדַעְתִּי כִּי לֹא יִחְיֶה אַחֲרֵי נִפְלוֹAE וָאֶקַּח הַנֵּזֶרAF אֲשֶׁר עַל-רֹאשׁוֹ וְאֶצְעָדָהAG אֲשֶׁר עַל-זְרֹעוֹ וָאֲבִיאֵם אֶל-אֲדֹנִי הֵנָּה:

11 καὶ ἐκράτησεν Δαυιδ τῶν ἱματίων αὐτοῦ καὶ διέρρηξεν αὐτά, καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄνδρες οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ [διέρρηξαν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν].

11 And David laid hold of his garments, and rent them; and all the men who were with him [rent their garments].

11 Then David took hold of his garments and rent them, and likewise all the men that were with him.

11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:

11 Then David seized his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him,

11 וַיַּחֲזֵק דָּוִד בִּבְגָדוֹAH וַיִּקְרָעֵם וְגַם כָּל-הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹAI:

12 καὶ ἐκόψαντο καὶ ἔκλαυσαν καὶ ἐνήστευσαν ἕως δείλης ἐπὶ Σαουλ καὶ ἐπὶ Ιωναθαν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν Ιουδα καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Ισραηλ, ὅτι ἐπλήγησαν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ.

12 And they lamented, and wept, and fasted till evening, for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Juda, and for the house of Israel, because they were smitten with the sword.

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 were fallen by the sword.

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.

12 and they mourned and wept and fasted until the evening over Saul and over Jonathan his son and over the people of Yahweh and over the house of Israel, because they had been {struck down} by sword.

12 AJוַיִּסְפְּדוּAK וַיִּבְכּוּ וַיָּצֻמוּAL עַד-הָעָרֶב עַל-שָׁאוּל וְעַל- יְהוֹנָתָן בְּנוֹ וְעַל- עַם יְהוָה וְעַל- בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵלAM כִּי נָפְלוּAN בֶּחָרֶב: ס

13 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ τῷ παιδαρίῳ τῷ ἀπαγγέλλοντι αὐτῷ Πόθεν εἶ σύ; καὶ εἶπεν Υἱὸς ἀνδρὸς παροίκου Αμαληκίτου ἐγώ εἰμι.

13 And David said to the young man who brought the tidings to him, Whence art thou? and he said, I am the son of an Amalekite sojourner.

13 And David said to the young man that told him: Whence art thou? X He answered: I am the son of a stranger of Amalec.

13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a strangerAO, an Amalekite.

13 Presently, David said to the guy who communicated to him, “Where are you from?” And he said, “I am an Amalekite, son of a man who is a foreign-visitor.”

13 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל-הַנַּעַר הַמַּגִּיד לוֹ אֵי מִזֶּה אָתָּהAP וַיֹּאמֶר בֶּן-אִישׁ גֵּר AQ עֲמָלֵקִי אָנֹכִי:

14 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δαυιδ Πῶς οὐκ ἐφοβήθης ἐπενεγκεῖν χεῖρά σου διαφθεῖραι τὸν χριστὸν κυρίου;

14 And David said to him, How was it thou wast not afraid to lift thy hand to destroy the anointed of the Lord?

14 X David said to him: Why didst thou not fear to put out thy hand to kill the Lord's anointed?

14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD'S anointed?

14 Then David said to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to reach your hand out to destroy Yahweh’s anointed one?”

14 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו דָּוִד אֵיךְ לֹא יָרֵאתָ לִשְׁלֹחַ יָדְךָ לְשַׁחֵת אֶת-מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָהAR:

15 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Δαυιδ ἓν τῶν παιδαρίων αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν Προσ­ελθὼν ἀπάντησον αὐτῷ· καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀπέθανεν.

15 And David called one of his young men, and said, Go X and fall upon him: and he smote him, and he died.

15 And David calling one of his servants, said: Go near and fall upon him. And he struck him so that he died.

15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall uponAS him. And he smote him that he died.

15 And David called to one of his guys and said, “Approach and attack him!” So he struck him down and he died.

15 וַיִּקְרָא דָוִד לְאַחַד מֵהַנְּעָרִים וַיֹּאמֶר גַּשׁ פְּגַע- בּוֹ וַיַּכֵּהוּ וַיָּמֹת:

16 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς αὐτόν Τὸ αἷμά σου ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλήν σου, ὅτι τὸ στόμα σου ἀπεκρίθη κατὰ σοῦ λέγων ὅτι Ἐγὼ ἐθανάτωσα τὸν χριστὸν κυρίου.

16 And David said to him, Thy blood be upon thine own head; for thy mouth has testified against thee, saying, I have slain the anointed of the Lord.

16 And David said to him: Thy blood be upon thy own head: for thy own mouth hath spoken against thee, saying: I have slain the Lord's anointed.

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.

16 And David said to him, “Your bloodshed is upon your head, for your mouth replied concerning yourself, saying, ‘I myself killed Yahweh’s anointed one!’”

16 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו דָּוִד דָּמֵיךָAT עַל- רֹאשֶׁךָ כִּי פִיךָ עָנָה בְךָ לֵאמֹר אָנֹכִי מֹתַתִּי אֶת- מְשִׁיחַ יְהוָה: ס

17 Καὶ ἐθρήνησεν Δαυιδ τὸν θρῆνον τοῦτον ἐπὶ Σαουλ καὶ ἐπὶ Ιωναθαν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ

17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son.

17 And David made this kind of lamentation over Saul, and over Jonathan his son.

17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

17 Then David lamented this lament over Saul and over Jonathan his son,

17 וַיְקֹנֵןAU דָּוִד אֶת-הַקִּינָה הַזֹּאת עַל-שָׁאוּל וְעַל- יְהוֹנָתָן בְּנוֹ:

18 καὶ εἶπεν τοῦ διδάξαι τοὺς υἱοὺς Ιουδα X--ἰδοὺ γέγραπται ἐπὶ βιβλίου τοῦ εὐθοῦσ--

18 And he gave orders to teach it the sons of Juda X: behold, it is written in the book of Right.

18 (Also he commanded that they should teach the children of Juda [the use of the] bow, as it is written in the book of the just.) [And he said: Consider, O Israel, for them that are dead, wounded on thy high places.]

18 (Also he badeAV them teach the children of Judah the use of the bowAW: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

18 and he said to teach the sons of Judah “The Bow” (See it written out in the book of Jashar.)

18 וַיֹּאמֶר לְלַמֵּד בְּנֵי-יְהוּדָה קָשֶׁת הִנֵּה כְתוּבָה עַל-סֵפֶר הַיָּשָׁרAX:


1Tsumura noted the same thing in the New International Commentary On the Old Testament. But perhaps we can give the benefit of the doubt to this messenger and say maybe Saul was down at the foot of Mt. Gilboa where chariots and horses could still fight effectively and so perhaps he was still technically to some extent “on the mountain.” Maybe.

2Gill and Keil & Delitzsch also took this position, but Josephus, the Geneva Bible and Matthew Henry interpreted this verse to mean that Saul was trying again to kill himself but needing more assistance.

3What this “fall is,” is not explained. Some take it to mean “falling upon his sword,” others take it to mean the “loss of the battle,” and others a “wound or accident” in the course of the battle.

4The tradition started by some Jews that this messenger was Doeg’s son (Gill cited Tanchuma in Yalkut in loc. Hieron. Trad. Heb. In 2 lib. Reg. Fol. 77.C) is almost universally discredited by modern scholars.

5Gill claimed that he had proselytized, but I found no other commentator who thought so. “Convert/proselyte” in Matt. 23:15 is translated גֵּר in the Hebrew NT, though. Tsumura commented that the “ger” status was accountable to Israelite law, unlike “foreigner” status, in which the individual was considered under the jurisdiction of a foreign government.

6Willett, Henry, Gill, Jamieson, Keil & Delitzsch, and Tsumura agreed with this interpretation of what happened. Josephus, Targums, Kimchi, and Ralbag on the other hand, took the Amalekite at his word. Goldman and Gill were ambivalent but nevertheless skeptical of the Amalekite.

7“It may be that when the words were introduced, they had a relevance which now escapes us.” ~Tsumura (NICOT) cf. the omission in the ESV.

8Rashi: “Now that the mighty men of Israel have fallen, it is necessary that the children of Judah give instruction in warfare and the use of the bow.” So also Kimchi, Ehrlich, Willett, Henry, Gill, Jamieson.

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing any part of 2 Samuel 1 is 4Q51Samuela, which is dated around 50BC and contains fragments of vs. 4-13. Where the DSS is legible and agrees with the MT, the MT text is colored purple. Where the DSS or Vulgate supports the LXX with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

BNIV = “defeating,” ESV is more literal with “striking down”

CNASB = “remained,” NIV = “stayed”

DThe Hebrew word עם can mean “with” (which is the way the Latin and English versions interpreted it) or it can mean “people” (which is the way the Greek interpreted it). Either is plausible (“people” is used later in this chapter to mean “army,” and the army of Saul was “with” him in this battle, so it makes no difference in the meaning of the verse.

EThe vav at the end of this Hebrew word looks like a 3ms pronoun object, and thus it is translated in the LXX, but the final vav is actually part of the hishtaphel verb form and is not actually a pronomial suffix. The LXX did no violence to the meaning, however.

FThe Lucian and Alexandrian editions of the Greek also say “face,” but the Vaticanus and majority text of the Greek, as well as the Hebrew read “ground.” The meaning is not essentially different, because the customary genuflection was always face to the ground.

GNASB, NIV ESV = “torn”

HNASB, NIV = “dust,” ESV = “dirt”

INASB = “prostrated himself,” NIV = “to pay him honor,” ESV = “paid homage”

Jcf. 1 Samuel 4:12 “Now, a man of Benjamin ran from the ranks and came to Shiloh on that day with his uniform torn and mud on his head.” (NAW)

KThe DSS supports the particle of entreaty in the Hebrew.

LNASB/ESV = “How did things/it go?” NIV = “What happened?”

MThe phrase “the people have fled from the battle” is missing in the Alexandrian Greek manuscript.

Nאֲשֶׁר serves, like כִּי in other passages, merely to introduce the words that follow, like our ‘namely’ (vid., Ewald, §338, b.)” ~Keil & Delitzsch
Tsumura’s opinion was that “it is probably the first word in the direct speech, meaning ‘because,’ and exhibits some degree of hesitancy… not a matter of cause and effect; rather, it has a metalinguistic function, making an excuse for his answer, like a speaker-oriented ki, which explains the reason for the preceding words.”

OThe MT improperly spells this verb plural even though the subject “the many” is singular, but in English we also fudge on such matters, thus the KJV “are fallen” when it should have been “is fallen” and the NASB “have fallen” when it should have been “has fallen.” McCarter claimed that the extra vav on the end of “fallen” was dittography for the vav on the following word gam and that the original was singular. Tsumura obliquely stated that “the number of the successive verbs varies, depending on whether or not the narrator takes their agents as plural or collective.” The Greek spells it properly with singular verbs, except for the Lucian Rescription and the Syriac which omit the verb “died,” presumably since it is redundant to “fell.” (The Syriac also omitted a redundant verb “communicating” in v.6.) I would venture that “fell and died” was a hendiadys except for the intervening “min ha ‘am” which could be interpreted sequentially that “the majority fell away from the army and then died,” although not necessarily so.

PA good leader must have accurate knowledge of events. David needed to know whether the poor guy was hysterical and passing on a rumor or whether he had factual knowledge of Saul’s and Jonathan’s deaths.

QThe only other place this phrase occurs in the LXX is Ruth 2:3 “And she went; and came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers; and she happened by chance [וַיִּקֶר מִקְרֶהָ] to come on a portion of the land of Booz...” (Brenton) The Hebrew there has a different first verb, though.

RThis is the only place in the KJV or ESV Old Testament where the phrase “by chance” occurs.

SNASB = “pursued closely,” NIV = “almost upon,” ESV = “were close upon”

TThe Amalekite’s speech is somewhat difficult to understand, perhaps because of his emotional distress, and perhaps because Hebrew was not his native language. Much of the ink spilled by commentators in this passage is on the topic of the idiosyncrasies of this man’s speech. His discourse begins with the Niphal passive stem of the verb “to call” or “to meet.” Goldman noted in the Soncino commentary: “The phrase suggests that his presence on the battlefield was purely accidental, yet he is described in verses 2f. as out of the camp, i.e. he was attached in some way to Saul’s army… His meaning must be therefore, that his finding of Saul, not his being on mount Gilboa, was accidental.”
Matthew Henry: “...he happened to go to the place where Saul was as a passenger, not as a soldier...”

UThis is the same verb, albeit a different stem, that was in the synonymous statement in 1 Samuel 31:2 “Presently, the Philistines engaged Saul and his sons…” (NAW)

VThe MT reads “he said,” but the LXX and the qere marginal notes in the MT read וָאֹמַרI said,” along with the Latin and English versions.

WNASB = “beside,” NIV = “over” – the latter is the most central meaning to the Hebrew word. Same in v.10.

XNASB = “agony,” NIV = “death,” K&D = “the cramp,” Targum = “trembling,” Kimchi = “the condition of a man pierced by a sword.” See endnote AC.

YNASB & ESV = “seized” = a more literal interpretation of the Hebrew (and Greek). When this verb recurs in v.11, most English versions translated it “took hold.”

ZNASB, NIV, ESV = “still” This word in the MT does not appear in the LXX or Vulgate or Syriac; the DSS is not available for comparison because it is illegible at this point.

AAContemporary English versions rendered paraphrastically: NIV = “I’m still alive,” NASB & ESV “my life still lingers” (ESV dropped out the last two words “in me,” even though they are in both the Hebrew and the Greek.)

AB“The Polel of mwt, ‘to die,’ means ‘to make a full end of’ (HALOT, p. 562), that is ‘to deliver the death blow’ as in Judg. 9:54; 1 Sam. 14:13; 17:51.” ~Tsumura

ACHapex legomenon. Is this due to a foreigner using a foreign word that wouldn’t have been in Saul’s vocabulary? Ehrlich suggested that it was due to weakness interfering with Saul’s ability to speak. The only other related words in the OT to this noun are two instances of its verbal form describing a gemstone setting and linen weaving in Exodus 28:20 & 39. The old Geneva Bible notes (perhaps following Ben Gershom, Junius, and Piscator) explained in terms of Saul’s clothing or armor being too tight to get his spear to enter or perhaps that they were restricting his breathing as his body swelled. Matthew Henry, ever ready to make an application, noted, “Let no man’s clothes be his pride, for it may so happen that they may be his burden and snare.” See endnote X.

ADThis word “still” is not found in the LXX, Syriac, or Vulgate. It is in the Lucian Rescription of the LXX, which tends to follow the MT more closely than the LXX, although Lucian omitted the word “all/whole” immediately before it. McCarter called it an adverb “wholly.” Tsumura suggested that “this unusual word order might be an example of the AXB pattern, in which X (‘still’) is inserted between AB (‘all my life’), thus interrupting a normal sequence A-B while modifying the phrase AB as a whole.”

AE“‘After his fall’ does not mean ‘after he had fallen upon his sword or spear’ (Clericus), for this is neither implied in נִפְלֹו nor in עַל־חֲנִיתֹו נִשְׁעָן (‘supported,’ i.e., ‘leaning upon his spear’)... but ‘after his defeat,’ i.e., so that he would not survive this calamity. This statement is at variance with the account of the death of Saul in 1Sam. 31:3.” ~K&D

AFThe root of this word has to do with consecration/dedication/separation for a specific task.

AGOnly here and Numbers 31:50. The root of “march” (found in 2 Sam. 5:24, 1 Chron. 14:15, and Isa. 3:20, which, in turn comes from צעדstep/pace”) implies that this piece of jewelry was a “chain,” rather than a solid “band.” One would expect a definite article prefix in the Hebrew spelling of this word, but Tsumura observed that “it is not uncommon for an article to be omitted in direct speech, just as it is in poetry.”

AHThe Qere spells this with a more-obvious plural form. In English “clothes” is the same singular as plural, so we don’t notice. It’s plural in the Greek too.

AIAlthough the text is illegible at this point in this verse in the DSS, there is not enough space between legible words to include the extra text in the LXX.

AJGoldman (and Ehrlich) considered v.12 to be “parenthetical,” the death sentence and execution happening immediately after the interview in v.11.

AKcf. Israel “mourned” Samuel’s death in 1 Samuel 28:3 and Abner’s death in 2 Sam 3:31. (“Weeping’ and “fasting” are also mentioned at Abner’s death).

ALJust as the men of Jabesh Gilead had done for seven days over the news of Saul’s death in 1 Samuel 31:13. It is not mentioned that David fasts again after that except when the survival of his first son by Bathsheba during his first week of life was in question.

AMSome commentators emphasized distinctions between these two phrases “people of Yahweh” and “house of Israel”:
Goldman: “this must here denote the army… as distinguished from the house of Israel…
K&D: “...distinguished from one another, according to the twofold attitude of Israel, which furnished a double ground for mourning. Those who had fallen were first of all members of the people of Jehovah, and secondly, fellow-countrymen. ‘They were therefore associated with them, both according to the flesh and according to the spirit...’”

ANDSS reads נכו "struck” – agreeing with the LXX rather than the MT. But the idea is still the same.

AONASB & NIV = “alien,” ESV = “sojourner,” K&D = “emigrant,” Gill = “proselyte”

APcf. David’s question in v.3 with the same first two words.

AQ“The legal status of a ‘sojourner’ (or ‘a resident alien’) ger was distinguished from that of a foreigner (nekar) ...He was protected by the community law, but at the same time bound by legal obligations and penalties as described in Lev. 24:42…” ~Tsumura

ARDavid had already settled the question of the injustice of assassinating Saul as evidenced in 1 Sam. 24:6 and 26:9.

ASNASB = “cut down,” NIV = “strike down,” ESV = “execute” The Hebrew word has more to do with getting in the way of, imposing oneself upon, engaging with, than with the outcome of the encounter.

ATThe Qere suggests spelling “blood” singular instead of plural. It makes no difference in English, since we don’t pluralize “blood.” 66 of the occurrences of the word “blood” in the Hebrew O.T. are plural; the other 233 are singular. Possibly the plural adds a connotation of guilt for murder.

AUThe verb is only found 5 other places in the Hebrew O.T. (2 Sam. 3:33; 2 Chron. 35:25; Jer. 9:17; Ezek. 27:32; 32:16). This is the first instance of this form of poetry in the Bible. Perhaps it is something David invented or at least developed. (Perhaps even picked up from Philistine culture? Did Philistines use bows instead of fingers to play their harps, and could David have incorporated bowing into his harp technique as a result of his sojourn in Philistia? That would be an interesting thing to study and find out.) At any rate, all other instances of this noun and verb in the Bible occur after after 1 Sam.

AVNASB = “told,” NIV = “ordered,” ESV uses the most central meaning of the Hebrew word with “said”

AWThe Hebrew word qeshet means “bow,” RV, ASV, NKJV, NASB = “[song of the] bow,” NIV = “[this lament of the] bow,” Vulgate = arcum,” Wycliffe = “weilyng,” Geneva = “to shoote,” LXX (except for the Alexandrian edition) & ESV omit the word altogether.

AX“Mentioned only here and in Josh. 10:13… a collection of ancient poems commemorating events of national importance.” ~Goldman (Soncino Books of the Bible)
“a prebiblical written source that also included Josh. 10:12-13, and according to the Septuagint text, Solomon’s poem in 1 K. 8:12-13.” ~Tsumura
Willett: “Iasher signifieth, the iust or righteous: so called as some thinke of the persons whereof that booke intreated, namely of the acts of the Patriarchs and iust men. Some of the matter, because it contained a true narration of such things as were written therein. But it is more like to beare the name of Ieshurun, which is the name of Israel, Deut. 32.15. and the Prophet Isai calleth Israel by the same name, c. 44. v. 2. which word also signifieth, the righteous people: this booke was called Iasher, because it was as a publike chronicle and record of Israel… which was continued from time to time by the Prophets, which is now wanting [missing], as many such historicall bookes are.”

11