K² y 1-10. Amalekite's report. z 11,12. The lamentation of David. y 13-16. Amalekite's execution. z 17-27. The lamentation of "the Bow".
960 B.C.
1)
1: Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites (cp. 1 Sam.30:17), and David had abode two days in Ziklag (cp. 1 Sam.27:6);
2: It came even to pass on the third day (see 1 Sam.30:12), that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes torn, 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 to him, “From which place do you come?” And he said to him, “Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.”
4: And David said to him, “How went the matter? I pray you, tell me.” And he answered (he thought he brought news which would be welcomed), “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 to the young man that told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are 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 to me. And I answered, ‘Here am I.’
8: And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ And I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite’ (thus Saul was dishonoured by one whom his disobedience spared. Cp. 1 Sam.15:3 and Ex.17:16).
9: And he said to me again (his whole story is a fabrication. See the facts in 1 Sam.31:4,5), ‘Stand, I pray you, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my soul 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 (i.e. upon his own sword [1 Sam.31:4]): and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them to this place to my lord.”
11: Then David took hold on his clothes, and tore them; and likewise all the men that 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 (Yehovah), and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
13: And David said to the young man that told him, “From which place are you?” And he answered, “I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.”
14: And David said to him, “How were you not afraid to stretch forth your hand to destroy the Lord's (Yehovah'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 to him, “Your blood be upon yourself (cp. v.10); for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have slain the Lord's (Yehovah's) anointed.’ ”
L¹ 17: The Lament. L² 18. The Lamentation.
z a¹ 19-. Apostrophe (sing.). Saul. b¹ -19. Lamanation (pl.). Saul and Jonathan. a¹ 20,21. Apostrophe (sing.). Saul. b² 22,23. Celebration (pl.). Saul and Jonathan. a³ 24. Apostrophe (sing.). Saul. b³ 25-. Lamantation (pl.). Saul and Jonathan. a4 -25,26. Apostrophe (sing.). Jonathan. b4 27. Lamantation (pl.). Saul and Jonathan.
17: And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
18: {Also he bade them teach the sons of Judah the use of (the Ellipsis is wronly supplied. The word "Lamentation" should be repeated from v.17; "The Bow" being the subject of the Lamantation [v.22]) the bow (this is the name of the Lamantation, because it is mentioned in v.22; and it was what the tribe of Saul and Jonathan [Benjamin] was noted for [cp. 1 Chron.8:40; 12:2. 2 Chron.14:8; 17:7]. For a similar reason the Scripture [Ex. 3] about "The Bush" is so called in Mark 12:28. Luke 20:37): behold, it is written in the book of Jasher (in the Book of Jasher [or The Upright One] = "Your hart, Israel, lies slain", &c.).}
19: “The gazelle (symbolic of beauty and grace) of Israel is slain upon your 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: All you 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, the weapon of one anointed with oil (the Heb. kelî "weapons" being read instead of belî in the first edition of the Hebrew Bible, 1488, and the Syr. and Arabic Versions and Chaldee paraphrase).
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: All you 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, you were slain in your high places.
26: I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant have you been to me: your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
27: How is it that mighty ones have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”
B C¹ 2:1-4:12. The Kingdom. Divided. C² 5:1-24:25. The Kingdom. United.
C¹ A 2:1-11. Followers. Accessions. B 2:12-32. Conflicts. Military. A 3:1-39. Followers. Defections. B 4:1-12. Conflicts. Personal.
A c 1-3. David goes to Hebron. d e 4-. David anointed over house of Judah. f -4-7. Those who followed David. d e 8-10-. Ish-bosheth anointed over Israel. f -10. Those who followed David. c 11. David reigns in Hebron.
2)
1: And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the Lord (Yehovah) (probably by Urim and Thummim, in the breastplate of Abiathar the High Priest, who was with David [1 Sam.22:20]), saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord (Yehovah) said to him, “Go up.” And David said, “To which place shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.”
2: So David went up to that place, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.
3: And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4: And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah (aged 30 years. See 1 Sam.16:13).
And they told David, saying, “That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul.”
5: And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “Blessed be you all of the Lord (Yehovah), that you all have showed this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.
8: But Abner (= father of light) the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ish-bosheth (= man of shame: i.e. the idol "Baal". In 1 Chron.8:33 = Esh-baal) the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
9: And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
960 to 958 B.C.
10: Ish-bosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years.
But the house of Judah followed David.
960 B.C.
11: And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
B g 12-14. Abner and Joab. Colloquy. h 15-17. Conflict ensues. i 18-25. Pursuit. Asahel's death. g 26,27. Abner and Joab. Colloquy. h 28. Conflict ended. i 29-32. Return. Asahel's burial.
12: And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13: And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon (Abner's city, in Benjamin [1 Chron.8:29,30; 9:35,36]): and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.
14: And Abner said to Joab, “Let the common soldiers now arise, and make sport before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”
15: Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16: And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim (= field of rock), which is in Gibeon.
17: And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
18: And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as one of the gazelles which are in the field.
19: And Asahel (= made by God) pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20: Then Abner looked behind him, and said, “Are you Asahel?” And he answered, I am.
21: And Abner said to him, “Turn you aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay you hold on one of the young men, and take you his armour.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.
22: And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn you aside from following me: why should I smite you to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother?”
23: However he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still (i.e. with horror at the sight).
24: Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25: And the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.
26: Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour for ever? know you not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, before you bid the people return from following their brethren?”
27: And Joab said, “As Elohim lives, unless you have spoken the words which caused the provocation, surely then in the morning the People had gone up every one from following his brother.”
28: So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the People stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.
29: And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron (= the ravine), and they came to Mahanaim (= two camps).
30: And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the People together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.
31: But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.
32: And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.
A j 1-. House of David. k -1. House of Saul. l 2-5. Sons of David. k 6-11. House of Saul. j 12-39. House of David.
960 to 953 B.C.
3)
1: Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David:
but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
2: And to David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon (= faithful), of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
3: And his second, Chileab (= like his father), of Abigail the wife of Nabal (Fig., by which Abigail is still so called by way of explanation. see 1 Sam.30:5) the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom (= father of peace. Born in Jubilee year, 958-957. Hence his name) the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;
4: And the fourth, Adonijah (= my Lord is Yehovah) the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah (= judged by Yehovah) the son of Abital;
5: And the sixth, Ithream (= abundance of people), by Eglah David's wife (probably added, parenthetically, to idicate his first wife). These were born to David in Hebron.
k m 6. Abner. Strong. n 7. Ish-bosheth. Wrath with Abner. m 8-10. Abner. Wrath. n 11. Ish-bosheth. Fear of Abner.
6: And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.
7: And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah (= a hot stone), the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in unto my father's concubine?”
8: Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, “Am I a dog's head, which against Judah do show kindness this day to the house of Saul your father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hand of David, that you charge me today with a iniquity concerning this woman?
9: So do God (Elohim) to Abner, and more also, except, according as the Lord (Yehovah) has sworn to David, even so I do to him;
10: To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba.”
11: And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.
j o 12. Abner's overtures to David. p 13-16. Return of Michal to David. o 17-19. Abner's overtures to Israel. p 20-39. Return of Abner to David.
12: And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “Whose is the land?” saying also, “Make your covenant with me, and, behold, my hand shall be with you, to bring about all Israel to you.”
13: And he said, “Good; I will make a league with yo: but one thing I require of you, that is, You shall not see my face, except you first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face.”
14: And David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Saul's son, saying, “Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred foreskins of the Philistines.”
15: And Ish-bosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from Phaltiel the son of Laish.
16: And her husband went with her weeping as he went behind her to Bahurim. Then said Abner to him, “Go, return.” And he returned.
17: And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel (i.e the other tribes), saying, “You all sought for David in times past to be king over you:
18: Now then act: for the Lord (Yehovah) has spoken of David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David I will save My People Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.’ ”
19: And Abner also spoke in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.
p q 20. Feasting. r 21-26. Treatment of Abner. s 27-34. Death of Abner. Joab guilty. q 35,36. Fasting. r 37. Treatment of Abner. s 38,39. Death of Abner. David innocent.
20: So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.
21: And Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a league with you, and that you may reign over all that your soul desires.” And David let Abner go; and he went in peace.
22: And, Behold, the servants of David and Joab came from making a raid, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.
23: When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has sent him away, and he is gone in peace.”
24: Then Joab came to the king, and said, “What have you done? behold, Abner came to you; why is it that you have sent him away, and he is quite gone? (The evil spirit of jealousy rears its ugly head again)
25: You know Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive you, and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you do.” (This is a lie)
26: And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not. (He did this behind David's back)
s v 27. Retaliation of Joab. w 28,29. David's imprecation. v 30. Retaliation of Joab. w 31-34. David's lamentation.
27: And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. (This was murder. Abner was not worthy in this retaliation. He tried to prevent this )
28: And afterward when David heard it, he said, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before Yehovah for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner (Heb. = bloods. Fig., = much or noble blood):
29: Let it recoil on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that has an issue, or that is a leper (see Judg.11:31), or that leans on a staff, or that falls on the sword (Fig., put for death by executioner; or in war: commonly used where quilt of some kind is involved), or that lacks bread. (7 fold curse. He had to pass this sentance as a rightful ruler)
30: So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner (= murdered), because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle. (Cp. 2:13. Killing in a battle is NOT murder)
31: And David said to Joab, and to all the People that were with him, “Tear your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And king David himself followed the bier (Heb. mittah, a bed; see 4:7, and cp. Ex.8:3. The poor man's couch by day was his bed by night, and sometimes his bier [= a framework on which a coffin is laid before burial]).
32: And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.
33: And the king lamented over Abner, and said, “Died Abner as a fool dies? (i.e. running into needless danger)
34: Your hands were not bound (i.e. as a malfactor. Cp. 1 Sam.25:25,26), nor your feet put into fetters: as a man falls before wicked men, so fell you.” And all the People wept again over him. (He was not considering him for murder)
35: And when all the People came to cause David to eat food while it was yet day, David sware, saying, “So do Elohim to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, till the sun be down.” (To show he was in mourning)
36: And all the People took notice of it, and it was good in their eyes: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
37: For all the People and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.
38: And the king said to his servants, “Know not you all that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?
39: And I am this day weak (tender, emotional. Kin are supposed to love one another. Jealousy will destroy), though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the Lord (Yehovah) shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.” (Cp. 1 Kings 2:5,6)