II Samuel 1:1-12 · Bible study
2 Samuel 1:1-12 Commentary: David Hears of Saul's Death
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Analyze the narrative and theological significance of the timing and David's response to the news of Saul and Jonathan's death.
Research Summary
- Meaning: David receives word of Saul and Jonathan’s death while in Ziklag, responding with genuine grief despite the political advantage.
- Key words: Ziklag (David’s city), Amalekite (traditional enemy), shavats (anguish, a hapax), crown and bracelet (royal insignia).
- Main debate: The accuracy of the Amalekite’s story; most commentators view it as fabricated to gain favor, contradicting 1 Sam 31.
- Theological theme: Honoring God’s anointed, the sovereignty of God in David’s rise, and the integrity of grief without political calculation.
- Best use: Teaching on character, truthfulness, and how to respond to the downfall of enemies; a model of lament for national tragedy.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1After the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.
2On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head arrived from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him homage.
3“Where have you come from?” David asked. “I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he replied.
4“What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” “The troops fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”
5Then David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
6“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.
7When he turned around and saw me, he called out and I answered, ‘Here I am!’
8‘Who are you?’ he asked. So I told him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for agony has seized me, but my life still lingers.’
10So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
11Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.
12They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
WEB World English Bible 2000
1After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag,
2on the third day, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the earth and showed respect.
3David said to him, “Where do you come from?” He said to him, “I have escaped out of the camp of Israel.”
4David said to him, “How did it go? Please tell me.” He answered, “The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead. Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”
5David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
6The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind him.
7When he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’
8He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’
9He said to me, ‘Please stand beside me, and kill me, for anguish has taken hold of me because my life lingers in me.’
10So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”
11Then David took hold on his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did likewise.
12They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Yahweh, and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
KJV King James Version 1769
1Now 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;
2It 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.
3And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
4And 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.
5And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
6And 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.
7And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
8And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
9He 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.
10So 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.
11Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
12And 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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1And 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;
2it came 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.
3And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
4And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, 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.
5And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
6And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.
7And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
8And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
9And he said unto me, Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and slay me; for anguish hath taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.
10So I stood beside 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.
11Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
12and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And it cometh to pass, after the death of Saul, that David hath returned from smiting the Amalekite, and David dwelleth in Ziklag two days,
2and it cometh to pass, on the third day, that lo, a man hath come in out of the camp from Saul, and his garments are rent, and earth on his head; and it cometh to pass, in his coming in unto David, that he falleth to the earth, and doth obeisance.
3And David saith to him, `Whence comest thou?' and he saith unto him, `Out of the camp of Israel I have escaped.'
4And David saith unto him, `What hath been the matter? declare, I pray thee, to me.' And he saith, that `The people hath fled from the battle, and also a multitude hath fallen of the people, and they die; and also Saul and Jonathan his son have died.'
5And David saith unto the youth who is declaring it to him, `How hast thou known that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?'
6And the youth who is declaring it to him saith, I happened to meet in mount Gilboa, and lo, Saul is leaning on his spear; and lo, the chariots and those possessing horses have followed him;
7and he turneth behind him, and seeth me, and calleth unto me, and I say, Here am I.
8And he saith to me, Who art thou? and I say unto him, An Amalekite I am .'
9`And he saith unto me, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and put me to death, for seized me hath the arrow, for all my soul is still in me.
10And I stand over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he doth not live after his falling, and I take the crown which is on his head, and the bracelet which is on his arm, and bring them in unto my lord hither.'
11And David taketh hold on his garments, and rendeth them, and also all the men who are with him,
12and they mourn, and weep, and fast till the evening, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel, because they have fallen by the sword.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, that David abode two days in Ziklag.
2And it came to pass on the third day, that behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his garments rent, and earth upon his head; and as soon as he came to David, he fell to the earth and did obeisance.
3And David said to him, Whence comest thou? And he said to him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
4And David said to him, What has taken place? I pray thee, tell me. And he said that the people had fled from the battle, and many of the people also had fallen and died, and that Saul and Jonathan his son were dead also.
5And David said to the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
6And the young man that told him said, I happened by chance to be upon mount Gilboa, and behold, Saul leaned on his spear; and behold, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.
7And he looked behind him, and saw me, and called to me. And I said, Here am I.
8And he said to me, Who art thou? And I said to him, I am an Amalekite.
9He said to me again, Stand, I pray thee, over me, and slay me; for anguish has seized me; for my life is yet whole in me.
10So I stood over him, and put him to death, for I knew that he would not live after his fall; and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither to my lord.
11Then David took hold of his garments and rent them; and all the men that were with him [did] likewise.
12And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1Now it came to pass, after Saul was dead, that David returned from the slaughter of the Amalecites, and abode two days in Siceleg.
2And on the third day, there appeared a man who came out of Saul's camp, with his garments rent, and dust strewed on his head: and when he came to David, he fell upon his face, and adored.
3And David said to him: From whence comest thou? And he said to him: I am fled out of the camp of Israel.
4And David said unto him: What is the matter that is come to pass? tell me: 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.
5And David said to the young man that told him: How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son, are dead?
6And the young man that told him, said: I came by chance upon mount Gelboe, and Saul leaned upon his spear: and the chariots and horsemen drew nigh unto him,
7And looking behind him, and seeing me, he called me. And I answered, Here am I.
8And he said to me: Who art thou? And I said to him: I am an Amalecite.
9And he said to me: Stand over me, and kill me: for anguish is come upon me, and as yet my whole life is in me.
10So 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.
11Then David took hold of his garments and rent them, and likewise all the men that were with him.
12And 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.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Samuel 1:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this passage continues the narrative of 1 Samuel without a break. David has just returned to Ziklag after defeating the Amalekites. On the third day a messenger arrives with news of the battle and the death of Saul and Jonathan. The consensus, stated clearly by Adam Clarke, Barnes, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, is that the messenger’s story is a fabrication. The inspired account in 1 Samuel 31 says Saul fell on his own sword. The Amalekite likely found the body, took the crown and bracelet, and invented a tale to win David’s favor. David’s response shows his genuine character: he tears his clothes, mourns, weeps, and fasts until evening. He grieves not only for his friend Jonathan but also for Saul, the Lord’s anointed, and for the whole house of Israel. The passage begins David’s path to the throne not with triumph but with sorrow, underscoring his integrity and his reverence for God’s timing.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The narrative records that David received the news of Saul and Jonathan’s death three days after his return to Ziklag. His response was one of genuine grief and mourning for all who fell. The two days emphasize David’s distance from the battlefield, underscoring his innocence in Saul’s death and positioning him as a passive recipient of God’s providential timing.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The Amalekite’s account of Saul’s death | Commentators agree that the account in 2 Sam 1 contradicts the inspired account in 1 Sam 31 (Saul’s suicide). | Some see the Amalekite as a deliberate liar seeking reward; others suggest he may have found Saul’s body and misconstrued the scene. The consensus favors deliberate fabrication. |
| Meaning of the word ‘shavats’ (anguish) | The term is a hapax legomenon and its exact meaning is uncertain. | Jewish tradition interprets it as cramp or dizziness; the LXX renders it ‘terrible darkness’; modern translations vary. |
| Significance of the two-day waiting period | The two days in Ziklag before the messenger arrives on the third day reflect the realistic travel time from Gilboa. | Some see a theological pattern (third day as turning point); others treat it purely as chronological detail. The supplied commentaries lean toward the geographical explanation. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ziklag was a town in the Negev given to David by Achish of Gath (1 Samuel 27:6). The Amalekites had raided and burned it, but David pursued them and recovered the plunder (1 Samuel 30). The text notes that David stayed in Ziklag for two days after that victory. The battlefield of Gilboa lay about ninety miles north, a journey of two to three days. The arrival on the third day matches that distance. The messenger’s torn clothes and earth on his head are the traditional signs of mourning (compare 1 Samuel 4:12). David’s question “How went the matter?” echoes Eli’s words in 1 Samuel 4:16, linking this moment to an earlier national tragedy.
The Amalekite’s claim that he killed Saul contradicts the report in 1 Samuel 31:4, where Saul falls on his own sword. The Hebrew word for “anguish” in verse 9 is a hapax legomenon, shavats, whose meaning is uncertain. The rabbis understood it as cramp or dizziness; the Septuagint renders it “terrible darkness.” The crown and bracelet the messenger brought were royal insignia, symbols of Saul’s authority. David’s act of tearing his garments follows the custom for expressing grief (Genesis 37:29). The fast until evening was also a standard mourning practice (1 Samuel 31:13).
The two days David spent in Ziklag are more than a travel detail. They show that David was physically and politically distant from Saul’s death. He had no hand in it; the throne comes to him as God’s gift, not by his own scheming. The “third day” also carries a biblical resonance of turning points (Genesis 22:4). This pause gives David time to absorb the news and respond with genuine sorrow, not opportunistic calculation.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants in this passage. The Hebrew text is stable. The only lexical challenge is the hapax legomenon shavats (verse 9), translated as “anguish” or “cramp.” Its meaning is uncertain but does not affect the overall narrative or interpretation.
Reception History
Throughout church history, Christians have seen in David’s response a model of honour toward a fallen enemy. The Amalekite’s lie has been used as a cautionary tale against self-serving speech, and David’s sincere grief has been held up as an example of integrity and compassion. The passage grounds the practice of fasting in mourning and has been cited in discussions of how to respond to the death of a persecutor. The account also reinforces the principle of respecting God’s anointed rulers, even when they fail.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Context of Waiting: David spends two days in Ziklag after his victory over the Amalekites. The pause before the news arrives highlights God’s timing and David’s composure.
- The Content of the Lie: The Amalekite fabricates a story to ingratiate himself with David. His deception is exposed by the earlier inspired account, and it leads to his own death.
- The Character of Grief: David’s response, tearing clothes, weeping, fasting, shows genuine sorrow for Saul and Jonathan, for God’s people, and for the fallen house of Israel. He honors the Lord’s anointed even in death.
Five-point outline
- A Transition in History: The death of Saul ends an era, and David steps into the narrative as the king-elect.
- A Timely Return: David’s victory over the Amalekites and his two-day wait show his innocence in Saul’s death and the providential timing of God.
- A Suspicious Messenger: The Amalekite’s conflicting story reveals his character. His eagerness to claim credit for killing Saul backfires.
- A Sincere Mourning: David grieves for his enemy Saul, his friend Jonathan, and the entire nation. His sorrow is not selective but comprehensive.
- A Faithful Response: David does not seize the throne; he mourns. He models respect for God’s anointed, truthfulness, and patience in God’s plan.
Illustration hooks
- A student waits two days for exam results, unsure whether they passed or failed. The pause builds anticipation and reveals what they truly hope for.
- Someone spins a story to make themselves look good in front of a new boss, only to have the truth come out later. The Amalekite’s lie is a cautionary tale.
- When a person who has harmed you dies, what do you feel? David’s grief for Saul challenges us to examine our own hearts.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why would David mourn for Saul after all the ways Saul tried to kill him?
- Was the Amalekite’s story true? What does this passage teach us about honesty and its consequences?
- What does the timing of the news say about how God orchestrates events in our lives?
- How should we respond when someone who opposed us suffers a downfall?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows us how to process news that is both painful and potentially advantageous. David’s response challenges us to consider our own reactions to the downfall of enemies or rivals. Use these questions to explore the text together.
Discussion questions
- What details does the narrator give about David’s location and the timing of the news? (Observation)
- Compare the Amalekite’s story with 1 Samuel 31:4. What differences do you notice, and why might that matter? (Observation/Interpretation)
- Why does David ask “How do you know?” before the messenger answers? What does this show about David’s wisdom? (Interpretation)
- In verse 11, David and his men tear their clothes. What is the significance of this outward expression? (Interpretation)
- David mourns for Saul, Jonathan, the people of the Lord, and the house of Israel. Why include all these groups? (Interpretation)
- When have you been tempted to embellish a story to gain approval? What can the Amalekite’s fate teach us? (Application)
- How can we cultivate a heart that grieves for the losses of others, even those who have wronged us? (Application)
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 27:6 | Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: therefore Ziklag belongs to the kings of Judah to this day. |
| I Samuel 30:17 | David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped from there, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled. |
| I Samuel 30:26 | When David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, “Behold, a present for you from the plunder of Yahweh’s enemies.” |
| I Samuel 31:6 | So Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men that same day together. |
| Genesis 22:4 | On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off. |
| Genesis 37:7 | for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves came around, and bowed down to my sheaf.” |
| Genesis 37:10 | He told it to his father and to his brothers. His father rebuked him, and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Will I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves down to the earth before you?” |
| Genesis 37:29 | Reuben returned to the pit, and saw that Joseph wasn’t in the pit; and he tore his clothes. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke argues that the young Amalekite's whole story is a fabrication; he plundered Saul's crown and bracelets from the battlefield, then lied about killing the king to win David's favor. He notes the irony that an Amalekite took the crown Saul forfeited by his earlier disobedience concerning Amalek.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes doubts the Amalekite's story, suggesting he found Saul's body and invented the account of killing him. He highlights David's genuine grief, which shows his patriotic and unselfish character. Though Saul's death cleared David's path to the throne, he mourned with unmixed sorrow.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible commentary treats the Amalekite's account as a genuine but embellished report from a battlefield witness, not a complete fabrication. It interprets Saul leaning on his spear as a tragic image of a wounded, weary king awaiting capture, not an attempted suicide. The details of the crown and bracelet confirm David as the rightful successor.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes discrepancies between the Amalekite's account of Saul's death and the earlier report in 1 Samuel 31. He implies the man fabricated the story, hoping to gain David's favor by claiming he killed Saul and brought the crown. David's genuine mourning for his enemy Saul shows his respect for the Lord's anointed.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB identifies the Amalekite's account as a deliberate fabrication, not the true record of Saul's death. David's opening question reveals genuine patriotic concern, not personal ambition, but the Amalekite misread this and invented a story he thought would earn a reward, a fatal miscalculation.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue that David did not execute the Amalekite because he believed the man’s story about killing Saul. Instead, David condemned him based on his own boastful confession, since claiming to have murdered the Lord’s anointed was itself a capital offense, regardless of whether the claim was true.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that although Ziklag was burned, the fire did not consume it completely, so David and his men could still lodge there. He also notes the phrase "third day" marks the time from David's return, and the torn clothes show a mourner's grief.