2 Samuel 1:1-12 Meaning: Why David Waited Two Days
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Meaning in one sentence
David's response to Saul's death: grief not gloating. He trusted God's timing and honored the Lord's anointed despite Saul's enmity.
Context
First and Second Samuel were originally one continuous book. Here the narrator picks up the story right after David's victory over the Amalekites who had raided Ziklag. David has returned to the ruined town and settled in for two days. While he waits, a messenger arrives from the battlefront on Mount Gilboa with torn clothes and dust on his head, a sign of mourning. He brings news that the Israelite army has fled, many have fallen, and both Saul and Jonathan are dead. The passage sets up David's transition to kingship, but its main concern is David's heart in the moment he hears what he has long awaited and long dreaded.
Key Words
Two Hebrew words give the Amalekite's story away. The rare word shavatz appears only here in the Old Testament. It means something like a cramp or sudden seizure, translated as 'anguish' in many versions. The messenger puts this word in Saul's mouth to make his tale sound authentic. The second word is the verb behind 'I happened by chance', nikra nikreiti, a doubled form that emphasises the accidental meeting. He wants David to believe he stumbled onto Saul by luck. But the real story, given in 1 Samuel 31, says Saul fell on his own sword. The Amalekite's colourful details are a fabrication. What matters is how David responds: not by rewarding the tale but by grieving the truth, that the Lord's anointed has fallen.
How Christians Read This Verse
Across Christian traditions, commentators agree that the Amalekite was lying. Adam Clarke (Methodist) calls his account 'a gross self-contradictory fabrication.' Barnes (Protestant) says he was a plunderer of the slain who found Saul's crown and invented a story to win David's favour. Matthew Henry (Reformed) focuses on David's grief: he did not rejoice at the death of his enemy but wept and fasted. These readings all highlight the same point: David's reverence for God's anointed trumped any personal relief. The passage challenges every reader to examine their own heart when an adversary falls.
A common misunderstanding
A common mistake is to accept the Amalekite’s story at face value and assume Saul asked to be killed. In fact, 1 Samuel 31 gives the inspired account: Saul took his own sword and fell on it. The messenger’s tale is a lie meant to gain reward. David recognised this, or at least saw that killing the Lord’s anointed was a crime. He mourned Saul sincerely rather than celebrating his enemy’s death.
Living This Out
This week you may receive news about someone who has opposed you, a colleague laid off, a rival exposed, a critic silenced. Your first reaction might be relief or even satisfaction. The passage asks you to wait like David did, and then to grieve if grief is called for. Not fake sorrow, but honest recognition that every person is made in God's image, and every death is a loss. You do not have to pretend the relationship was something it was not. But you can choose not to celebrate. You can trust God to sort out justice while you keep your heart soft.
Main takeaway: David mourned his enemy and honored God's anointed, trusting that God would establish His kingdom in His own time.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
David was very sad when he heard that King Saul died. He cried and did not eat. He showed love even to someone who had been mean to him.
For ages 9, 12
When David heard that Saul died, he tore his clothes and wept. Even though Saul had chased him and tried to kill him, David honored Saul as God's chosen king. This shows us that we can be sad for people who have hurt us, because every person matters to God. David trusted God to handle what was unfair, so he could mourn without bitterness.
Questions People Ask
Why did David wait two days in Ziklag before hearing about Saul's death?
The two days probably reflect the time it took for news to travel from Mount Gilboa to Ziklag. The narrator records this detail to show that David was staying in a place of recent tragedy (his own town had been burned) while events unfolded elsewhere. He wasn't rushing toward the throne; he was simply waiting, and the news came to him.
Did the Amalekite really kill Saul, or was he lying?
Most commentators agree he was lying. First Samuel 31 says Saul fell on his own sword after his armor bearer refused to kill him. The Amalekite likely found Saul's body on the battlefield, took the crown and bracelet, and invented a story to make himself look important to David. His tale has contradictions and details that don't match the earlier account.
Why did David mourn for Saul when Saul had tried to kill him many times?
David saw Saul as the Lord's anointed, a man chosen by God to be king. Even though Saul had turned against him, David never stopped honoring the position. He also grieved for his dear friend Jonathan, for the defeat of Israel, and for the tragedy of a king who had started well but ended badly. His grief was real and complex.
What does 'the Lord's anointed' mean in this passage?
It refers to someone set apart by God for a special role, here King Saul. In ancient Israel, prophets poured oil on a person's head to mark them as chosen by God. David used this phrase earlier when he refused to kill Saul in the cave (1 Samuel 24:6). For David, harming the Lord's anointed was not just a political crime but a sin against God himself.
Why did David execute the messenger who brought the news?
In verses 13-16, David declares the man guilty of killing the Lord's anointed. The messenger claimed to have killed Saul, whether truthfully or falsely. David held him accountable for that claim. By executing him, David showed that he would not benefit from Saul's death, and he publicly honored God's authority over the throne. It was a statement of integrity.
For pastors & researchers
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