2 Samuel 1:1--3:5
David ........ he <01732> [when David.]
Ziklag <06860> [Ziklag.]
third <07992> [the third.]
man <0376> [a man.]
clothes <0899> [clothes.]
dirt <0127> [and earth.]
[See on]
threw <05307> [he fell.]
coming <0935> [From.]
escaped <04422> [am I.]
How ... things <04100 01697> [How went. Heb. What was, etc.]
people ......... them <05971> [the people.]
know <03045> [How knowest.]
happened <07136> [As I happened.]
The story of this young man appears to be wholly a fiction, formed for the purpose of ingratiating himself with David, as the next probable successor to the crown. There is no fact in the case, except for the bringing of the diadem and bracelets of Saul, as a sufficient evidence of his death, which, as he appears to been a plunderer of the slain, he seems to have stripped from the dead body of the unfortunate monarch. It is remarkable, that Saul, who had forfeited his crown by his disobedience and ill-timed clemency with respect to the Amalekites, should now have the insignia of royalty stripped from his person by one of those very people.
Mount <02022> [mount.]
Saul <07586> [Saul.]
[Here am I. Heb. Behold me.]
Amalekite <06003> [an Amalekite.]
dizzy <07661> [anguish, etc. or, my coat of mail, or, my embroidered coat hindereth me, that my, etc.]
death <04191> [slew.]
crown <05145> [crown.]
bracelet <0685> [bracelet.]
This was probably worn as an ensign of royalty, as is frequently the case in the East. When the Khalif Cayem Bemrillah granted the investiture of certain dominions to an Eastern prince, the ceremony was performed by sending him letters patent, a crown, chain, and bracelets. The bracelet, says Mr. Morier, are ornaments fastened above the elbows, composed of precious stones of great value, and are only worn by the king and his sons.
tore <07167> [rent.]
<0582> [likewise.]
afraid <03372> [How.]
reach out <07971> [stretch forth.]
Come <05066> [Go near.]
blood <01818> [Thy blood.]
mouth <06310> [mouth.]
chanted <06969> [lamented.]
taught <03925> [teach.]
Bow <07198> [bow.]
{Kasheth,} or the bow, was probably the title of the following threnody; so called, in the oriental style, because Saul's death was occasioned by that weapon, and because the bow of Jonathan, out of which "the arrow was shot beyond the lad," (1 Sa 20:36,) is celebrated in this song.
Book <05612> [the book.]
Yashar <03477> [Jasher. or, the upright.]
So LXX. [ ;] Targum, {siphra deooritha,} "the book of the law;" the Arabic, "the book of Ashee: this is the book of Samuel." This book was probably a collection of divine odes, written to commemorate remarkable events.
beauty <06643> [beauty.]
mighty <01368> [how are.]
report <05046> [Tell.]
Philistines <06430> [Philistines.]
uncircumcised <06189> [uncircumcised.]
mountains <02022> [mountains.]
dew <02919> [no dew.]
grain offerings <08641> [offerings.]
neglected <04899> [not.]
Instead of {belee,} "not," we should probably, with Dr. Delaney and others, read {keley,} "weapons," as it is found on one MS. and in the first edition of the Hebrew Bible, printed at Soncini, 1488: "the shield of Saul; the weapons of the anointed with oil."
neglected <04899> [anointed.]
bow <07198> [the bow.]
during <05273> [pleasant. or, sweet.]
separated .... swifter .... stronger <06504 07043 01396> [they were.]
swifter <07043> [swifter.]
stronger <01396> [stronger.]
warriors <01368> [How.]
[thou was.]
love ......... love <0160> [thy love.]
warriors <01368> [How are.]
weapons <03627> [weapons.]
inquired <07592> [enquired.]
Hebron <02275> [Hebron.]
<0582> [his men.]
cities <05892> [the cities.]
Judah .............. Judah <03063 0582> [the men of Judah.]
anointed <04886> [anointed.]
Jabesh <03003 0582> [the men of Jabesh-gilead.]
David <01732> [David.]
This was a generous and noble act, highly indicative of the grandeur of David's mind. He respected Saul, though he had been greatly injured by him, as the anointed king of Israel, and once his legitimate sovereign; and he loved Jonathan as his most intimate friend.
blessed <01288> [Blessed.]
Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
may ................ done <06213> [I also.]
valiant <03027> [let your.]
valiant <01121> [valiant. Heb. the sons of valour.]
Abner <074> [Abner.]
[Saul's host. Heb. the host which was Saul's. Ish-bosheth.]
[Esh-baal. Mahanaim.]
Gilead <01568> [Gilead.]
Geshurites <0805> [Ashurites.]
The LXX. read [ ,] {Thasiri;} and the Vulgate {Gessuri,} "Geshurites;" but it is probable that for {ashuri,} "Ashurites," we should read {ashairi,} "Asherites," or those of the tribe of Asher.
Jezreel <03157> [over Jezreel.]
years ............ two years <08141 08147> [two years.]
Houbigant proposes to read {shesh shanah,} "six years" instead of {shetayim shanim,} "two years," of the text, which he contends is a solecism; for, in pure Hebrew, the words should be {shetayim shanah;} and this is the reading of twenty MSS.; but two is acknowledged by all the versions and MSS. yet collated.
<04557> [time. Heb. number of days.]
Mahanaim <04266> [A.M. 2951. B.C. 1053. An. Ex. Is. 438. Mahanaim.]
Gibeon <01391> [Gibeon.]
Joab <03097> [Joab.]
group <03162> [together. Heb. them together. pool.]
fight before <06440 07832> [play before.]
<07218> [by the head.]
Probably by the beard or hair of the head. Plutarch, in his Apophthegms, informs us, that all things being ready for a battle, Alexander's captains asked him whether he had any thing else to command them. "Nothing," said he, "but that the Macedonians shave their beards." Parmenio wondering what he meant, "Dost thou not know," said he, "that in fight, there is no better hold than the beard?"
Field of Flints <02521> [Helkath-hazzurim. that is, the field of strong men.]
Abner <074> [Abner.]
three <07969> [three.]
quick <07031> [was as light.]
feet <07272> [foot. Heb. his feet. a wild roe. Heb. one of the roes that is in the field.]
[The word {tzevee,} rather denotes the gazelle or antelope.]
(See note on De 15:22.)
turning <05186> [turned.]
Abner ............. followed Abner <074 0310> [following Abner. Heb. after Abner.]
take ... equipment <03947 02488> [and take thee.]
It seems that Asahel wished to get the armour of Abner as a trophy.
equipment <02488> [armour. or, spoil.]
strike <05221> [wherefore.]
show <05375> [how then.]
abdomen ........ spear ... spear <02570 02595> [the fifth rib.]
respect <05975> [stood still.]
sword .................. tell <02719 0559> [Shall.]
sword <02719> [sword.]
bitter <04751> [it will be.]
tell <0559> [how long.]
God <0430> [As God.]
This was spoken in allusion to the proposal of Abner, (ver. 14,) which led to the slaughter of twelve young men of each party, and thus provoked the battle. It is probable, that Joab had orders simply to act on the defensive, and would not have attacked the Israelites that day unless compelled; therefore the blame lay upon Abner and Israel.
not <03884> [unless.]
morning <01242> [in the morning. Heb. from the morning. gone up. or, gone away.]
Bitron <01338> [Bithron.]
Bithron or Bether is probably the same as {Betarus,} which is placed in the Antonine Itinerary between Caesarea of Palestine and Diospolis or Lydda, 18 miles from the former, and 22 from the latter. The Jerusalem Itinerary mentions a place called Bethar, 16 miles from Caesarea, and 20 from Diospolis, which is probably the same. The Talmudists say that it was four miles distant from the sea.
[Bether. Mahanaim.]
360 <03967 07969> [three hundred.]
The slain of Israel, though greatly exceeding those of Judah, were not great. This might be owing to the directions given by David, to be as lenient as possible; but the death of Asahel seems to have stopped the pursuers, and greatly favoured the escape of the vanquished.
buried <06912> [buried.]
<03212> [went.]
war ... prolonged <04421 0752> [long war.]
house ...... house ........... house <01004> [between.]
David David ... becoming steadily ......... becoming increasingly <01980 01732> [David waxed.]
sons ... born <03205 01121> [sons born.]
Amnon <0550> [Amnon.]
Ahinoam <0293> [Ahinoam.]
Kileab <03609> [Chileab.]
[Daniel. Abigail.]
Absalom <053> [Absalom.]
Talmai <08526> [Talmai.]
Geshur <01650> [Geshur.]
Adonijah <0138> [Adonijah.]
