2 Samuel 1:23

1:23 Saul and Jonathan were greatly loved ¹  during their lives,

and not even in their deaths were they separated.

They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.

2 Samuel 1:1

David Learns of the Deaths of Saul and Jonathan

1:1 After the death of Saul, ²  when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, ³  he stayed at Ziklag ⁴  for two days.

2 Samuel 11:22-24

11:22 So the messenger departed. When he arrived, he informed David of all the news that Joab had sent with him. 11:23 The messenger said to David, “The men overpowered us and attacked us ⁵  in the field. But we forced them to retreat all the way ⁶  to the door of the city gate. 11:24 Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall and some of the king’s soldiers ⁷  died. Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.”

2 Samuel 12:8

12:8 I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives into your arms. ⁸  I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well!

[1:23]  ¹ tn Heb “beloved and dear.”

[1:1]  ² sn This chapter is closely linked to 1 Sam 31. It should be kept in mind that 1 and 2 Samuel were originally a single book, not separate volumes. Whereas in English Bible tradition the books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and Ezra-Nehemiah are each regarded as two separate books, this was not the practice in ancient Hebrew tradition. Early canonical records, for example, counted them as single books respectively. The division into two books goes back to the Greek translation of the OT and was probably initiated because of the cumbersome length of copies due to the Greek practice (unlike that of Hebrew) of writing vowels. The present division into two books can be a little misleading in terms of perceiving the progression of the argument of the book; in some ways it is preferable to treat the books of 1-2 Samuel in a unified fashion.

[1:1]  ³ sn The Amalekites were a nomadic people who inhabited Judah and the Transjordan. They are mentioned in Gen 36:15-16 as descendants of Amalek who in turn descended from Esau. In Exod 17:8-16 they are described as having acted in a hostile fashion toward Israel as the Israelites traveled to Canaan from Egypt. In David’s time the Amalekites were viewed as dangerous enemies who raided, looted, and burned Israelite cities (see 1 Sam 30).

[1:1]  ⁴ sn Ziklag was a city in the Negev which had been given to David by Achish king of Gath. For more than a year David used it as a base from which he conducted military expeditions (see 1 Sam 27:5-12). According to 1 Sam 30:1-19, Ziklag was destroyed by the Amalekites while Saul fought the Philistines.

[11:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “and came out to us.”

[11:23]  ⁶ tn Heb “but we were on them.”

[11:24]  ⁷ tc The translation follows the Qere (“your servants”) rather than the Kethib (“your servant”).

[12:8]  ⁸ tn Heb “and the wives of your lord into your chest [or “lap”].” The words “I put” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons and for clarification.