John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 1:11
When David took hold on his clothes ,.... Not on the young man's but his own: and rent them ; on bearing of the death of Saul and Jonathan, see Genesis 37:34 ; from whence the Jews F12 T. Bab. Moed. Katon, fol. 26. 1. gather, that a man is bound to rend his clothes for a prince, and for the father of the sanhedrim, since Saul, they say, was the prince, and Jonathan the father of that court: and likewise all the men that were with him ; rent their clothes also, in imitation... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 1:11-16
Here is, I. David's reception of these tidings. So far was he from falling into a transport of joy, as the Amalekite expected, that he fell into a passion of weeping, rent his clothes (2 Sam. 1:11), mourned and fasted (2 Sam. 1:12), not only for his people Israel and Jonathan his friend but for Saul his enemy. This he did, not only as a man of honour, in observance of that decorum which forbids us to insult over those that are fallen, and requires us to attend our relations to the grave with... read more