2 Samuel 1:11-12

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

John Gill

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 1:12

And they mourned and wept ,.... Inwardly mourned, and outwardly wept, no doubt sincerely: and fasted until even ; ate no food all that day until it was evening, the manner in which fasts used to be kept: for Saul, and for Jonathan his son ; it is no wonder that David and his men should mourn for Jonathan, a good man, and a valiant one, and a dear and faithful friend of David's; but it may seem not so clear a thing that they should, mourn for Saul, a wicked man, and a persecutor of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 1:11-12

( ZIKLAG .) Unselfish grief. "They mourned, and wept" ( 2 Samuel 1:12 ). Few things are more remarkable in the character of David than the generosity which he displayed with respect to Saul. He once and again spared his life; and, instead of rejoicing, he was overwhelmed with grief at his death. He entirely lost sight of any advantage which it promised to himself, in his sorrow over the disaster which befell the king, his sons, and the people of Israel. We have here— I. THE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 1:11-27

The facts of the section are: 1 . Having become assured, through the testimony of the Amalekite, of the defeat of Israel in the death of Saul and Jonathan, David and his men spent the rest of the day in mourning. 2 . On the morrow David examines the Amalekite as to the particulars of Saul's death, and being shocked at the sin and shame of slaying the Lord's anointed, he condemns the man to death. 3 . Being left to his own reflections on the sad event which had happened to Israel,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 1:12

They mourned, and wept, and fasted. The sight of Saul's royal insignia was clear proof of Israel's disaster; and this sorrow of David and his men shows how true their hearts were to their country, and how unbearable would have been their position had not the prudence of the Philistine lords extricated them from the difficulty in which they had been placed by David's want of faith. But David had other reasons besides patriotism for sorrow. Personally he had lost the truest of friends, and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Samuel 1:12

For Saul ... - David’s thoroughly patriotic and unselfish character is strongly marked here. He looked upon the death of Saul, and the defeat of Israel by a pagan foe, with unmixed sorrow, though it opened to him the way to the throne, and removed his mortal enemy out of the way. For Jonathan he mourned with all the tenderness of a loving friend. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 2 Samuel 1:12

2 Samuel 1:12. They mourned and wept, and fasted This is an evident instance of the disinterestedness and tenderness of David’s heart, in that he could not forbear bewailing this melancholy end of Saul, though he was his bitter enemy, and sought his life. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 1:1-27

1:1-4:12 CIVIL WAR AFTER SAUL’S DEATHMourning for Saul and Jonathan (1:1-27)David learnt of Saul’s death from one of Saul’s own men, an Amalekite who had become a citizen of Israel (1:1-4; see v. 13). The man clearly thought that by adding a few details to the story and by bringing Saul’s crown to David, he could win David’s favour (5-10; cf. 4:10).As long as Saul lived, David had regarded him as the Lord’s anointed king and had consistently refused to harm him (cf. 1 Samuel 24:6; 1 Samuel... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 2 Samuel 1:11

men. Hebrew. 'enosh. App-14 , read more

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