2 Samuel 1:1

SECOND SAMUEL

THE FALSE REPORT OF SAUL'S DEATH AND DAVID'S LAMENT FOR SAUL AND JONATHAN

There is no need for an introduction here, because the introduction for both First Samuel and Second Samuel was included in my commentary on First Samuel. The books were originally one volume, but due to the cumbersome size of the ancient rolls upon which books were inscribed, Samuel was divided into two rolls.

THE FALSE REPORT OF SAUL'S DEATH

"After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag; and on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes and earth upon his head. And when he came to David he fell down and did obeisance. David said to him, "Where do you come from"? And he said to him, "I have escaped from the camp of Israel." And David said to him, "How did it go? Tell me." And he answered, "The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead." Then said David to the young man who told him, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead"? And the young man who told him said, "By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa; and there was Saul leaning upon his spear; and lo, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered `Here I am.' And he said to me, `Who are you'? I answered him, `I am an Amalekite.' And he said to me, `Stand by me and slay me; for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.' So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen; and I took the crown which was on his head and the armlet which was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord."

Critics who seem to be searching for things which they can call "contradictions" in the Bible have complained that this report of Saul's death "is impossible to reconcile with the account in First Samuel."[1] This is no problem whatever, because, as Willis stated, "The Amalekite's report was a deliberate lie. What actually happened is recorded in 1 Samuel 31, and this paragraph reports what the Amalekite told David."[2] A similar so-called "contradiction" is in Genesis, where God said, "Ye shall surely die" (Genesis 2:17) and Satan said, "Ye shall NOT surely die" (Genesis 3:4). A lie always contradicts the truth.

The Amalekite's possession of Saul's crown and the armlet did not "prove" the truth of his falsehood. "The man probably had found Saul after he had died and before the Philistines returned to strip the slain."[3] "Every army is followed by vagabonds, intent on gain, purchasing booty, looting or plundering wherever possible and carrying on a lucrative, illicit trade."[4] It was F. C. Cook's opinion that this Amalekite was actually one of those who came to strip the slain on the day AFTER the battle and that he had the luck to find Saul still with his crown and armlet."[5] To this writer, this opinion seems to be the most likely true answer as to the identity of that Amalekite.

There are only four examples of suicide in the entire Bible: (1) that of Saul; (2) that of Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23); (3) that of Zimri (1 Kings 16:18); and (4) that of Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27:5).[6]

One item in the Amalekite's story is clearly a fact. He did take the crown from Saul's head and the armlet from his arm. What an irony there is in this, "That an Amalekite took the crown from Saul's head that he had forfeited by his disobedience of God's commandment to slay King Agag the Amalekite![7]

"And there was Saul leaning upon his spear" (2 Samuel 1:6). Due to the great length of a spear as compared with that of a sword, this statement alone is sufficient to prove that the Amalekite was a liar. Leaning on a spear would hardly be attempted by anyone trying to kill himself, especially if he also had a sword. Keil properly identified this statement in 2 Samuel 1:6 as evidently, "an improbability, an untruth."[8]