= 2 Samuel 1 * Please see [[nsv:license|License]] for Copyright notice and Licensing information. * [ [[1_Samuel_31|Previous]] | [[2_Samuel_2|Next]] ] == 2 Samuel 1 1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; 2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? 6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. 8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. 10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord. 11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. 13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. 14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord's anointed? 15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. 16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord's anointed. 17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: 18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) 19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! 20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. 22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. 23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! == Notes == Cross Reference == Commentary == Rashi ==== Verse 2 Behold a man came from the camp. The Pesikta¹Pesikta Rabosi 12,9. brings an opinion that this man is Doeig,²Doeig HaEdomi is first mentioned in Shmuel 1,21:8. but the explanation is indefensible in my heart.³It is clear from Shmuel 1, 22:18 that Shaul knew Doeig. Therefore, if in fact this man is Doeig, why did Shaul have to ask later in v. 8, “Who are you?” (Seder Hadoros, p. 102). ==== Verse 9 I am gripped with convulsions. I am gripped with convulsions.⁴This is Targum Yonasan’s translation. The Midrash Aggadah⁵Tanchuma Metzoro 2. explains that this⁶Shaul’s death in this manner was retribution for that sin. occurred because of Shaul's sin of killing the Kohanim⁷Of the city of Nov, see Shmuel 1,22:18. as it is written concerning them,⁸The Kohanim in general. "a checkered shirt."⁹Vayikra, 28:4 lists the כתנת תשבץ as one of the garments worn by the Kohanim. Both the word הַּשְׁבֵּץ there and the word הַשָּׁבָץ here share the same three letters, ש־ב־ץ. While I am still alive. Hurry and kill me. I prefer that you kill me and not they¹⁰The Pelishtim. kill and torture me.¹¹Prior to my death. ==== Verse 10 And the bracelet that was on his arm. The tefilin that was on his arm.¹²This is Targum Yonasan’s translation. He refuses to explain it to literally mean bracelet because that would have been taken by the Pelishtim as part of the spoils of war (Meam Loez). ==== Verse 16 Your blood is on your own head. The responsibility for your death rests on your own head.¹³This is Targum Yonasan’s translation. There is no one to punish for your death but yourself. ==== Verse 18 He said, "To teach the Bnei Yehudah archery. David said, "Now that mighty among Yisroel have fallen, the Bnei Yehudah need to be taught how to make war and how to pull back a bow. Behold it is written in the Seifer HaYoshor. This is written in Seifer Bereishis, which is the Seifer of the righteous,¹⁴Rashi is citing the opinion of Rav Yochonon in Avodah Zarah, 25a. Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov. And where [In Bereishis] is it hinted at? "Your hand will be on the neck of your enemies."¹⁵Bereishis 49:8. What type of warfare is it where he places his hand next to his forehead,¹⁶When pulling back the string of his bow. Rashi in Avodah Zarah, ibid writes the archer places his hand next to his eyes. This is how they sight their targets. which is opposite his neck?¹⁷This interpretation reads the verse in Bereishis differently: “your hand will be on your neck.” See Marsho, Avodah Zarah ibid. One must say: this is archery. ==== Verse 19 Pillar of Yisroel, on your heights [you have been rendered] a corpse. Pillars of Yisroel, on the mightiest point of your stronghold you have fallen as corpses. This is Yonasan's translation. ==== Verse 21 Mountains in Gilboa. The mountains in Gilboa. Nor fields [yielding enough for] baking offerings. There will be no harvest among [the fields] that have the amount [that necessitates] making the baking offering.¹⁸If one prepares the amount of omer’s worth of dough then one must take off a portion of the mixture and give it to a kohein, see Shelach 15,20. An omer is the equivalent of forty-three and one-fifth eggs by volume. Because there, the shield of soldiers spit out. They had shields made of skins and when they went to war, they smeared them with oil so that a weapon hitting [the shield] should slip [off of it]. As it is said [in Scriptures] "Get up officers, smear [your] shield with oil. And here this is what the Lamentation means, "There, the shield of soldiers spit out," it spit out its oil and [the oil] did not stick to it and rendered [the shield] as if it wasn't smeared with oil. All [uses of the word] הַגְעָלָה is a language of rejecting what had been put into it as [we find] "His oxen will impregnate, [the seed] will not be rejected." ==== Verse 22 Would not be pulled back. Was not used to being pulled back.¹⁹Without hitting Yohanasan’s targets, thereby spilling his enemies’ blood and cutting through their fat. ==== Verse 23 They were lighter then eagles. To do the will of their Creator.²⁰Rashi is paraphrasing Pirkei Avos 5,23. ==== Verse 24 Who has clothed you in scarlet clothing together with other delights. That clothed you in coloured garments and loaded you with delights. ==== Verse 25 On your heights, you were slain. On your strong point you have been killed. ==== Verse 27 The weapons of war. [Referring to] Shaul and Yohanasan who were Yisroel's weapons.