2 Samuel 1:12 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

NIV: They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

NASB: And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

CSB: They mourned, wept, and fasted until the evening for those who died by the sword—for Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s people, and the house of Israel.

NLT: They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

Second Samuel 1:11–16 describes the fate of a lying Amalekite. His attempt to gain glory earns him the sword instead. Philistine archers had gravely wounded king Saul. Instead of facing mistreatment, he committed suicide (1 Samuel 31:1–4). An Amalekite has come to David with Saul's crown and armband, claiming that he finished Saul off by the king's command (2 Samuel 1:1–10). David orders a soldier to execute the Amalekite for killing the Lord's anointed. David then writes a heartfelt lament for the loss of the king and Jonathan and spreads it throughout Judah (2 Samuel 1:17–27).

An Amalekite tells David that Saul and three of his sons have died in battle against the Philistines. The man lies and says he killed the wounded king at Saul's request. David has him executed for killing the Lord's anointed. David writes a psalm of lament for Saul's and Jonathan's deaths and celebration of their lives as warriors. Soon, David will be king of Judah, but Saul's son Ish-bosheth will be king of the rest of Israel (2 Samuel 2:1–4). David will finally wear the crown of Israel in another seven years (2 Samuel 5:1–5).

David learns his fight with Saul is over. Achish, David's Philistine benefactor, excused David from fighting with him against Saul. Three of Saul's sons died in battle, and the wounded Saul killed himself (1 Samuel 29; 31). David hears the news and mourns the king and his friend Jonathan. David will be king of Judah, but he'll have to fight Saul's son Ish-bosheth and his army commander Abner for another seven years before he's king over all Israel (2 Samuel 2; 2 Samuel 5:1–5).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.