King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 7 notes
1Now 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;
2It 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.
The politicking had begun. Saul was dead, and now people wanted to take up and win favour before the king 👑 through lies 🤥, sycophancy and all means fair and foul.
3And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
4And 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.
5And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
He did not react immediately, because many are tale bearers and liars. So he had to be sure of this information source.
6And 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.
7And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
8And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
9He 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.
10So 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.
So he took some loot for himself even before the Philistines did.
He brought these souvenirs to the new king, with the hope that he will be in the upcoming king's good books, which will likely get him a place in the new kingdom. Politics, hm.
11Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
12And 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.
A strange reaction indeed. David did not let bitterness take a hold of his heart ♥.
He loved Saul through and through, and now that he who had chosen him as his enemy had died, he mourned deeply, and all his men with him.
I wonder the reaction of this informant to David and his men.
Maybe he understood that they likely mourned for the loss that had befallen the nation.
What he likely did not phantom 👻 was that David actually mourned for Saul as well.
This informant's end was near, but he knew it not.
Just as the wicked cannot phantom 👻 the ways of the righteous, also the righteous underestimate the ways of wickedness.
That is why we are admonished by the Lord to be wise as serpents but innocent as doves 🕊
Matthew 10:16 ESV
Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
13And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
14And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?
15And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
16And 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.
17And 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.)
19The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
20Tell 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.
21Ye 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.
So one anointed should not have his shield violently cast away, vilely cast away. There is a protection upon one who is anointed. I am anointed. I am protected.
22From 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.
23Saul 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.
24Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.
26I 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.
Oh, why did Jonathan die? 😭
27How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!