David Hears of Saul's Death

2 Samuel 1

1 Now it came to pass after the a death of Saul, when David had returned from b the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, 2 on the third day, behold, it happened that c a man came from Saul's camp d with his clothes 1 torn and dust on his head. So it was, when he came to David, that he e fell to the ground and prostrated himself. 3 And David said to him, "Where have you come from?" So he said to him, "I have escaped from the camp of Israel." 4 Then David said to him, f "How did the matter go? Please tell me." And he answered, "The people have fled from the battle, many of the people are fallen and dead, and Saul and g Jonathan his son are dead also." 5 So David said to the young man who told him, "How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?" 6 Then the young man who told him said, "As I happened by chance to be on h Mount Gilboa, there was i Saul, leaning on his spear; and indeed the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 "Now when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I answered, 'Here I am.' 8 "And he said to me, 'Who are you?' So I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite.' 9 "He said to me again, 'Please stand over me and kill me, for 2 anguish has come upon me, but my life still remains in me.' 10 "So I stood over him and j killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord."

11 Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and k tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12 And they l mourned and wept and m fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the n people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 Then David said to the young man who told him, "Where are you from?" And he answered, "I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite." 14 So David said to him, "How o was it you were not p afraid to q put forth your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?" 15 Then r David called one of the young men and said, "Go near, and execute him!" And he struck him so that he died. 16 So David said to him, s "Your blood is on your own head, for t your own mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the LORD's anointed.' "

  1. Cross References
    Genesis 50:10
    Then they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, and they mourned there with a great and very solemn lamentation. He observed seven days of mourning for his father.
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 31:6
    So Saul, his three sons, his armorbearer, and all his men died together that same day.
  3. Cross References
    1 Samuel 30:1
    Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire.
    1 Samuel 30:17
    Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.
    1 Samuel 30:26
    Now when David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends, saying, "Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD" -
  4. Cross References
    2 Samuel 4:10
    When someone told me, saying, 'Look, Saul is dead,' thinking to have brought good news, I arrested him and had him executed in Ziklag - the one who thought I would give him a reward for his news.
  5. Cross References
    1 Samuel 4:12
    Then a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line the same day, and came to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
  6. Cross References
    1 Samuel 25:23
    Now when Abigail saw David, she dismounted quickly from the donkey, fell on her face before David, and bowed down to the ground.
  7. Cross References
    1 Samuel 4:16
    Then the man said to Eli, "I am he who came from the battle. And I fled today from the battle line." And he said, "What happened, my son?
    1 Samuel 31:3
    The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was severely wounded by the archers.
  8. Cross References
    1 Samuel 31:2
    Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.
  9. Cross References
    1 Samuel 31:1
    Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
  10. Cross References
    1 Samuel 31:2 - 4
    Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.
  11. Cross References
    Judges 9:54
    Then he called quickly to the young man, his armorbearer, and said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, 'A woman killed him.' " So his young man thrust him through, and he died.
    2 Kings 11:12
    And he brought out the king's son, put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, "Long live the king!
  12. Cross References
    2 Samuel 3:31
    Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner." And King David followed the coffin.
    2 Samuel 13:31
    So the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.
  13. Cross References
    2 Samuel 3:31
    Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner." And King David followed the coffin.
  14. Cross References
    1 Samuel 31:13
    Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.
  15. Cross References
    2 Samuel 6:21
    So David said to Michal, " It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD.
  16. Cross References
    Numbers 12:8
    I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant Moses?
  17. Cross References
    1 Samuel 31:4
    Then Saul said to his armorbearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me." But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it.
  18. Cross References
    1 Samuel 24:6
    And he said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
    1 Samuel 26:9
    But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?
  19. Cross References
    2 Samuel 4:10
    When someone told me, saying, 'Look, Saul is dead,' thinking to have brought good news, I arrested him and had him executed in Ziklag - the one who thought I would give him a reward for his news.
    2 Samuel 4:12
    So David commanded his young men, and they executed them, cut off their hands and feet, and hanged them by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner in Hebron.
  20. Cross References
    1 Samuel 26:9
    But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?
    2 Samuel 3:28
    Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "My kingdom and I are guiltless before the LORD forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
    1 Kings 2:32 - 37
    So the LORD will return his blood on his head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword - Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah - though my father David did not know it.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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