David Hears of Saul’s Death
David returned from striking the Amalekites (v1) and stayed in Ziklag two days when a man from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dust on his head, came to tell David the news of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. He fell to the ground in homage, and David asked him where had come from. He said that he had escaped from the Israelite camp (v2,3). David expected bad news because the man’s appearance was ‘in mourning’ for the dead. He told David that the men had fled from the battle, and many had fallen and died including Saul and Jonathan. David asked how he knew that Saul and Jonathan were dead. His appearance was, however, misleading.
The young man proceeded to tell David this story – he had happened by chance to find Saul leaning on his spear after the Philistines had attacked, when Saul called out to him and asked him to kill him because he was sorely wounded (v5-10). It was clearly a lie, because, at the end of the first book (1 Samuel 31) Saul’s armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead and as a result, killed himself.
It may be that when Saul fell on his sword, there was still some life in him, so he asked this Amalekite to complete the job. Or it may be that the Amalekite was the first one to see Saul’s dead body, and that he told David that he had removed Saul’s crown and killed him because he thought David would be pleased and he would be rewarded. He could have thought he was giving David good news that his enemy was now dead and was seeking a reward. It is possible that he didn’t know that David had some years ago been anointed king by Samuel. He said he was an Amalekite (v8) so maybe he didn’t know.
This young man was sorely wrong. He told a lie to his detriment. Thinking he would be honoured for his deed having said he killed Saul at Saul’s request, he said, “I was sure he could not live after he had fallen….”an act of ’kindness’, what would be known today as ‘euthanasia’ or ‘assisted dying’, very much in our news (2025). He had taken Saul’s crown and bracelet and brought them to David.
How wrong he was, David certainly was not pleased. He and his men tore their clothes and mourned (v11,12). He asked the young man why he was not afraid to strike the LORD’s anointed. Even if the man’s story was true, it was ironic that Saul had been commanded by God to destroy the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15), but he failed to do so.
There is a lesson for us that if we do not put to death the things of the flesh, they will come back to bite us.
David had no interest in being given the crown by an Amalekite. God had already told him that he would be king, and he must wait God’s time. He could have been forgiven for thinking about his own position, but he seemed to give more thought to the killing of the king and his sons, particularly Jonathan. It seemed that the last thing David wanted was to inherit the kingship in this way.
He called for one of his men to strike down the Amalekite to death, saying, “Your blood be on your own head. Your mouth has testified against you when you said, “I killed the LORD’s anointed.”” (v13-16)
There can be no excuse or justification for killing another, except just war, self-defence, or lawful execution. God is in control of life, and we need to remember that, especially in these days of so-called mercy-killings, assisted dying, euthanasia, or whatever apparently emotional title we choose to give it.
I repeat, how wrong the young man was. David was not ecstatic as he expected (v17,18), rather he was distraught and mourned for Saul and for Jonathan. David had the Amalekite executed for treason. Not only that, but he ordered the people of Judah to lament and be taught ‘The Lament of the Bow’ A song he composed (v19-27). Despite the way Saul had treated him. It expresses his deep sorrow over the death of Saul and Jonathan, and he spoke well of Saul. He described him as the beauty of Israel (v19), and he wanted no-one to rejoice in Saul’s death (v20). He wanted everyone to mourn (v21) and praised him as a mighty warrior (v22,23). He even called on others to praise Saul for the good he had done (v24).
You could understand his mourning for Jonathan because of their friendship, but Saul, well that was different. Amazing that David could speak so well about Saul who had hounded him almost to death? Why was this?
- He chose to trust in the power and authority of God. He believed that God was in control and must have a purpose even in the bad things that happen.
- He chose not to hold on to bitterness and hurt. He had had two opportunities to kill Saul, but he let him go. The song shows that he did not even have it in his heart to kill Saul.
- He chose to think the best of Saul.
- David remembered that God had forgiven him.
- David’s heart was in the right place before God.
- He recognised that in all that had passed God was training him to be a king, after God’s own heart.
What a difficult lesson this is but one which is essential in our Christian lives – never to hold grudges and never to seek revenge. To think the best of even our enemies or those who have wronged us and spoken lies against us. I venture to suggest that no-one has gone so far as to try to kill us, but some may have tarnished our name and reputation and done ‘a character-assassination‘ against us. We are to love them as Christ has loved us.
