DAVID LAMENTS SAUL AND JONATHAN

PROCLAMATION

“And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son; Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow …”  2 Samuel 1:17-18 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God after the death of the prophet Samuel by Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.  Two days after David had returned to Ziklag from the slaughter of the Amalekites, a man arrived with torn dirty clothes saying that he had escaped from the Israelite camp.  David inquired of him how the battle went and the man told him that the Philistines had defeated the Israelites.  Many of them had fled and many died, including Saul and his sons. (2 Samuel 1:1-4)  Then David asked him how he knew that Saul and Jonathan were dead.  The man said he happened to be on Mount Gilboa and saw Saul who was wounded and leaning on his spear.  He said that Saul asked him to kill him and so he did.  Then he said that he took the crown off of Saul’s head and the band off of his arm and brought them and presented them to David. (2 Samuel 1:5-10)  David and all of his men tore their clothes and wept for Saul and his son and the army of The Lord.  David asked the man where he was from and he said that he was an Amalekite.  Then David told one of his men to kill him because he had testified that he had killed one of The Lord’s anointed. (2 Samuel 1:11-16)  David lamented the death of Saul and Jonathan and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught the lament of the bow.  The remainder of the chapter is the psalm of lament which David composed for Saul and Jonathan. (2 Samuel 1:19-27)

 

APPLICATION

Sometimes people brag about their wrong doings, and maybe even exaggerate them, and they expect to be appreciated if not rewarded for their efforts, like the Amalekite mentioned above.  Everybody is not to be believed.  In the end, people get what they deserved, not necessarily what they wanted.  It is also important to note that David did not dishonor or harm the anointed man of God, even when he was wrong.  We need to learn to respect the people that God puts in charge even when we disagree with them.  We should not harm the person or the reputation of the anointed of God. (1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15)  We should pray for them.