BIBLE STUDY LESSON 12
SAUL HONOURED
DAVID LEARNS OF SAUL’S DEATH
From 2 Samuel 1
“Three days after David returned from slaughtering the Amalekites, a man who had been in Saul’s army came to him. As this man approached David, he bowed low as a sign of great respect. His clothing was torn and he had dirt on his head to show that he was mourning. ‘Where have you come from?’ David asked him. ‘From the army of Israel,’ the man answered. ‘I have escape with my life.’ ‘How are things there? Tell me!’
’The army has run away. Many have died on the battlefield, including Saul and his son Jonathan.’ ‘How do you know they are dead?’ David insisted. ‘I was there on Mount Gilboa at the time,’ the man answered. ‘I saw King Saul leaning against his spear while the Philistine chariots came closer and closer. When he saw me he called to me. ‘Who are you?’ he asked. ‘An Amalekite,’ I answered. ‘Come here and kill me,’ Saul begged. ‘I am weak and anguished, but I am still alive.’
‘So I went to him and killed him,’ the man continued. ‘I was sure that he could not live long. See, I have brought you the crown from his head and a bracelet which he wore on one arm. They are for you, my lord.’ David tore his clothing when he heard that Saul had died. The men with him tore their clothing also, showing their grief for their fallen king. Then they all wept, mourned and fasted for Saul, his son Jonathan and the other men of Israel who had died in battle. ‘Where are you from?’ David asked the young man. ‘I am an Amalekite,’ he answered. ‘And you felt no wrong in killing God’s chosen king?’ David demanded. Then David ordered a young man who was with him to kill this Amalekite. ‘Strike him down!’ he said. So the young man struck him down with his sword and as he died, David said to him, ‘you have sentenced yourself to death, for by your own mouth you have said that you killed God’s chosen king.’ David wrote a song which he used in mourning for Saul and Jonathan. He also commanded that this song be taught to the people of Judah; it was written into the Book of Jashur, also called the Book of the Upright.
“Your people of glory, O Israel,
Lie dead upon the hills;
The mighty men have fallen.
Tell it not in Gath,
Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
Lest the women of the Philistines rejoice,
And those heathen women offer praise.
Let no dew or rain come upon you,
O Mount Gilboa!
Let no fields of grain grow there,
For the shield of mighty Saul
Was defiled in death,
And he is no longer God’s chosen king.
The sword of Saul and the bow of Jonathan
Did not leave the battle without reward,
For the blood of mighty foes was spilled.
Saul and Jonathan,
Beloved and lovely,
United in life and death!
Swifter than eagles were they!
Stronger than lions!
Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul,
Who clothed you in fine scarlet
And adorned you with golden ornaments.
How these mighty men have fallen in battle!
Jonathan lies slain upon the hills!
I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan,
For you have been a dear friend to me.
Your love was wonderful,
Greater than the love of women.
Yes, the mighty have fallen,
And their weapons of war are vanquished.”
COMMENTARY
WATER FOR THE LAND
In the dry, sun-baked lands of the ancient Middle East water was a symbol of life itself. Where it was abundant, the earth bloomed and men and animals thrived. Where it was lacking, people, herds and fields died. This dependence on water forced ancient man to settle wherever he could find a natural water supply. In Mesopotamia the first great cities grew up on the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, while in Egypt human civilization developed along the course of the Nile. But gradually people learned to store and direct water for their own purposes. A great network of dikes and canals made it possible for the Assyrians to break their ties to the river banks and extend their settlements inland. But Palestine had no major river to flood the land, and the country was too rough and rocky for the building of a system of canals.
The people of this land were dependent upon natural springs, dew and rain for their supply of water. The earliest settlements in Palestine were built near underground springs whose water emerged on the surface. Eventually the people learned to tap these underground springs even where they remained hidden below ground. By digging deep wells they found a valuable supply of water for their fields and flocks. In other areas well water was scarce, and people were forced to rely on water collection systems. During the winter months they caught rain water in man-made cisterns lined with a water-tight coat of plaster. During a year of plentiful rain enough water could be stored to last through the dry summer months. Most large cities depended on a system that used one or more of these sources of water. Many homes drew from their own cisterns in addition to the public one. Public pools were also dug inside the city walls. A few of the best-fortified cities even dug underground tunnels to reach outside springs during times of battle.
TEST YOURSELF
1.) Who claimed to have killed Saul?
A) David
B) An Amalekite
C) Jonathan
D) Abihu
2.) What was brought to David as proof of Saul’s death?
A) Saul’s crown and bracelet
B) Nothing
C) Saul’s sword
D) Saul’s head
3.) What was David’s reaction to the news of Saul’s Death?
A) Ambivalence
B) Joy
C) Mourning
D) Celebration
4.) What natural resource was generally the strongest in determining where ancient people settled?
A) Water
B) Shelter
C) Food
D) Soft earth
5.) What was often dug for battle-hardened cities in Mesopotamia?
A) Fire pits
B) Water tunnels
C) Catapult nests
D) Moats |
