2 Samuel 1:19–27

Footnotes

1. 25 The word beauty is used figuratively here to refer to Saul and Jonathan.
2. 26 The cities of Gath and Ashkelon are mentioned here by synecdoche of part for the whole. As major Philistine cities they in fact represent all of Philistia. The point is that when the sad news of fallen Israelite leadership reaches the Philistines, it will be for these enemies of Israel the occasion of great joy rather than grief.
3. 27 Instead of the ’s “fields of grain offerings” the Lucianic recension of the reads “your high places are mountains of death.” Cf. the Old Latin montes mortis (“mountains of death”).
4. 28 This is the only biblical occurrence of the Niphal of the verb גָּעַל (ga’al). This verb usually has the sense of “to abhor” or “loathe.” But here it seems to refer to the now dirty and unprotected condition of a previously well-maintained instrument of battle.
5. 29 It is preferable to read here Hebrew מָשׁוּחַ (mashuakh) with many Hebrew , rather than מָשִׁיחַ (mashiakh) of the . Although the understands the statement to pertain to Saul, the point here is not that Saul is not anointed. Rather, it is the shield of Saul that lies discarded and is no longer anointed. In ancient Near Eastern practice a warrior’s shield that was in normal use would have to be anointed regularly in order to ensure that the leather did not become dry and brittle. Like other warriors of his day Saul would have carefully maintained his tools of trade. But now that he is dead, the once-cared-for shield of the mighty warrior lies sadly discarded and woefully neglected, a silent but eloquent commentary on how different things are now compared to the way they were during Saul’s lifetime.
6. 30 The Hebrew imperfect verbal form is used here to indicate repeated past action.
7. 31 Heb “beloved and dear.”
8. 32 Clothing of scarlet was expensive and beyond the financial reach of most people.
9. 33 The expression weapons of war may here be a figurative way of referring to Saul and Jonathan.