Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 1:10
So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that [was] upon his head, and the bracelet that [was] on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
10. after that he was fallen ] Not to be understood literally, of lying prostrate, but metaphorically, of defeat and disgrace. Cp.
“I am a poor fallen man, unworthy now
To be thy lord and master.”
Shakespeare, Hen. VIII. Act III. Sc. 2.
the crown ] In all probability not the State-crown, but a light diadem, or fillet, worn round the helmet as the mark of royalty.
the bracelet ] Armlets are still worn by Oriental sovereigns. Kings and distinguished warriors are represented on both Egyptian and Assyrian monuments as wearing highly ornamented bracelets or armlets. See Smith’s Dict. of the Bible, Art. Armlet, and Layard’s Nineveh and Babylon, II. 322.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Amalekite was one of those who came to strip the slain on the morrow after the battle 1Sa 31:8, and had the luck to find Saul and possess himself of his crown and bracelet. He probably started off immediately to seek David, and invented the above story, possibly having heard from some Israelite prisoner an account of what really did happen.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. The crown – and the bracelet] The crown was probably no more than a royal fillet or diadem, both being the ensigns of royalty. It is sometimes customary in the East for a sovereign prince to give a crown and bracelets, when investing others with dominion or authority over certain provinces. Had Saul these in token of his being God’s vicegerent, and that he held the kingdom from him alone?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I stood upon him, and slew him: it is most probable this was a lie, devised to gain Davids favour, as he supposed. For, 1. Saul was not killed by a spear, as he pretends, but by his sword, 1Sa 31:4.
2. It is expressly said that Sauls armour-bearer, being yet living, saw that Saul was dead, 1Sa 31:5; which doubtless he would very thoroughly examine and know, before he would kill himself upon that account, as he did.
3. Sauls death is manifestly ascribed to his own action, even to his falling upon his sword, 1Sa 31:4,5.
I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: this he addeth by way of caution and excuse, that it might be thought all act of necessity and kindness, and not of choice or ill will, that he killed Saul. But here also he betrays himself; for how could this be true, when Sauls life was whole within him, as he had now said, 2Sa 1:9?
The crown that was upon his head; not that he then wore it; which would have exposed him too much, and that unnecessarily, to the rage of the Philistines; but that he used to wear it. It is not likely that he found it now actually upon Sauls head, but that he met with it in some part of the camp, whither Saul had brought it to wear it when he saw fit.
Unto my lord; unto thee, whom, now Saul is dead, I own for my lord and king.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. the crowna small metalliccap or wreath, which encircled the temples, serving the purpose of ahelmet, with a very small horn projecting in front, as the emblem ofpower.
the bracelet that was on hisarmthe armlet worn above the elbow; an ancient mark of royaldignity. It is still worn by kings in some Eastern countries.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
So I stood upon him, and slew him,…. Pressed with all his weight upon his body, that so the spear might pierce through him, and slay him; thus he represents his death to be brought about:
because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen; this is not consistent with what he had said before, both that he was leaning on his spear, and not fallen to the ground, and that his life was whole in him:
and I took the crown that [was] upon his head; which made him conspicuous, and therefore the Philistines aimed at him, and pressed hard after him, 2Sa 1:6; though some think that this was not on his head, but carried into the field of battle, ready to be put on if victory was on his side; and others say it was in the possession and care of Doeg, who at his death gave it to his son to carry to David, and thereby gain his favour:
and the bracelet that [was] on his arm; of gold no doubt, so Josephus i; such as great personages used to wear, men as well as women, see
Ge 38:18, especially military men k. Jarchi takes them to be the “totaphot” or phylacteries on the arm, which is not probable:
and have brought them hither unto my lord; as ensigns of royalty, fit only for a king, Saul’s successor, as this person, by calling him lord, owned him to be, and thought by bringing those to him to be highly he neared and rewarded.
i Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 14. sect. 7.) k Vid. Liv. Hist. Decad. 1. l. 10. c. 44.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(10) Slew him.This story is inconsistent with that given in 1Sa. 31:4-5, and was evidently invented by the Amalekite to gain favour with David. At the same time, he is careful not to carry the story too far, and asserts that Saul was only put to death at his own request, and after being mortally wounded. However, he must have been one of the first to find the body of Saul after his death, since he brought his crown and bracelet to Davida prim facie evidence of the truth of his whole story. The offering of these emblems of royalty shows that the Amalekite recognised David as the future king, a recognition which most of the tribes of Israel were unwilling to make for a long time.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. I took the crown By his disobedience in not smiting the Amalekites, Saul forfeited his crown and his kingdom, and now, behold, that crown is taken from his head by the hand of an Amalekite and transmitted to the man he hated and sought to destroy!
Bracelet Or armlet, an ornament for the arm or wrist.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Sa 1:10. I took the crownand the bracelet This crown, probably, was one of the diadems worn by the eastern monarchs, made of a bandage of white linen, and which might easily be concealed under the helmet of Saul. It is not impossible, that the bracelet might be no part of the regalia of the kingdom of Israel; but merely a thing of value which Saul had about him, and which the stranger thought fit to present with his crown to David; but it seems rather to be mentioned as a royal ornament; and it is as certain, that it has been since used in the east as a badge of power; for when the Calif Caiem Bienrillah granted the investiture of certain dominions to an eastern prince, which his predecessors had possessed, and among the rest, of the city of Bagdat itself, it is said, this ceremony of investiture was performed by the Calif’s sending him letters patent, a crown, a chain, and bracelets. See D’Herbelot, p. 541. I do not, however, find, that any of the commentators have considered Saul’s bracelet in this light. All the observation which Grotius makes upon it is, that it was an ornament used by men, as well as women of those nations; upon which he cites Num 31:50. The ornament, probably, was not so common as we may have been ready to suppose; for, though the word bracelet is frequently to be met with in our translation, the original word in this text occurs at most but in two other places; and as the children of Israel found one or more of these bracelets among the spoils of the Midianites, so they killed at the same time five of their kings. Num 31:8. The other place indeed (Isa 3:18.) speaks of female ornaments; but, if the word is the same, might not the women of that age wear an ornament, which, from its likeness to one of the ensigns of royalty, might be called by the same name; as in some countries of late, brides have worn an ornament, which has been called a crown, though the word, indisputably long before that time, marked out the chief badge of royal dignity. See Olearius’s Travels, p. 238 and Observations, p. 297.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Sa 1:10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that [was] upon his head, and the bracelet that [was] on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
Ver. 10. So I stood upon him, and slew him. ] Lie and all: but this word was his death, David judging him out of his own mouth. Plutarch telleth us that Artaxerxes commanded three needles to be thrust through the tongue of a certain soldier, qui mentitus fuerat duos hostes se obtruncasse, who lyingly said that he had killed two of the enemy.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
fallen: i.e. upon his own sword (1Sa 31:4).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
stood
Cf. (See Scofield “1Sa 31:3”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
slew: Jdg 1:7, Jdg 9:54, 1Sa 22:18, 1Sa 31:4, 1Sa 31:5, Mat 7:2
crown: 2Sa 12:30, Lam 5:16
bracelet: This was probably worn as an ensign of royalty, as is frequently the case in the East. When the Khalif Cayem Bemrillah granted the investiture of certain dominions to an Eastern prince, the ceremony was performed by sending him letters patent, a crown, chain, and bracelets. The bracelet, says Mr. Morier, are ornaments fastened above the elbows, composed of precious stones of great value, and are only worn by the king and his sons.
Reciprocal: 2Sa 1:16 – mouth 2Ki 11:12 – put the crown 1Ch 10:4 – Saul took 2Ch 23:11 – put upon
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 1:10. So I stood upon him and slew him Saul, according to the true history, was afraid of being slain by the uncircumcised: and how was the matter mended by desiring to die by the hand of an Amalekite? And I took the crown that was upon his head Possibly the serious reader, says Delaney, may not think it an observation altogether unworthy of his regard, that an Amalekite now took the crown from Sauls head, which he had forfeited by his disobedience in relation to Amalek.