Welcome to 2 Samuel, Shmuel part Bet, chapter 1

Episode 31: Lying and Dying

This week we transitioned from the death of Shaul to its immediate aftermath. We encounter a bizarre account of shaul's last moments told from the perspective of an outsider, an Amalekite

From a literary perspective the author wants us to recall the tragedy of the death of Eli and his sons from the beginning of Sefer shmuel. The context there is a failure of leadership which begets a national ruination. Such is there case again here where Shaul’s death precipitates a major military loss.

But somehow that loss is not truly our focus, because the paradigm has shifted to the role of the leader. There was no one to lament the death of Eli and his sons, but in our chapter that task falls to David who both acts decisively to show that he will brook no ill will towards his predecessor, as well as showing his compassion and admiration for his liege lord shaul and his dearest friend Yehonatan.

We end our chapter with some unanswered questions around the chronology from the combining of the Shaul and David narratives. Is it possible that David sent gifts from his spoils of war while the nation mourned the death of their king? It should go without saying that we cannot believe the Amalekite's account. He seems to be the first in a number of people who believe they can ingratiate themselves with David by being a part of the downfall of the king's perceived enemies, only to find that in doing so they themselves become David's enemy and are immediately vanquished.

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