King David's Reign (1010-970)
While these events were taking place on the slopes of Gilboa, David, the petty chieftain, the vassal of the Philistines, had just returned to his dwelling at Ziklag after the counter-raid on the Amalekites. He possessed too keen a political sense not to realize that, one way or another, it was his own political destiny that was at stake on the plain of Jezreel in the encounter between the Philistines and the Yisraelite army of Saul.
David Learns Of The Death Of Saul
For two days David and his band of adventurers had been back in the ruins of their burnt-out city. On the third day a messenger appeared, a man with torn garments, his head covered with dust, who had come by forced marches from Gilboa. He brought the latest news of the battle: it was a complete victory for the Philistines. The Yisraelite army had been routed, and Saul was dead together with his three sons who were with him. Untruthfully, the messenger asserted that he himself had struck down his sovereign since Saul did not wish to fall alive into the hands of the enemy. As proof of his assertion he handed David the crown and bracelet 1 belonging to Saul. 'And I have brought them here to my Almighty,' concluded the messenger, confidently awaiting his reward.
David began by tearing his garments as a sign of mourning. His soldiers followed his example. From all sides rose lamentations, weeping and the wailing of despair. A few moments later David turned to this messenger who prided himself on having struck down Saul when he begged to be killed. 'How is it,' he asked, 'you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy YAHWEH's anointed?' And he ordered one of his soldiers to strike the man down.
There can be no doubt of David's respectful attitude to the king. On several occasions we have seen that he could easily have killed Saul who was persecuting him so harshly, but he was careful not to commit this sacrilege; indeed in the cave of Engedi, as on the Hill of Hachilah, David prevented his comrades in arms from killing Saul when he was within their grasp. It was quite logical therefore on his part to condemn the king's murderer, but this should not prevent our noting David's great political skill as well; he was certainly well aware of the implications of his action and its bearing on the future.
1 The crown: little is known about the shape of this royal emblem (nezer the Hebrew word suggests the idea of consecration. Was it a circlet worn round the forehead or just a golden flower? Bracelet: it appears that men wore above the elbow; it should be regarded as a military emblem.
David's Elegy On Saul And The Dead On Gilboa (2 Schmuel1: 17-27)
At once David began to chant the famous lament. Philologists regard it as a composition contemporary with the battle of Gilboa; in addition it bears every mark of being inspired by David. It is written in the Book of the Just, an ancient collection of poems to which the writer refers from time to time, so that it may be taught to the sons of Yahudah (2 Schmuel 1:18).
The following extracts from the poem give some idea of its lofty inspiration and stirring emotion. Orientalists regard it as one of the purest gems of Hebrew poetry;
Alas, the honour of Yisrael has
been slain on your heights!
How did the heroes fall?
The 'honour of Yisrael' refers to Saul and Jonathan, 'the flower, the beauty, the pride' of Yisrael.
Do not speak of it in Gath,
nor announce it in the streets of Ashkelon,
or the daughters of the
Philistines will rejoice,
the daughters of the uncircumcized will gloat.
Gath and Ashkelon were cities of the Philistine territory of Pentapolis. Generally it was the women who celebrated the exploits of the warriors in songs and dances to the sound of the tambourine. (We have already encountered this in the chapter devoted to Jephthah.)
O mountains of Gilboa,
let
there be no dew or rain on you;
treacherous fields,
for there the hero's
shield was dishonored!
Dew, rain: when in this very chalky land of Canaan the grass and cultivated
land did not have enough rain it was an agricultural disaster. To wish drought
on a country meant asking for its ruin.
The shield of Saul was anointed
not with oil
but with blood of the wounded, fat of the warriors;
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
nor the sword of Saul return
idle.
Saul and Jonathan, loved and lovely,
neither in life, nor in death, were
divided.
Swifter than eagles were they,
stronger were they than lions.
In
his song in praise of the heroes of Yisrael, David does not separate his
faithful and affectionate friend Jonathan, Saul's son, from Saul himself, the
old king who had pursued him with his bitter hatred for years. There is always
this respect for the 'YAHWEH's anointed'.
O daughters of Yisrael, weep for
Saul
who clothed you in scarlet and fine linen,
who set brooches of gold
on your garments.
This is characteristically oriental; it recalls the
sharing out of the booty after a raid; the women were not forgotten. Garments
and jewels brought back from an expedition formed the share of wives and
daughters from the triumphant soldiers.
How did the heroes fall
in the
thick of battle?
The interrogative form used by the poet, and it recurs in this piece, is
still used in Arabic elegies nowadays.
O Jonathan, in your death I am
stricken,
I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother.
This is pure lyrical poetry, a cry from the very depths of the soul. It will
be noticed that throughout the piece there is an entire absence of the spiritual
motive; the name of YAHWEH is not even uttered. It is a lament that is intended
to remain on the human level.
How did the heroes fall
and
the battle armor fail?
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