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(^240) Most critics understand the expression "after he had fallen," to refer to his
defeat. But there really seems no occasion for this. It is quite rational to suppose
that the Amalekite meant that, in his state of body, Saul would be unable to defend
himself against an attack.
(^241) Our translation is an attempt at a literal rendering, which in poetry is specially
desirable. The word rendered in our Authorised Version "How," has been
translated "Alas," not only because this gives more fully the real meaning, but also
because our word "how" might be taken interrogatively instead of exclamatively.
(^242) The attentive reader will notice that throughout the body of the ode, the
thoughts move forward in sentences of three lines each, indicated in our translation
by a sign of exclamation.
(^243) Keil has well noticed the frequent conjunction of the expressions "mercy and
truth" (2 Samuel 2:6; comp. Exodus 34:6; Psalm 25:10). It is ever so with God:
first, "mercy" - free, gracious, and forgiving; then "truth" - faithfulness to His
promises, and experience of their reality. The expression rendered in our
Authorised Version, "And I also will requite you this kindness," should be
translated: "And I also am showing you this goodness," referring to the kind
message which David sent them.
(^244) Although Ish-bosheth is always mentioned fourth among the sons of Saul, it
does not necessarily follow that he was the youngest. He may have been the son of
another mother, and stand last in respect of dignity rather than of age. The different
cast of his name from that of the others, seems rather to point in that direction. This
would also account for his age -thirty-five at least - at the time of his father's death.
At the same time we would not put too much stress on numerals in the Hebrew
text, in which, from the nature of the case, clerical errors would most easily arise.
(^245) This probably explains the seeming discrepancy between the two years of his
reign and the seven and a half of David's over Judah. Erdmann has well remarked
that the preposition "over," which occurs six times in ver. 9, is represented in the
Hebrew three times by el, and three times by al - the latter indicating the gradual
subjection of territory. The word "Ashurites" should probably read Geshurites,
their land lying on the borders of Gilead and Bashan (Deuteronomy 3:14; Joshua
12:5).
(^246) The expression, ver. 14, "Let the young men play before us," refers here to the
terrible "game" of single combat.
(^)