2 Samuel 1:12 kjv
And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
2 Samuel 1:12 nkjv
And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
2 Samuel 1:12 niv
They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
2 Samuel 1:12 esv
And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
2 Samuel 1:12 nlt
They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the LORD's army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day.
2 Samuel 1 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Short Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 37:34 | Then Jacob tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his loins... he mourned for his son many days. | Jacob mourns for Joseph. |
| Exod 33:4 | When the people heard this harsh word, they mourned... | Israel mourns the news of divine wrath. |
| Num 14:39 | ...the people were in deep mourning. | Israel mourns God's judgment. |
| Judg 20:26 | Then all the people of Israel, all the army, went up and came to Bethel and wept and sat there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening... | Israel fasts and weeps after defeat. |
| 1 Sam 7:6 | And they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the LORD and fasted on that day... | Israel fasts and repents. |
| 1 Sam 31:13 | ...and took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh and fasted seven days. | Jabesh-Gilead mourns Saul & sons. |
| 2 Sam 1:11 | Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. | Immediate outward sign of grief. |
| 2 Sam 3:31 | And David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner." | David mourns for Abner. |
| 2 Sam 18:33 | And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. | David mourns Absalom. |
| 1 Kgs 21:27 | When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth... | Ahab fasts in humility. |
| Ezra 10:6 | Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib, where he spent the night, neither eating bread nor drinking water, for he was mourning... | Ezra fasts and mourns national sin. |
| Neh 1:4 | As soon as I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. | Nehemiah mourns for Jerusalem. |
| Esth 4:3 | In every province, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting... | Jews mourn throughout the kingdom. |
| Psa 6:6 | I am weary with my groaning; every night I flood my bed with tears... | Deep emotional distress and weeping. |
| Joel 2:12 | "Yet even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning..." | Call to repent with fasting. |
| Jonah 3:5-7 | ...the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast... and even the king rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. | Nineveh fasts in repentance. |
| Isa 61:3 | ...to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit... | Hope for divine comfort and transformation. |
| Zech 7:5 | "When you fasted and mourned in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it actually for Me that you fasted?" | Fasting's true purpose. |
| Luke 19:41 | And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it... | Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. |
| Rom 12:15 | Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. | Call for empathy and shared emotion. |
| Rev 21:4 | He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore... | Future hope of no more sorrow. |
2 Samuel 1 verses
2 Samuel 1 12 Meaning
David and the men who were with him, upon hearing the devastating news of Saul and Jonathan's deaths and the catastrophic defeat of Israel, expressed their profound grief. They engaged in traditional acts of lamentation: publicly mourning, shedding tears, and abstaining from food until evening. Their sorrow encompassed King Saul, his son Jonathan, the LORD's people, and the entire house of Israel, all grieving because so many had perished by the sword in battle.
2 Samuel 1 12 Context
This verse is set immediately after David receives the crushing news of King Saul's and Jonathan's deaths from an Amalekite messenger. It occurs at a pivotal moment in Israel's history following the devastating Battle of Mount Gilboa, where Israel suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Philistines. The deaths of Saul, the first anointed king, and his three sons (including Jonathan, David's beloved covenant friend) plunged the nation into a crisis of leadership and spiritual despair. David, though previously persecuted by Saul, displays profound and sincere grief, tearing his clothes in the preceding verse. His sorrow, and that of his men, for the fallen king, the prince, and the entire nation, marks not a political calculation but a genuine lament for the tragic loss endured by God's people.
2 Samuel 1 12 Word analysis
- And they mourned (וַיִּסְפְּדוּ - wa-yispəḏū): From the Hebrew root sap̄aḏ, meaning "to lament" or "to wail." This denotes a formal and often ritualized expression of grief, typically communal and involving public lamentation, sometimes accompanied by dirges or professional mourners.
- and wept (וַיִּבְכּוּ - wa-yivkū): From the Hebrew root bāḵâ, meaning "to weep" or "to cry." This indicates a spontaneous and emotional outpouring of sorrow, often involving tears, distinct from the more formal act of mourning.
- and fasted (וַיָּצֻמוּ - wa-yāṣumū): From the Hebrew root ṣūm, meaning "to abstain from food." Fasting in this context is a profound act of humility, penitence, or intense supplication in the face of calamity or deep grief. It signifies an absorption in sorrow that diminishes desire for physical sustenance.
- until evening (עַד הָעָרֶב - ʻaḏ hāʻāreḇ): Specifies the duration of their fast. This indicates a complete day of abstention, from morning to sunset, demonstrating the deep and sustained nature of their grief and solemnity.
- for Saul (עַל שָׁאוּל - ʻal Šāʼūl): Highlights David's profound respect for God's anointed king, despite Saul's persistent malice toward him. This demonstrates David's character, loyalty to divine order, and capacity for empathy beyond personal grievances.
- and for Jonathan his son (וְעַל יְהוֹנָתָן בְּנוֹ - wəʻal Yəhônāṯān bənōw): This points to David's personal, covenantal grief for his dearest friend. Their bond was profound and often described as "love passing the love of women" (2 Sam 1:26), making this an acutely painful loss for David.
- and for the people of the LORD (וְעַל עַם יְהוָה - wəʻal ʻam Yəhōwâ): Broadens the scope of grief to include the entire nation, emphasizing the devastating impact of the defeat on God's chosen people. It signifies concern for the divine-human relationship and the state of Israel as a whole.
- and for the house of Israel (וְעַל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל - wəʻal bêṯ Yiśrāʼēl): Reinforces the comprehensive national calamity, encompassing the social and political structure and continuity of the entire Israelite community. This signifies a recognition of the loss to the collective identity and future of the nation.
- because they had fallen by the sword (כִּי נָפְלוּ בַּחֶרֶב - kî nāfəlû baḥereḇ): Provides the direct cause of their grief – a violent death in battle, signifying not merely a few casualties but a widespread massacre and military disaster that severely weakened the nation.
- "And they mourned and wept and fasted": This sequence of verbs describes a cumulative and intensifying expression of profound sorrow. "Mourned" implies formal lament, "wept" highlights emotional distress, and "fasted" signifies spiritual submission and physical deprivation in response to overwhelming grief.
- "for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel": This expands the object of grief from the individual royal family members to the entire nation, emphasizing David's holistic compassion and leadership, embracing both personal loss and national tragedy.
2 Samuel 1 12 Bonus section
The extent of David's mourning for Saul is crucial for understanding the biblical narrative's portrayal of legitimate succession and righteous kingship. Far from reveling in the removal of his adversary, David deeply mourned Saul's demise, recognizing the tragic implications for Israel as a whole. This reaction further solidifies David's moral authority and ensures his subsequent ascent to the throne is perceived as divinely ordained and necessitated by Saul's failure, rather than by human scheming. His lament also sets a standard for leaders—to empathize with and genuinely grieve the misfortunes of their people, regardless of personal cost or past conflicts. This verse provides an insight into the concept of lament as a valid and often communal expression of faith in the face of inexplicable loss, turning to God even amidst the deepest despair.
2 Samuel 1 12 Commentary
2 Samuel 1:12 presents a powerful display of genuine grief and leadership from David. His reaction, characterized by solemn mourning, weeping, and an entire day of fasting, demonstrates an authentic sorrow that transcends personal vendettas or political ambition. David's lament for Saul, who relentlessly sought his life, underscores his profound respect for God's anointed office, even when the individual failed. His grief for Jonathan highlights a personal and sacred covenantal bond. Furthermore, extending his mourning to "the people of the LORD" and "the house of Israel" reveals a deep identification with the national catastrophe. This compassionate and selfless response to adversity validates David's character, positioning him as a righteous and divinely chosen leader, fully invested in the welfare of God's people.