2 Samuel 1:11
in 2 Samuel 1Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
KJV
Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
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This verse in 2 Samuel 1
Commentary
3 notes on this verseWhen David took hold on his clothes,.... Not on the young man's but his own: and rent them; on bearing of the death of Saul and Jonathan, see Gen 37:34; from whence the Jews (l) gather, that a man is bound to rend his clothes for a prince, and for the father of the sanhedrim, since Saul, they say, was the prince, and Jonathan the father of that court: and likewise all the men that were with him; rent their clothes also, in imitation of him; the same custom obtained among the Gentiles on mournful occasions (m). (l) T. Bab.
This site's exposition
David took hold of his own clothes
on 2 Samuel 1:11-12
David and every man with him tear their clothes, and they mourn, weep and fast. The grief names four together, Saul, Jonathan, “the people of the LORD” and “the house of Israel”. Tearing the clothes for a death is the custom of Jacob at Genesis 37:34, as John Gill notes.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
a man came out of the camp from Saul--As the narrative of Saul's death, given in the last chapter, is inspired, it must be considered the true account, and the Amalekite's story a fiction of his own, invented to ingratiate himself with David, the presumptive successor to the throne.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
And the bracelet that was on his arm. The tefilin that was on his arm. 12 This is Targum Yonasan’s translation. He refuses to explain it to literally mean bracelet because that would have been taken by the Pelishtim as part of the spoils of war (Meam Loez).
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּחֲזֵ֥ק | vaiyachazek | and he took hold | H2388 → | 291 times |
| דָּוִ֛ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| בִּבְגָדָ֖יו | bivgadov | on garments his | H899 → | 217 times |
| וַיִּקְרָעֵ֑ם | vaiyikraem | and he tore them | H7167 → | 63 times |
| וְגַ֥ם | vegam | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אִתּֽוֹ׃ | ʾito | [were] with him | H854 → | 929 times |
וַיַּחֲזֵ֥קand he took hold
vaiyachazekH2388 →291 times
דָּוִ֛דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
בִּבְגָדָ֖יוon garments his
bivgadovH899 →217 times
וַיִּקְרָעֵ֑םand he tore them
vaiyikraemH7167 →63 times
וְגַ֥םand also
vegamH1571 →769 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָאֲנָשִׁ֖יםthe men
haanashimH582 →566 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אִתּֽוֹ׃[were] with him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 7:6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.
it leads to
- Genesis 37:34
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
Reached by 4 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 37:29
When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 14:6
Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 37:34
Through
Genesis 37:34Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 3:31
Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Samuel 3:31
Through
Genesis 37:29When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes,
it leads to
- Acts 14:14
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul found out about this, they tore their clothes and rushed into the crowd, shouting,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Job 1:20
Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,
- Acts 14:14
Through
2 Samuel 3:31Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.
it leads to
- Joshua 7:6
Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Joshua 7:6
Through
2 Samuel 13:31Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 12:16
David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted and went into his house and spent the night lying in sackcloth on the ground.
- 2 Samuel 12:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament.