2 Samuel 1:10
in 2 Samuel 1So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
KJV
So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 1
Commentary
8 notes on this verseThe crown - and the bracelet - The crown was probably no more than a royal fillet or diadem, both being the ensigns of royalty. It is sometimes customary in the East for a sovereign prince to give a crown and bracelets, when investing others with dominion or authority over certain provinces. Had Saul these in token of his being God’s vicegerent, and that he held the kingdom from him alone?
This site's exposition
I am an Amalekite
on 2 Samuel 1:8-10
Thread eight, the war with Amalek that Exodus 17 and Deuteronomy 25 left unfinished, closes on this man's own naming of himself. He claims Saul begged for death, anguish is come upon me, and that he stood upon the dying king and slew him, then stripped the crown and the bracelet as proof to bring David. Clarke reads the crown and bracelet as looted from a body already dead by Saul's own hand, and notes Doctor Delaney's older reading, that an Amalekite lifting the crown Saul forfeited by sparing Amalek at chapter 15 is its own kind of picture.
This site's exposition
I took the crown
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown describe the crown as a small metal cap on the head and the band as an armlet worn above the elbow. Both marked a king. Adam Clarke notes that Eastern kings gave crown and band to a man they set over a land, and the Amalekite brought both to David.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
) at which word, perhaps, he observed David look upon him with some show of displeasure, and therefore he excuses himself in the next words: " For I was sure he could not live; his life was whole in him indeed, but he would certainly have fallen into the hands of the Philistines or given himself another thrust." (2.) It is doubtful whether this story be true.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
So I stood upon him, and slew him,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
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
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the crown--a small metallic cap or wreath, which encircled the temples, serving the purpose of a helmet, with a very small horn projecting in front, as the emblem of power. the bracelet that was on his arm--the armlet worn above the elbow; an ancient mark of royal dignity. It is still worn by kings in some Eastern countries.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The Amalekite was one of those who came “to strip the slain” on “the morrow” after the battle 1Sa 31:8, and had the luck to find Saul and possess himself of his crown and bracelet. He probably started off immediately to seek David, and invented the above story, possibly having heard from some Israelite prisoner an account of what really did happen.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
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
23 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וָאֶעֱמֹ֤ד | vaeemod | and I stood | H5975 → | 521 times |
| עָלָיו֙ | ʾalav | over him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| וַאֲמֹ֣תְתֵ֔הוּ | vaamotetehu | and I killed him | H4191 → | 839 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יָדַ֔עְתִּי | yada'ti | I knew | H3045 → | 945 times |
| כִּ֛י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִֽחְיֶ֖ה | yichyeh | he will live | H2421 → | 282 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֣י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| נִפְל֑וֹ | niflo | had fallen he | H5307 → | 435 times |
| וָאֶקַּ֞ח | vaekach | and I took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| הַנֵּ֣זֶר׀ | hanezer | the crown | H5145 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [was] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רֹאשׁ֗וֹ | rosho | head his | H7218 → | 599 times |
| וְאֶצְעָדָה֙ | veetzadah | and an armlet | H685 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | [was] on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| זְרֹע֔וֹ | zeroo | arm his | H2220 → | |
| וָאֲבִיאֵ֥ם | vaaviem | and I brought them | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֲדֹנִ֖י | ʾadoni | lord my | H113 → | 333 times |
| הֵֽנָּה׃ | henah | here | H2008 → | 49 times |
וָאֶעֱמֹ֤דand I stood
vaeemodH5975 →521 times
עָלָיו֙over him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
וַאֲמֹ֣תְתֵ֔הוּand I killed him
vaamotetehuH4191 →839 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יָדַ֔עְתִּיI knew
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
כִּ֛יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִֽחְיֶ֖הhe will live
yichyehH2421 →282 times
אַחֲרֵ֣יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
נִפְל֑וֹhad fallen he
nifloH5307 →435 times
וָאֶקַּ֞חand I took
vaekachH3947 →966 times
הַנֵּ֣זֶר׀the crown
hanezerH5145 →
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עַל־[was] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
רֹאשׁ֗וֹhead his
roshoH7218 →599 times
וְאֶצְעָדָה֙and an armlet
veetzadahH685 →
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
עַל־[was] on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
זְרֹע֔וֹarm his
zerooH2220 →
וָאֲבִיאֵ֥םand I brought them
vaaviemH935 →2568 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אֲדֹנִ֖יlord my
ʾadoniH113 →333 times
הֵֽנָּה׃here
henahH2008 →49 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
Matthew 7:2For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
it leads to
- James 2:13
For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 4:24
He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
- Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured…
- Obadiah 1:15
For the Day of the LORD is near for all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your recompense will return upon your own head.
- Revelation 18:6
Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup.
- James 2:13
Through
Judges 1:7Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God has repaid me.” And they brought…
it leads to
- Revelation 13:10
“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and…
- 1 Samuel 15:33
But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal.
- Revelation 13:10
Through
2 Kings 11:12Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 10:24
Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!”
- 1 Samuel 10:24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.