2 Samuel 1:5-10 Fabrication-Lie

 ”So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?” Then the young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance to be on Mount Gilboa, there was Saul, leaning on his spear; and indeed the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. Now when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ So I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ He said to me again, ‘Please stand over me and kill me, for anguish has come upon me, but my life still remains in me.’ So I stood over him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my Lord.”“ II Samuel‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬-‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. As I happened by chance to be on Mount Gilboa: Some commentators wonder if this Amalekite told the truth. He said he “mercifully” ended Saul’s life after the king mortally wounded himself (1 Samuel 31:4). It may be that he merely was the first to come upon Saul’s dead body and he took the royal crown and bracelet to receive a reward from David.

i. “The whole account which this young man gives is a fabrication: in many of the particulars it is grossly self-contradictory. There is no fact in the case but the bringing of the crown, or diadem, and bracelets of Saul; which, as he appears to have been a plunderer of the slain, he found on the field of battle; and he brought them to David, and told the lie of having dispatched Saul merely to ingratiate himself with David.” (Clarke)

ii. We can gather that this was a lie because 1 Samuel 31:5 says that Saul’s armor bearer saw that he was dead.

b. I am an Amalekite: If we do take the Amalekite’s story as true, this is a chilling statement. In a unique war of judgment, God commanded Saul to completely destroy the people of Amalek (1 Samuel 15:2-3). Saul failed to do this – and an Amalekite brought a bitter end to his tragic life.

i. Though the Bible does not specifically say it, Amalek is commonly regarded as an illustration of our fleshly, carnal nature. Consider these ways in which Amalek is similar to our fleshly nature:

· Amalek focused its attack on the tired and weak (Deuteronomy 25:17-18).

· Amalek does not fear God (Deuteronomy 25:17-18).

· God commanded a permanent state of war against Amalek (Exodus 17:16).

· The battle against Amalek is only won in the context of prayer and seeking God (Exodus 17:11).

· God promises to one day completely blot out the remembrance of Amalek (Exodus 17:14).

· Amalek is defeated by God’s servant, Joshua (Exodus 17:13).

· Amalek was once first but will one day be last (Numbers 24:20).

· Amalek allies itself with other enemies in battle against God’s people (Judges 3:13).

ii. Using this picture, we see that Saul’s failure to deal with Amalek when God told him to resulted in ruin, with an Amalekite delivering the death-blow. In the same way, when we fail to deal with the flesh as God prompts us, we can expect that area of the flesh to come back and deliver some deadly strikes.

c. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them here to my lord: We can easily imagine the Amalekite smiling as he said this, assuming David was delighted that his enemy and rival was dead. Now David could take the royal crown and bracelet and wear them himself. (Guzik)

Fabrication-Lie

I agree with Clarke’s commentary above because of what’s written in ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭31‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬: ”And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword, and died with him.“

We have to remember that the Bible is the infallible word of God, written by men with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Wikipedia:

Biblical infallibility is the belief that what the Bible says regarding matters of faith and Christian practice is wholly useful and true. It is the "belief that the Bible is completely trustworthy as a guide to salvation and the life of faith and will not fail to accomplish its purpose."[1]

The Amalekite lied to find favor with David! 

It’s never justifiable for uttering fabrications or to outright lie even though it may be painful because it will always lead to more of the same and it’s displeasing to God.

For the Bible says:

”Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.“ ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12‬:‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We could perform a whole Bible study on the subject of lying lips!

Have you ever lied? I’m guilty!

Blessings