2 Samuel 1:5
New International Version
Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

New Living Translation
“How do you know Saul and Jonathan are dead?” David demanded of the young man.

English Standard Version
Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

Berean Standard Bible
Then David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

King James Bible
And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

New King James Version
So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”

New American Standard Bible
Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

NASB 1995
So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

NASB 1977
So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

Legacy Standard Bible
So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

Amplified Bible
So David said to the young man who informed him, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

Christian Standard Bible
David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"”

American Standard Version
And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

Contemporary English Version
David asked, "How do you know Saul and Jonathan are dead?"

English Revised Version
And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?" David asked the young man who had brought him the news.

Good News Translation
"How do you know that Saul and Jonathan are dead?" David asked him.

International Standard Version
David asked the young man who related the story, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"

Majority Standard Bible
Then David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

NET Bible
David said to the young man who was telling him this, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?"

New Heart English Bible
David said to the young man who had told him this, "How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?"

Webster's Bible Translation
And David said to the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

World English Bible
David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And David says to the youth who is declaring [it] to him, “How have you known that Saul and his son Jonathan [are] dead?”

Young's Literal Translation
And David saith unto the youth who is declaring it to him, 'How hast thou known that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And David will say to the youth announcing to him, How knewest thou that Saul died, and Jonathan his son?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David said to the young man that told him: How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son, are dead?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And David said to the youth who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan have died?”

New American Bible
Then David said to the youth who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”

New Revised Standard Version
Then David asked the young man who was reporting to him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan died?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And David said to the young man, Tell me, how did Saul and Jonathan his son die?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And David said to the young man: “Tell me how Shaul died and Yonathan his son”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And David said unto the young man that told him: 'How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David said to the young man who brought him the tidings, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Learns of Saul's Death
4“What was the outcome?” David asked. “Please tell me.” “The troops fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5Then David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and the cavalry closing in on him.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 31:1-6
Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. / The Philistines hotly pursued Saul and his sons, and they killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. / When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him critically. ...

1 Chronicles 10:1-6
Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. / The Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. / When the battle intensified against Saul, the archers overtook him and wounded him. ...

2 Samuel 4:10
when someone told me, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was a bearer of good news, I seized him and put him to death at Ziklag. That was his reward for his news!

2 Samuel 18:32
The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And the Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you to harm you be like that young man.”

1 Samuel 4:16-18
“I have just come from the battle,” the man said to Eli. “I fled from there today.” “What happened, my son?” Eli asked. / The messenger answered, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has been a great slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are both dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” / As soon as the ark of God was mentioned, Eli fell backward from his chair by the city gate, and being old and heavy, he broke his neck and died. And Eli had judged Israel forty years.

2 Samuel 1:14-16
So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” / Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died. / For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”

2 Samuel 1:11-12
Then David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and all the men who were with him did the same. / They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

2 Samuel 1:19-27
“Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen! / Tell it not in Gath; proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. / O mountains of Gilboa, may you have no dew or rain, no fields yielding offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil. ...

2 Samuel 4:4
And Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to escape, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.

2 Samuel 1:1-4
After the death of Saul, David returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. / On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head arrived from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him homage. / “Where have you come from?” David asked. “I have escaped from the Israelite camp,” he replied. ...

1 Samuel 28:19
Moreover, the LORD will deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And the LORD will deliver the army of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.”

1 Samuel 15:28
So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

1 Samuel 16:1
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.”

1 Samuel 24:6
So he said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed. May I never lift my hand against him, since he is the LORD’s anointed.”

1 Samuel 26:9
But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can extend a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?”


Treasury of Scripture

And David said to the young man that told him, How know you that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?

How knowest

Proverbs 14:15
The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.

Proverbs 25:2
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

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2 Samuel 1
1. The Amalekite who accused himself of Saul's death is slain
17. David laments Saul and Jonathan with a song














Then David asked
The phrase "Then David asked" indicates a moment of inquiry and discernment. David, known for his heart after God, often sought understanding and wisdom before acting. The Hebrew root for "asked" is "שָׁאַל" (sha'al), which implies a seeking or inquiring with intent. This reflects David's leadership style, characterized by seeking truth and clarity, especially in moments of crisis or uncertainty.

the young man
The "young man" here is the Amalekite who brought news of Saul and Jonathan's deaths. In the ancient Near Eastern context, messengers often played crucial roles in communication, especially in times of war. The Hebrew term "נַעַר" (na'ar) can refer to a young man or servant, highlighting the youth and perhaps the inexperience of the messenger. This detail sets the stage for the unfolding narrative, where the reliability of the messenger's report is in question.

who had brought him the report
The act of bringing a report was significant in biblical times, as it was the primary means of conveying news across distances. The Hebrew word for "report" is "בְּשׂוֹרָה" (besorah), which can mean news or tidings. This word is often associated with both good and bad news, emphasizing the weight and impact of the message being delivered. In this context, the report is grave, concerning the death of Israel's king and his son.

How do you know
David's question, "How do you know," underscores his need for verification and truth. The Hebrew phrase "אֵיךְ יָדַעְתָּ" (eich yada'ta) suggests a probing for evidence or confirmation. This reflects a biblical principle of seeking truth and not accepting claims without substantiation, a practice that aligns with the wisdom literature's emphasis on discernment and understanding.

that Saul and Jonathan are dead?
The mention of "Saul and Jonathan" together highlights the close relationship between the two, despite Saul's troubled reign and his complex relationship with David. Jonathan, David's beloved friend, and Saul, the anointed king, represent significant figures in David's life. The Hebrew word for "dead" is "מֵת" (met), a stark term that conveys the finality and gravity of death. This moment marks a pivotal transition in Israel's history, as the death of Saul and Jonathan paves the way for David's eventual rise to kingship, fulfilling God's promise to him. The historical and scriptural context here is rich with themes of loyalty, divine providence, and the unfolding of God's plan for Israel through David's lineage.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
David
דָּוִ֔ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

asked
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

the young man
הַנַּ֖עַר (han·na·‘ar)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer

who had brought him the report,
הַמַּגִּ֣יד (ham·mag·gîḏ)
Article | Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous

“How
אֵ֣יךְ (’êḵ)
Interjection
Strong's 349: How?, how!, where

do you know
יָדַ֔עְתָּ (yā·ḏa‘·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

Saul
שָׁא֖וּל (šā·’ūl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 7586: Saul -- first king of Israel, also an Edomite and two Israelites

and his son
בְּנֽוֹ׃ (bə·nōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

Jonathan
וִיהֽוֹנָתָ֥ן (wî·hō·w·nā·ṯān)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3083: Jonathan -- 'the LORD has given', the name of a number of Israelites

are dead?”
מֵ֥ת (mêṯ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill


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OT History: 2 Samuel 1:5 David said to the young man who (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 1:4
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