The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 174
SECT. CLXXIV.
WE are now come to the Second Book of Samuel, The Second Book of Samuel.ſo called becauſe it containeth the Hiſtory of David's reign, who was choſen of God to ſucceed Saul in the Kingdom, and anointed thereunto by Samuel; and becauſe it relates how thoſe things which Samuel promiſed unto him from God were really made good unto him. It contains an Hiſtory of forty years, from the death of Saul to the death of David. As for the Author of it, ſome think it was the office of the High-Prieſt to regiſter the Hiſtory of the Jewiſh Church, and the remarkable occurrences that hapned in his time. Others think it was pen'd by Nathan the Prophet, and Gad the Seer, as is intimated in the firſt of Chron. 29.29. Now the Acts of David the King firſt and laſt, behold they are written in the Book of Samuel the Seer, and in the Book of Nathan the Prophet, and in the Book of Gad the Seer *See more concerning the Title of this Book, Sect. 149..
The firſt thing here related is how the tidings of the death of Saul and his Sons were brought to David whilſt he was yet at Ziklag (a)Which was not (as it ſeems) ſo totally burnt down but that ſome of it was ſtanding, in which David thought better to remain with his men than to go to any other Town of the Philiſtines., whether he was newly returned from the ſlaughter of the Amalekites, and had been preparing and ſending away preſents to his friends in Judah of the ſpoils he had taken in that Expedition; on the third day after, a young man came out of the Camp with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head, to teſtifie the diſmalneſs of the tidings he brought; and when he came to David, he fell on the earth and did obeiſance. David underſtanding he came out of the Camp of Iſrael, askt him how matters went? He told him the Iſraelites were vanquiſhed, many of them killed, and Saul and his Son Jonathan ſlain. David aſtoniſht at this, askt him how he knew it to be ſo? This young man to ingratiate himſelf with David (who was by general fame known to be the man whom Samuel had anointed to ſucceed Saul) and apprehending that if he ſhould carry the firſt tidings of Saul's death to him, he ſhould not miſs of a great reward, he tells him that being on mount Gilboa he found Saul leaning on his Spear *The Reader may compare this whole narration with that he will find, 1 Sam. 31:4. and then judg what truth there is in the thing., as not being able to ſtand, becauſe of the deadly wounds the Archers had given him, and the Chariots and Horſemen purſuing him ſo faſt, he call'd unto him and deſired him to ſtand over him and ſlay him (for he was in great anguiſh and trouble that his life was yet whole and intire in him) and accordingly he diſpatcht him as Saul deſired of him, for he was ſure he could not live after he was fallen. And he took off the Coronet he wore on his head, and the Bracelets which he wore on his arm, and here (ſays he) I preſent them unto my Lord the King.
David then took hold of his Clothes, and rent them, and ſo did all the men that were with him, and they mourned and wept, and faſted unto the evening, for Saul and Jonathan his Son, and for the people of the Lord that were fallen in the battel, and that by the hands of the Uncircumciſed Philiſtines, which was an evidence of Gods wrath againſt the Land. David angrily askt this young man how he durſt preſume to ſtretch forth his hand againſt the Lords anointed? 'Tis like the Amalekite thought David would have been highly pleas'd with him for doing it, but David upon Saul's death being come into the actual poſſeſſion of the Regal rights, and this man having confeſt the crime himſelf, David bad one of the young men about him to fall upon him, and kill him, which he accordingly did, and David ſaid, thy blood be upon thy own head *See Joſh. 2.19., for thy own mouth hath teſtified againſt thee, that thou haſt ſlain the Lords Anointed.
2 Sam. Ch. 1. from v. 1. to 17.