2 Samuel 1:11-16 – Don’t be done in by your own words

The Amalekite who brought the news of Saul’s death must have thought he had done David a favor. But David was in no mood to celebrate. The Amalekite considered the death of Saul good news. But to David, what he heard was bad news. Whatever Saul had done to him in the past, his death did not bring him comfort. He felt even more deeply for Jonathan whom he loved deeply. And his compassion was also for the people of the Lord and the house of Israel. So grief-stricken was he when he heard of the devastation that he went into mourning. He took off his clothes and tore them. When his men saw what he did, they also followed suit. They all mourned and wept until evening. 

It was foolishness for that Amalekite to expect a reward at the expense of Saul’s death. He had no idea how deep a trouble he had gotten himself into. Calling him, David asked him again who he was. By now, he had seen enough of David’s initial reaction to his reports to surmise he was in deep trouble. He could see how deeply affected David was about the whole incidence. So when asked again by David who he was, he quickly toned down. Notice how proudly he announced in verse 8, saying “I am an Amalekite.” He now quickly changed to “I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite.” 

By this time, it was already too late. There was no way out for him. The next question David asked was both rhetorical and dreadful. David asked him, “How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the LORD’S anointed?” We can recall the number of times David spared Saul when he had the opportunities to finish off the king, but he did not. What made the Amalekite thought that he could get away from what he did and still be rewarded? Calling on one of his young men, David pronounced a death sentence on that Amalekite, and he was killed instantly.

The man had implicated himself by his own testimony. He had confessed to killing the LORD’S anointed. If only he had told the truth, he would not be in such a predicament. How many times we have seen people who had stupidly implicated themselves with the needless things they said. The Lord Jesus counsels us in Matthew 12:36-37 to be careful with what we say. For “…every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.” So be careful of what we say!