2 Samuel 1:21

21. Mountains in Gilboa “Even nature is to join in the mourning. May God withdraw his blessing from the mountains upon which the heroes have fallen, that they may not be moistened by the dew and rain of heaven, but, remaining in eternal barrenness, be memorials of the horrible occurrence that has taken place upon them!” Keil.

Fields of offerings Fertile fields, producing the best and most suitable fruits for offering in sacrifice to God.

Vilely cast away the shield Ingloriously and with abhorrence cast away by the mighty heroes themselves upon realizing that it no longer defends them from the arrows of the enemy.

Not anointed with oil It is difficult to determine whether this refers to Saul or his shield. The English version, after the Vulgate, supplies the words as though, and refers it to Saul. It favours this interpretation that the word משׁיח is always elsewhere applied to persons, never to things. The Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic omit the negative particle, and read: The shield of Saul who was anointed with oil. But these versions evidently aimed to correct the Hebrew text. Some have thought to read כלי , instruments, for בלי , not, but this is mere conjecture. Others refer the epithet to the shield, and understand that Saul had not properly anointed his shield previous to the battle. Compare Isaiah 21:5. Keil, on the other hand, supposes that the shield had not after the battle been polished with oil, so that the marks of Saul’s blood still adhered to it. We prefer, however, to refer the word anointed to Saul, and understand David as implying that after the shield was vilely cast away, and Saul himself was ignobly fallen, he could no longer be regarded as the anointed of Jehovah. Thus: The shield of Saul, (who, after his inglorious fall, is) not (now the) anointed with oil. Comp. Isaiah 51:21. “Thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine.”