The book of 2 Samuel picks up where 1 Samuel ends. The narrator left David after his defeat of the Amalekites and recovery of captives of Ziklag and Saul and his sons dead on Mount Gilboa. In a fascinating turn of events, an Amalekite comes to David with a story about King Saul’s end. We know what David does not, that this Amalekite is a liar. But after David grieves for his close friend Jonathan and the King of Israel, we see that David is not taken in by the false tale. The opening chapter of the book brings a change in the ruler of Israel. We see an ungodly liar, godly grief, and just judgment in “An Unexpected Announcement” (2 Samuel 1:1-16).

I. A Ungodly Liar (1:1-10) 

II. A Godly Grief (1:11-12) 

III. A Just Judgment (1:13-16)

Questions for consideration: (1) What does this narrative tell us about our own duty to speak the truth? (2) Why did David grieve over Saul, especially since Saul had tried to kill him? What does that tell us about our interactions with those who wrong us? (3) Why was the Amalekite killed?