2 Samuel 1:10 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

I took the crown—and the bracelet— This crown, probably, was one of the diadems worn by the eastern monarchs, made of a bandage of white linen, and which might easily be concealed under the helmet of Saul. It is not impossible, that the bracelet might be no part of the regalia of the kingdom of Israel; but merely a thing of value which Saul had about him, and which the stranger thought fit to present with his crown to David; but it seems rather to be mentioned as a royal ornament; and it is as certain, that it has been since used in the east as a badge of power; for when the Calif Caiem Bienrillah granted the investiture of certain dominions to an eastern prince, which his predecessors had possessed, and among the rest, of the city of Bagdat itself, it is said, this ceremony of investiture was performed by the Calif's sending him letters patent, a crown, a chain, and bracelets. See D'Herbelot, p. 541. I do not, however, find, that any of the commentators have considered Saul's bracelet in this light. All the observation which Grotius makes upon it is, that it was an ornament used by men, as well as women of those nations; upon which he cites Numbers 31:50. The ornament, probably, was not so common as we may have been ready to suppose; for, though the word bracelet is frequently to be met with in our translation, the original word in this text occurs at most but in two other places; and as the children of Israel found one or more of these bracelets among the spoils of the Midianites, so they killed at the same time five of their kings. Numbers 31:8. The other place indeed (Isaiah 3:18.) speaks of female ornaments; but, if the word is the same, might not the women of that age wear an ornament, which, from its likeness to one of the ensigns of royalty, might be called by the same name; as in some countries of late, brides have worn an ornament, which has been called a crown, though the word, indisputably long before that time, marked out the chief badge of royal dignity. See Olearius's Travels, p. 238 and Observations, p. 297.