It came to pass on the third day,.... After the battle was fought, in which Saul was slain:
that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul; that is, from them who were in the camp with Saul, for he was dead. Some say d this was Doeg the Edomite, which is not likely that he should come with such tidings to David; besides, if he was Saul's armourbearer, as others say, see 1 Samuel 31:4; he died with Saul; nor his son, as others e, which is not at all probable, though his being an Edomite is no objection, since the Amalekites were of the race of Edom:
with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: in token of mourning, and was the bringer of bad tidings, see 1 Samuel 4:12;
and [so] it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance; as being the rising sun, Saul's successor, and now king.
d Pesikta in Jarchi in loc. e Tanchuma in Yalkut in loc. Hieron. Trad. Heb. in 2 lib. Reg. fol. 77. C.