And David said unto him, how went the matter? I pray thee, tell
me
That is, how went the battle? on which side the victory?
and he answered, that the people are fled from the battle;
meaning the people of Israel, they had given way, and turned their backs upon their enemies, and were fled:
and many of the people also are fallen and dead;
fell by the sword in the pursuit of them, and were not only wounded, but were slain, and these great numbers of them:
and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also;
which are mentioned last, because they fell some of the last; and this part of the account is reserved by the messenger to the last, because it was the article of the greatest importance; the death of these two persons, the one the enemy, and the other the friend of David, and the death of both made way for his accession to the throne.