1:2 clothes torn and dirt on his head. In the wake of Israel’s devastating defeat (1 Sam. 31:1), the messenger apparently thinks it appropriate to take on the appearance of mourning (cf. Josh. 7:6; 1 Sam. 4:12). His claim to have had a hand in Saul’s death (v. 10), however, shows that he expects at least this item of news to please David.