1Sa 14:1 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.
Come, and let us go over - This action of Jonathan was totally contrary to the laws of war; no military operation should be undertaken without the knowledge and command of the general. But it is likely that he was led to this by a Divine influence.
the young man that bare his armour - The armor-bearer is the origin of what we call esquire, from escu, old French, a shield; armiger is the Latin, from arma, weapons, and gero, I bear. In the times of chivalry, the armiger, or esquire, was the servant of the knight who went after him, and carried his lance, shield, etc.
Now it came to pass upon a day - At a certain time, a little after the garrison of the Philistines had made the movement, 1Sa_13:23 and it is not to be taken strictly for the day time; for it is probable it was in the night that the following proposal was made, and began to be carried into execution; for Josephus says it was day light when Jonathan and his armourbearer came to the camp of the Philistines.
but he told not his father - lest he should disapprove of his project, and hinder him from pursuing it.
1Sa 14:2 And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;
Under a pomegranate tree – The word for pomegranate is rimmon. It may be that what is meant here is either a pomegranate tree under which he sat protected from the heat of the sun, or it may signify a strong rock shelter called Rimmon in Judges 20:45, 47. The pomegranate tree, from its low growth, is but little adapted for pitching a tent under, it is probable that Rimmon here is the name of the rock mentioned in Jdg_20. Commentaries have suggested both.
Judges 20:45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon. And they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men, and pursued hard after them to Gidom and killed two thousand men of them.
Judges 20:47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness, to the rock Rimmon, and they stayed in the rock Rimmon four months.
which is in Migron - a part of Gibeah, or rather of the field of Gibeah.
Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah--Hebrew, "Geba"; entrenched, along with Samuel and Ahiah the high priest, on the top of one of the conical or spherical hills which abound in the Benjamite territory, and favorable for an encampment, called Migron ("a precipice").
1Sa 14:3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.
This fragment of a genealogy is a very valuable help to the chronology. The grandson of Phinehas, the son of Eli, was now High Priest; and Samuel, who was probably a few years older than Ahitub the son of Phinehas, was now an old man. All this indicates a period of about 50 years or upward from the taking of the ark by the Philistines.
Ahiah, the son of Ahitub - Phinehas, son of Eli the high priests had two sons, Ahitub and Ichabod; the latter was born when the ark was taken, and his mother died immediately after. Ahiah is also called Ahimelech, 1Sa_22:9 And answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.
Ahiah, the son of Ahitub - Ichabod was the child that Phinehas's wife bore prematurely on hearing the news of the ark being taken and of the death of her husband and father-in-law, which name she gave him on that account, and died; see 1Sa_4:19, he, it seems, had an elder brother, called Ahitub, who died young, and this Ahiah was the son of him; for not he, but Ahitub, was Ichabod's brother:
Wearing an ephod - That is, performing the functions of the high priest. This man does not appear to have been with Saul when he offered the sacrifices, 1Sa_13:9.
Wearing an ephod - as Ahiah now did; not such as common priests wore, but the ephod the high priest wore, which had the breastplate of judgment, the Urim and Thummim, in it, by which inquiry was made, 1Sa_14:37. The meaning of all this is, that the high priest is now with Saul, and the ark also, which and the high priest might be sent for on this occasion, 1Sa_14:18.
the Lord's priest in Shiloh - this refers not to Ahiah for he was not now priest in Shiloh , which was destroyed: and besides, he was now in the camp of Saul; but to Eli, who when living exercised the priest's office in Shiloh :
1Sa 14:4 And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
This enterprise is one of the most gallant that history records. The action, viewed in itself, was rash and contrary to all established rules of military discipline, which do not permit soldiers to fight or to undertake any enterprise that may involve important consequences without the order of the generals.
1Sa 14:5 The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.
1Sa 14:6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
of these uncircumcised - It is remarkable that the epithet “uncircumcised,” used as a term of reproach, is confined almost exclusively to the Philistines. This is probably an indication of the long oppression of the Israelites by the Philistines and of their frequent wars.
of these uncircumcised - So he calls them, that his enemies were enemies to God; whereas he was circumcised, and therefore in covenant with God, who was both able, and engaged to assist his people.
There is no restraint to the Lord - for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few; he is not limited to numbers, and can easily work salvation by a few as by many. It is no difficult thing to him to save by few, nor can anything hinder him, let the difficulties be what they will, when he has determined to deliver his people. This is a fine sentiment; and where there is a promise of defense and support, the weakest, in the face of the strongest enemy, may rely on it with the utmost confidence.
it may be that the Lord will work for us--This expression did not imply a doubt; it signified simply that the object he aimed at was not in his own power--but it depended upon God--and that he expected success neither from his own strength nor his own merit.
1Sa 14:7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
1Sa 14:8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.
and we will discover ourselves to them - present themselves to them at daylight, and let them know plainly who they were, that they were Hebrews.
1Sa 14:9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.
If they say thus unto us - Jonathan had no doubt asked this as a sign from God; exactly as Eliezer the servant of Abraham did, Gen_24:12-14 And he said, O LORD, God of my master Abraham, I pray You, send me good speed this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, I stand by the well of water. And the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water. And let it be that the young woman to whom I shall say, Let down your pitcher, please, so that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give your camels drink also. Let her be the one that You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by it I shall know that You have shown kindness to my master. By this and what follows he gives his man a sign by which both might know how they should conduct themselves in this expedition, and what would be the issue, whether they should succeed or not: should they say,
tarry until we come to you - this, as it would express boldness in the men of the garrison, and show that they were ready to come out and fight, would portend evil, and then what they had to do was to be upon the defensive:
then we will stand still in our place - wait till they came to them, and make the best defence of themselves as they could, showing as little fear as possible, and not attempting to retreat and flee: not backward, which would show fear; nor forward, to expose themselves to too much danger from the garrison, they appearing to be bold and intrepid.
The sign was well chosen. If the Philistines said, “Wait till we come,” they would show some courage; but if they said, “Come up to us,” it would be a sign that they were cowardly, and had not courage enough to leave their position and attack the Hebrews. It was not tempting God for Jonathan to fix upon such a sign by which to determine the success of his enterprise; for he did it in the exercise of his calling, when fighting not for personal objects, but for the kingdom of God, which the uncircumcised were threatening to annihilate, and in the most confident belief that the Lord would deliver and preserve His people. Such faith as this God would not put to shame.
1Sa 14:10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.
for the Lord hath delivered them into our hand--When Jonathan appears here to prescribe a sign or token of God's will, we may infer that the same spirit which inspired this enterprise suggested the means of its execution, and put into his heart what to ask of God. The whole course of the narrative, especially 1Sa_14:13-16, indicates an extraordinary divine interposition.
1Sa 14:11 And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes--As it could not occur to the sentries that two men had come with hostile designs, it was a natural conclusion that they were Israelite deserters, being in want of provisions, and almost starved, and so obliged to come out to seek for sustenance. And hence no attempt was made to hinder their ascent, or stone them.
1Sa 14:12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.
We will show you a thing - Said mockingly. This was the favorable sign which Jonathan had requested. The Philistines seem to have meant, Come, and we will show you how well fortified we are, and how able to quell all the attacks of your countrymen.
1Sa 14:13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.
Jonathan climbed up - It seems he had a part of the rock still to get over. When he got over he began to slay the guards, which were about twenty in number, these were of a sort of outpost or advanced guard to the garrison.
Jonathan climbed up - He did not attempt to go up the way or pass the Philistines kept, but turned aside and climbed up a precipice thought inaccessible, and came upon them unseen, and at unawares; for had he attempted to come up in any part where he was seen, they could easily have beat him down, and prevented his ascent;
Slew after him - Jonathan knocked them down, and the armor-bearer despatched them. This seems to be the meaning.
Slew after him - Jonathan, coming upon them at an unawares, knocked them down; or falling upon them, and laying about him with great dispatch, wounded them, and laid them prostrate to the ground; and his armourbearer following them, put them to death, dispatched them at once; and so between them both made quick riddance of them.
1Sa 14:14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.
An half acre of land - The ancients measured land by the quantum which a yoke of oxen could plough in a day. The original is obscure, and is variously understood. It is probably a proverbial expression for a very small space.
An half acre of land - The Septuagint version renders these words as representing the slaughter made "with darts, and the casts of stones, and flints of the field". 1 Samuel 14:14 And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armour-bearer effected was twenty men, with darts and slings, and pebbles of the field. (Septuagint)
1Sa 14:15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.
The earth quaked - This naturally increased the panic to the utmost. Compare 1Sa 7:10 And it happened as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But Jehovah thundered with a great noise on that day on the Philistines, and troubled them. And they were beaten before Israel.
and among all the people - the inhabitants of Michmash, or that attended the army, and furnished them with provisions, trafficking with them; the common people, as distinguished from the soldiers:
the spoilers they also trembled - who had been about the country, ravaging and plundering it, and were returned with their booty.
it was a very great trembling - both with respect to the numbers that were affected with it throughout the camp and garrison, and the causes of it; the terrible apprehension they had of a large army just ready to rush upon them; the earth quaking and opening in various places, threatening to swallow them up; and perhaps suspicions of treachery among themselves, they consisting of various nations, and some among them Hebrews; hence they fell upon and slew one another, 1Sa 14:20 And Saul and all the people with him gathered, and they went to the battle. And, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great panic.
it was a very great trembling - The Hebrew is, a trembling of God, signifying not only a very great trembling, but such as was supernatural, and came immediately from the hand of God. He that made the heart knows how to make it tremble. To complete their confusion, even the earth quaked; it shook under them, and made them fear it was just going to swallow them up. Those who will not fear the eternal God, he can make afraid of a shadow.
1Sa 14:16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.
Multitude - The word is in 1Sa_14:19 rendered tumult. It may have the same meaning here. The sentence is obscure; perhaps it means, “and behold the tumult! and it went on” (increased) “melting away and beating down.”
The watchmen of Saul - Those who were sent out as scouts to observe the motions of the army. The city of Gibeah was built on an hill, from where it had its name; and these watchmen or sentinels of Saul were set by him no doubt in the highest part of it, whereby they could overlook the army of the Philistines as they lay encamped, and could observe their motions, and give notice accordingly; and it being now broad day light, could see the condition they were in:
Melted away - There was no order in the Philistine camp, and the people were dispersing in all directions. The Vulgate has, Et ecce multitudo prostrata, “And behold the multitude were prostrate;” many lay dead upon the field, partly by the sword of Jonathan and his armor-bearer, and partly by the swords of each other.
1Sa 14:17 Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.
number now, and see who is gone from us - Saul perceived that the Philistines were routed, but could not tell by what means; supposing that it must be by some of his own troops, he called a muster to see who and how many were absent.
1Sa 14:18 And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.
Bring hither the ark of God - For “the ark,” some read “the ephod,” owing to the improbability of the ark being with Saul at this time, and from the verb “Bring hither” being never applied to the ark, but regularly to the ephod 1Sa_23:9; 1Sa_30:7. Moreover, not the ark, but the ephod with Urim and Thummim, was the proper instrument for inquiring of the Lord. If, however, the Hebrew text is correct, they must have brought the ark into Saul’s camp from Kirjath-jearim 1 Sam. 7, possibly to be safe from the Philistines. The Septuagint version reads 1 Samuel 14:18 And Saul said to Achia, Bring the ephod; for he wore the ephod in that day before Israel. (Septuagint)
Bring hither the ark of God - He wished to inquire what use he should make of the present favorable circumstances, and to proceed in the business as God should direct. That he, the high priest, might put on the ephod, with the Urim and Thummim, and inquire by them of the Lord before it.
Bring hither the ark of God - though the ark had been with Saul, and the people, some time, and also the high priest, yet we do not find that Saul in all his straits and difficulties consulted the Lord before; but perceiving something extraordinary was doing, and might turn to his advantage, he begins to inquire.
Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God--There is no evidence that the ark had been brought from Kirjath-jearim. The Septuagint version is preferable; which, by a slight variation of the text, reads, "the ephod"; that is, the priestly cape, which the high priest put on when consulting the oracle. That this should be at hand is natural, from the presence of Ahiah himself, as well as the nearness of Nob, where the tabernacle was then situated.
1Sa 14:19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.
Withdraw thine hand - Saul in his impatience to join the battle would not wait for the answer from God, which he had desired Ahijah to inquire for; just as later 1Sa_14:35 he would not wait to finish the altar which he had begun to build. Had he now waited he would doubtless have avoided the error into which he fell.
Withdraw thine hand - from putting on the ephod, or opening the breastplate of Urim and Thummim, or placing the ark in a proper position, to inquire before it, or from lifting up both hands in prayer for direction. Saul by the noise he heard concluded the army of the Philistines was routed, and therefore there was no need to consult the Lord, and he had no leisure for it; no time was to be lost, the advantage was to be taken directly, and the enemy pursued, to complete the victory. The Jews look upon this as a piece of profaneness in Saul, as no doubt it was, and reckon it one of the sins for which his kingdom was not prolonged
While Saul talked unto the priest - Before he had made an end of consulting him, the increasing noise of the panic-struck Philistines called his attention; and finding there was no time to lose, he immediately collected his men and fell on them.
1Sa 14:20 And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.
every man's sword was against his fellow - taking one another for Hebrews, or treacherous and disaffected persons; so that, though the Israelites had neither swords nor spears, they needed none, for the Philistines destroyed one another with their own swords. The Philistines were, by the power of God, set against one another. The more evident it was that God did all, the more reason Saul had to inquire whether God would give him leave to do any thing. But he was in such haste to fight a fallen enemy, that he would not stay to end his devotions, nor hear what answer God would give him.
1Sa 14:21 Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.
The Hebrews that were with the Philistines - We may understand such as they held in bondage, or who were their servants. Instead of Hebrews the Septuagint read 1 Samuel 14:21 And the servants who had been before with the Philistines, who had gone up to the army, turned themselves also to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. (Septuagint) Instead of (haivrim) “the Hebrews,” the Septuagint read haavdim, for they have “the slaves;”
the Hebrews that were with the Philistines - Who either were their servants and bondsmen they brought along with them, or such in whose cities they dwelt, or had taken as they came along, and forced into their army; or it may be some of them were renegades from the Israelites, deserters, who for safety and subsistence betook themselves to them as the stronger party.
The Hebrews that were with the Philistines - Those Israelites whom the Philistines had incorporated into their army are called Hebrews, according to the name which was current among foreigners, whilst those who were with Saul are called Israel , according to the sacred name of the nation. The literal rendering would be, they were to be with Israel , i.e., they came over to Israel . The fact that the Hebrews who were serving in the army of the Philistines came over to Saul and his host, and turned their weapons against their oppressors, naturally heightened the confusion in the camp of the Philistines, and accelerated their defeat; and this was still further increased by the fact that the Israelites who had concealed themselves on the mountains of Ephraim also joined the Israelitish army, as soon as they heard of the flight of the Philistines (1Sa_14:22).
1Sa 14:22 Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.
all the men of Israel which had hid - In the caves and rocks, thickets and pits there, 1Sa 13:6 And the men of Israel saw that they were in a tight place (for the people were distressed). And the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. According to Josephus, the LXX and Vulgate, the army of Saul was now increased to 10,000.
1Sa 14:23 So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.
1Sa 14:24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
Saul had adjured the people - He was afraid, if they waited to refresh themselves, the Philistines would escape out of their hands, and therefore he made the taking any food till sunset a capital crime. This was the very means of defeating his own intention; for as the people were exhausted for want of food, they could not continue the pursuit of their enemies: had it not been for this foolish adjuration, there had been a greater slaughter of the Philistines, 1Sa 14:30 How much more if the people had happened to eat freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For would not there have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? This command of Saul did not proceed from a proper attitude towards the Lord, but was an act of false zeal, in which Saul had more regard to himself and his own kingly power than to the cause of the kingdom of Jehovah , as we may see at once from the expression “till I have avenged myself upon mine enemies.” It was a despotic measure which not only failed to accomplish its object, but brought Saul into the unfortunate position of being unable to carry out the oath.
the men of Israel were distressed that day - By reason of the following order Saul gave with an oath, forbidding any to taste meat till evening, when the people were faint and weary.
cursed be the man that eateth any food - the design of which was, that no time might be lost, and that he might make the victory over the Philistines, and their destruction, as complete as possible; though it may seem a little too hard and severe upon the people, and too imperious in him, as well as imprudent; since a little refreshment would have animated and enabled them to have pursued their enemies with more ardor and rigor; and yet by the lot afterwards made, it seems to have been countenanced by the Lord:
cursed be the man that eateth any food - As Saul's intention was good, so the matter of the obligation was not simply unlawful, if it had not been so rigorous in excluding all food, and in obliging the people to it under pain of an accursed death, which was a punishment far exceeding the fault.
so none of the people tasted any food - so observant were they of, and so obedient to the order of their king, and so much awed by the oath or imprecation annexed to it; though they were faint and hungry, and had an opportunity of refreshing themselves as follows, which was no small temptation to disobedience.
1Sa 14:25 And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.
There was honey upon the ground - There were many wild bees in that country, and Judea is expressly said to be a land flowing with milk and honey. This was wild honey, which to this day abounds in Judea ; and bursting from the comb, runs down the hollow trees, rocks, etc.
All they of the land - literally, all the land, probably meaning all those named in 1Sa_14:21-22, who now flocked to the wood as a rendezvous. Which lay between Bethaven and Aijalon; by whom are meant not all the inhabitants of the land of Israel , but all that came with Saul and Jonathan, and that joined them in the pursuit:
1Sa 14:26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.
The honey dropped - Rather, “Behold a stream of honey.” It seems to have dropped from the trees on the ground.
but no man put his hand to his mouth - that is, took not any of the honey and ate it, though it was so near at hand, and there was plenty of it:
1Sa 14:27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
His eyes were enlightened - which before were dim and dull through want of food, which is a common case; but became brisk and lively on eating the honey, nourishment being presently communicated, and he refreshed with it, and his spirits revived; and which quickly appeared in the briskness and sparkling of his eyes. He was refreshed, when he was faint.
1Sa 14:28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.
1Sa 14:29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
my father hath troubled the land - The same word as was applied to Achan Jos_7:25, and gave its name to the valley of Achor . This was not wisely said by Jonathan; how much soever his father was to be blamed, it did not become him as a son thus to reflect upon him, and it might have tended to mutiny and sedition:
mine eyes have been enlightened - the benefit he received by it was very visible; it might easily be discerned that he was greatly refreshed with it, and his spirits invigorated by it; it was to be seen in the cheerfulness of his countenance, and the briskness of his eyes: and he suggests it would have had the same effect upon the people, had they eaten of it, as he had done.
1Sa 14:30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
if haply the people had eaten freely today - That is, had they been, allowed eat freely of the provisions, of bread, wine, &c. they found in the enemy's camp, they would have been much more refreshed and strengthened than it could be supposed he was with eating a little honey; if that had had such an effect upon him, of what service would a full meal have been to the people?
a much greater slaughter - the people would have had more strength to smite them, and would have pursued them with greater ardor and swiftness, and so have made a greater slaughter among them than they had; he intimates that Saul's end would have been better answered by suffering the people to eat, than by forbidding them.
1Sa 14:31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.
from Michmash to Aijalon - Michmash was the place where the camp of the Philistines was when Jonathan first attacked them, and from whence they fled, and they were pursued by the Israelites that day as far as Aijalon. There was a city of this name in the tribe of Dan, famous for the moon standing still in a valley adjoining to it, in the time of Joshua, Jos_10:12 and another in the tribe of Zebulun, Jdg_12:12, but they both seem to be at too great a distance to be the place here meant, which rather seems to be Aijalon in the tribe of Judah, 2Ch_11:10, it was twelve miles from Michmash:
1Sa 14:32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood.
The people did eat them with the blood - They were faint through hunger, and did not take time to bleed the cattle on which they fed. They ate the flesh along with the blood which adhered to it, by doing which they sinned against the law in Lev 19:26 You shall not eat anything with the blood. You shall not divine, nor conjure spirits. This sin had been occasioned by Saul himself through the prohibition which he issued. This was another bad effect of Saul’s rash adjuration. So they who made conscience of the king's commandment for fear of the curse, make no scruple of transgressing God's command.
1Sa 14:33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.
Sin against the Lord - the prohibition was older than the Law of Moses Gen 9:4 But you shall not eat of flesh with the life in it, or the blood of it. Compare Act 15:19-20 Therefore my judgment is that we do not trouble those who have turned to God from among the nations, but that we write to them that they should abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. Act 15:28-29 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which, if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Be prospered.
Roll a great stone unto me - Probably this means that they should set up an altar to the Lord, on which the animals might be properly slain, and the blood poured out upon the earth; and a large stone was erected for an altar.
Then they told Saul - Some that were more conscientious and religious, were more circumspect, and strictly attended to the laws forbidding the eating of blood, and were concerned at the indecent behavior of others, and therefore thought fit to acquaint Saul with it.
You have transgressed - He sees their fault, but not his own, in giving the occasion of it.
1Sa 14:34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.
and eat them - in the same place, being rightly slain, and the blood let out; all this was to be done, the slaying of the beasts, and eating them, in the presence of Saul, and under his inspection, that every thing might be done decently, and in order, and according to the law of God:
1Sa 14:35 And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.
Saul built an altar - As a thanksgiving for this victory, Saul built an altar to the Lord. This altar was possibly not intended to serve as a place of sacrifice, but simply to be a memorial of the presence of God, or the revelation of God which Saul had received in the marvellous victory.
Saul built an altar - And this we are informed was the first he had built; Samuel, as prophet had hitherto erected the altars, and Saul thought he had sufficient authority to erect one himself without the prophet, as he once offered sacrifice without him. Saul was turning aside from God, and now he begins to build altars, being then most zealous, as many are, for the form of godliness when he was denying the power of it.
the same was the first altar that he built - for though he had offered sacrifice at Gilgal, there was an altar ready built for him: or "he began to build"; he laid the first stone of it, and the builders built upon it; he began to build an altar to the Lord; that was the beginning of one; for he did not now stay to finish it, being eager on his pursuit of the Philistines.
1Sa 14:36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.
Then said the priest - After the people had strengthened themselves in the evening with food, Saul wanted to pursue the Philistines still farther during the night, and to plunder among them until the light (i.e., till break of day), and utterly destroy them. The people assented to this proposal, but the priest (Ahiah) wished first of all to obtain the decision of God upon the matter. “We will draw near to God here” (before the altar which has just been built).
Then said the priest - It is evident that Ahiah doubted the propriety of pursuing the Philistines that night; and as a reverse of fortune might be ruinous after such a victory, he wished to have specific directions from the Lord.
then said the priest - the priest proposes first to draw nigh to God; not to the altar Saul had built, or had just begun to build, but to the ark, with which the high priest was, and was a symbol of the divine Presence.
do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee - they had religiously observed his oath, in refraining from food all the day, and now they were as willing to be obedient to his command in denying themselves refreshing rest in sleep:
1Sa 14:37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.
But when Saul inquired of God - (through the Urim and Thummim of the high priest), God did not answer him. Saul was to perceive from this, that the guilt of some sin was resting upon the people, on account of which the Lord had turned away His countenance, and was withdrawing His help.
Asked counsel - The technical phrase for inquiring of God by Urim and Thummim, and applied also to inquiry of other oracles.
1Sa 14:38 And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.
see wherein this sin hath been this day - he concluded, from having no answer from the Lord, that sin had been committed, which was the cause of it; but never thought of his own rash oath, which was the cause of the people's sinning, and had brought his son into danger; nor the sin of the people in eating the flesh with the blood; nothing ran in his mind but the breach of the oath with which he had adjured the people, and this he was determined to find out, if possible.
1Sa 14:39 For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.
For as the Lord liveth - This is the form of an oath. Saul’s rashness becomes more and more apparent. He now adds an additional oath, to bring down yet further guilt in “taking God’s name in vain” The expressions in 1Sa_14:36, 1Sa_14:40, indicate the fear in which the people stood of Saul. None dared to resist his will.
though it be in Jonathan my son - that is, though the sin should be found in him, or he should be found guilty of the breach of what he had charged them with an oath to observe, namely, to eat no food that day till evening:
not a man among all the people that answered him - who knew that Jonathan had tasted of honey, but they would not acquaint him with it; partly because they knew he did it ignorantly, having no knowledge of his father's charge and oath, and partly because of their great affection to him, who had been the instrument of their deliverance and salvation that day.
1Sa 14:40 Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.
Then said he unto all Israel - not the principal men only, but the common people; not the officers only, but the common soldiers in the army:
1Sa 14:41 Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.
Give a perfect lot - The phrase is obscure, probably meaning “let it fall upon the guilty person, and let the innocent go free”; the Targum is,"cause it to come in truth;''
1Sa 14:42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
Jonathan was taken - the lot fell upon him, which was so directed, that his ignorance of his father's charge and oath might appear; and that the affection of the people might be discovered; and that a regard is to be had to the orders and commands of princes, and obedience to be yielded to them in all in which conscience is not concerned, though they may be grievous; and to bring Saul to a sense of rashness in making such an oath, which brought his own son into so much danger.
Jonathan was taken - God so ordered the lot; not that he approved Saul's execration, 1Sa_14:24, or his oath that the transgressor should die, 1Sa_14:39, nor that he would expose Jonathan to death; but that Saul's folly might be chastised, when he saw what danger it had brought upon his eldest and excellent son; and that Jonathan's innocency might be cleared.
1Sa 14:43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.
1Sa 14:44 And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.
And Saul answered, God do so and more also - A form of an oath imprecating evils upon him more and greater than he chose to mention.
1Sa 14:45 And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.
And the people said - Here was a righteous and impartial jury, who brought in a verdict according to the evidence: No man should die but for a breach of the law of God; but Jonathan hath not broken any law of God; therefore Jonathan should not die. And because he should not, therefore he shall not.
He hath wrought with God this day - God has been commander-in-chief; Jonathan has acted under his directions. God has been with him, assisted him to do great things for Israel , and therefore should not die for a thing so trivial; and it being not done in disobedience to his father, nor in contempt of him, but through pure ignorance, as some of them well knew
there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground - as Saul swore he should die, they also swear he should not, expressing their firm resolution to stand by him, and preserve his life; though they had yielded a ready obedience to all the orders and commands of Saul, which were distressing to themselves, they were determined to oppose him in this case of his son. The people judged rightly, that the guilt was contracted by Saul, and not by Jonathan; and therefore they rescued him from the hands of his rash and severe father.
So the people rescued Jonathan - And God testified no displeasure; and perhaps he permitted all this that he might correct Saul’s propensity to rashness and precipitancy.
So the people rescued Jonathan - The objection raised by the people was so conclusive, that Saul was obliged to yield. What Jonathan had done was not wrong in itself, but became so simply on account of the oath with which Saul had forbidden it. But Jonathan did not hear the oath, and therefore had not even consciously transgressed. Nevertheless a curse lay upon Israel , which was to be brought to light as a warning for the culprit. Therefore Jehovah had given no reply to Saul. But when the lot, which had the force of a divine verdict, fell upon Jonathan, sentence of death was not thereby pronounced upon him by God; but is was simply made manifest, that through his transgression of his father's oath, with which he was not acquainted, guilt had been brought upon Israel. The breach of a command issued with a solemn oath, even when it took place unconsciously, excited the wrath of God, as being a profanation of the divine name. But such a sin could only rest as guilt upon the man who had committed, or the man who occasioned it. Now where the command in question was one of God himself, there could be no question, that even in the case of unconscious transgression the sin fell upon the transgressor, and it was necessary that it should either be expiated by him or forgiven him. But where the command of a man had been unconsciously transgressed, the guilt might also fall upon the man who issued the command, that is to say, if he did it without being authorized or empowered by God. In the present instance, Saul had issued the prohibition without divine authority, and had made it obligatory upon the people by a solemn oath. The people had conscientiously obeyed the command, but Jonathan had transgressed it without being aware of it. For this Saul was about to punish him with death, in order to keep his oath. But the people opposed it. They not only pronounced Jonathan innocent, because he had broken the king's command unconsciously, but they also exclaimed that he had gained the victory for Israel “with God.” In this fact (Jonathan's victory) there was a divine verdict. And Saul could not fail to recognize now, that it was not Jonathan, but he himself, who had sinned, and through his arbitrary and despotic command had brought guilt upon Israel , on account of which God had given him no reply.
1Sa 14:46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.
Saul went up from following the Philistines - Saul gave up any further pursuit of the Philistines: Returned home to his own city, finding that he could get no answer from the Lord, whether he should pursue further or not, and losing the time and opportunity of doing it, by examining into the affair of his son, and casting lots to find it out:
the Philistines went to their own place - their country and cities, such of them as remained, who were not cut off by their own and the sword of the Israelites. It seems to be the will of God that they should not now be utterly destroyed, that they might be a rod of correction in his hand, to chastise the people of Israel hereafter.
1Sa 14:47 So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.
So Saul took the kingdom - The Targum appears to give the meaning of this expression: “Saul prospered in his government over Israel .” And the proofs of his prosperity are immediately subjoined.
So Saul took the kingdom over Israel - Which seemed to be almost taken from him when he was shut up in Gibeah, and the Philistines ravaged his country at pleasure; but now, having obtained a victory over them, he recovered his kingdom, and reassumed his power and authority; the people seeing that he succeeded in his wars with their enemies, they readily submitted to his government without any hesitation, and obeyed his commands; so the Targum,"Saul prospered in the kingdom over Israel;''and, according to one scholar, these words will admit of another sense, that whereas, after he was anointed and made king, he followed the herd, and attended rustic affairs; but now, after this victory over the Philistines, he took upon him the state and majesty of a king, and no more concerned himself with his farm and cattle, but betook himself wholly to regal and military affairs, as follows:
So Saul took the kingdom - The preceding narrative shows that before this time Saul had been king in name only, since his country was occupied by the Philistines, and he could only muster 600 men, and those but half armed and pent up in a narrow stronghold. Now, however, on the expulsion of the Philistines from his country, and the return of the Israelites from their vassalage and from their hiding places 1Sa_14:21-22, Saul became king in deed as well as in name, and acted the part of a king through the rest of his reign in defending his people against their enemies round about. A comprehensive list of these enemies, including the Ammonite war which had already been described 1Sa_11:1-15, and the Amalekite war which follows in 1 Sam. 15, is given in 1Sa_14:47-48. There is not the slightest indication from the words whether this “taking the kingdom” occurred soon or really years after Saul’s anointing at Gilgal. The details of the reign, namely, of the Philistine war in 1 Sam. 13; 14, of the Amalekite war in 1 Sam. 15, and the other events down to the end of 1Sa_31:1-13, preceded by the formulary, 1Sa_13:1, would then follow according to the common method of Hebrew historical narrative.
Fought against all his enemies - Of the wars which are mentioned here we have no particulars; they must have endured a long time, and have been, at least in general, successful. The other wars are none of them more fully described, simply because they were of no importance to the history of the kingdom of God , having neither furnished occasion for any miraculous displays of divine omnipotence, nor brought about the subjection of hostile nations to the power of Israel .
Zobah – which lay to the north of Israel . There never were but two kings of it, Rehob and Hadadezer, who lived in the reigns of Saul and David, 2Sa_8:3.
against Moab, and Ammon - who lay to the east of him:
and against Edom - which was on the southern border of his land:
against the Philistines - who were on the western border of the land of Canaan :
1Sa 14:48 And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.
And he gathered an host - A large army; for after the battle with the Ammonites he disbanded his army, and sent them home, retaining only 3000 men, and these deserted him to six hundred, which were all the men he had with him, when he fought last with the Philistines; but now, finding he had enemies on every side of him, he gathered a numerous host to defend his country against them, and particularly to attack the people next mentioned:
and he smote the Amalekites - a people that Israel, by the law of God, were bound to destroy, and blot out their name; a particular account of his expedition against them is given in the following chapter, on account of its consequences in relation to Saul's own sovereignty.
1Sa 14:49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:
The sons of Saul - Only three of his sons are mentioned, namely those who fell with him, according to 1Sa_31:2 And the Philistines followed Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, Saul's sons, in the war with the Philistines. Ishui is only another name for Abinadab (1Sa_31:2; 1Ch_8:33; 1Ch_9:39). In these passages in the Chronicles there is a fourth mentioned, Esh-baal, the one who is called Ish-bosheth in 2Sa_2:8, and who was set up by Abner as the antagonist of David. The reason why he is not mentioned here it is impossible to determine. The daughters Michal and Merab are mentioned, with special reference to the occurrence described in 1Sa_18:17-28. He had other children by a concubine, or secondary wife, whose name was Rizpah, not mentioned here, 2Sa_21:8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth, and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. This enumeration of Saul’s children and chief officers is according to the analogy of the subsequent annals of David and Solomen’s reign.
1Sa 14:50 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.
the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam - Who very probably was the mother of all the above children, and therefore taken notice of . It has been conjectured that Ishbosheth was not a son of her's, but the son of Saul by another wife, and which may be another reason why he is not mentioned here; but though Saul had a concubine, we nowhere read of his having another wife:
the captain of his host was Abner the son of Ner - not Abner, but Ner, was Saul's uncle; for Kish the father of Saul, and Ner, were brothers, as appears from the next verse; and Abner was first cousin to Saul, whom he raised and advanced to be captain of his army, and a very valiant man he was: we hear of him again in this history, and in the beginning of David's reign.
1Sa 14:51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
The son of Abiel - Read, “And Kish the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner, were the sons of Abiel.” Ner was Saul’s uncle. This Abiel was the father both of Kish and Ner, and the grandfather of Saul, see 1Sa_9:1.
1Sa 14:52 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.
When Saul saw any strong man - This was very politic. He thus continued to recruit his army with strong and effective men.
there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul - For notwithstanding the late victory over them, and slaughter made among them, they recovered themselves, and came out again to battle, and gave Saul a great deal of trouble, and he at last died in battle with them:
