Bible Commentaries
1 Samuel 14

Introduction

A.M. 2917. B.C. 1087.

Jonathan proposes to his armour-bearer the attacking of the Philistines’ army, 1 Samuel 14:1-10 . They make the attack; the Philistines are terrified, 1 Samuel 14:11-15 . They slay one another, and are pursued by the Israelites, 1 Samuel 14:16-23 . Saul adjures the people to eat nothing till night; Jonathan eats honey, 1 Samuel 14:24-30 . The people smite the Philistines, and eat the spoil with the blood, 1 Samuel 14:31 , 1 Samuel 14:32 . Saul remedies this, 1 Samuel 14:33-35 . Dooms Jonathan to death, who is rescued by the people, 1 Samuel 14:36-46 . A general account of Saul’s exploits and family, 1 Samuel 14:47-52 .

Verse 2

1 Samuel 14:2. Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah In the outworks of the city, where he had intrenched himself to observe the motions of the Philistines. Under a pomegranate-tree A grove of pomegranate-trees. Which is in (or toward) Migron A place near Gibeah.

Verse 3

1 Samuel 14:3. And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub The high-priest, who was here to attend upon the ark, which had been brought hither, 1 Samuel 14:18. The son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh These last words manifestly belong not to Ahiah, but to Eli, who was high-priest while the tabernacle was at Shiloh. Wearing an ephod Or rather, the ephod; that is, the high-priest’s ephod, comprehending the breast-plate with the Urim and Thummim, which were inseparable from it. These Ahiah, being high-priest, now wore. Saul, being now in great distress, probably had sent for Ahiah, that he might consult God for him, as there should be occasion.

Verse 4

1 Samuel 14:4. Between the passages Two passages, both which Jonathan must cross, to go to the Philistines, and between which the following rocks lay; but the words may be rendered, in the middle of the passage; the plural number being put for the singular. There was a sharp rock Which is not to be understood, as if in this passage one rock was on the right hand, and the other on the left; for so he might have gone between both, and there was no need of climbing up to them. But the meaning is, that the tooth (or prominence) of one rock (as it is in the Hebrew) was on the one side; that is, northward, looking toward Michmash, (the garrison of the Philistines,) and the tooth of the other rock was on the other side; that is, southward, looking toward Gibeah, (where Saul’s camp lay,) and Jonathan was forced to climb over these two rocks, because the common ways from one town to the other were obstructed.

Verse 6

1 Samuel 14:6. The garrison of these uncircumcised So he calls them, to strengthen his faith by this consideration, 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. It may be He speaks doubtfully; for though he felt himself stirred up by God to this exploit, and was assured that God would deliver his people, yet he was not certain that he would do it at this time, and in this way. That the Lord will work Great and wonderful things. There is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or few From this it appears that Jonathan had a true faith in the power of God, being fully persuaded that he could do every thing, and needed not the help or co-operation of natural causes.

Verse 10

1 Samuel 14:10. This shall be a sign unto us Jonathan, not being assured of the success of this intended exploit, desires a sign, and by the instinct of God’s Spirit pitches on this. He could upon no good ground have spoken in this manner without an impulse from God, who often suggested such thoughts and resolutions unto good men’s minds in ancient times, as we see in the example of Abraham’s servant, Genesis 24:14, &c. God, we must observe, has the governing of the hearts and tongues of all men, even of those that know him not, and serves his own purposes by them, though they mean not so, neither do their hearts think so.

Verses 11-12

1 Samuel 14:11-12. Both of them discovered themselves At the bottom of the rocks. Come up to us, &c. A speech of contempt and derision. The Lord hath delivered them, &c. Jonathan, hearing those of the garrison make use of the very words which he had fixed on as a sign of victory, immediately concluded that God had influenced their minds and tongues, and thereby caused them to use the words, and would certainly render his designed attempt successful. And he piously and modestly ascribes the success, which he now foresees, to God only. And he does not say, into our hand, but into the hand of Israel; for he sought not his own glory, but the public good. His faith being thus strengthened, nothing can stand against him: he climbs the rock upon all four, though he had nothing to cover him, none to second him, nor any probability of any thing but death before him.

Verse 13

1 Samuel 14:13. They fell before Jonathan It is probable that the garrison, after they had spoken to Jonathan and his armour-bearer, concerned themselves no further about them, so that they climbed up unperceived, and fell upon the Philistines unawares, and perhaps when they were unarmed. And being endowed with extraordinary strength and courage, and having, with incredible boldness, killed the first they met with, it is not strange if the Philistines were both astonished and intimidated; God also struck them with a panic; and withal, infatuated their minds, and possibly put an evil spirit among them, which in this universal confusion made them conceive that there was treachery among themselves, and therefore caused them to sheath their swords in one another’s bowels.

Verses 14-15

1 Samuel 14:14-15. Within a half acre of land The garrison seems to have been divided into several bands, and posted upon several craggy eminences; for this first party that Jonathan attacked seems to have been quite separate from the rest. There was a trembling in the host That is, in the whole host which was in the field. The Philistines, hearing of this slaughter of the twenty men, undoubtedly concluded that they had been attacked by a considerable number of Israelites, which put them into a great consternation. Among all the people That is, among all the rest of their forces, as well as those in the garrison at Michmash, and the spoilers, mentioned 1 Samuel 13:17; the report of this prodigy, and with it the terror of God, speedily passing from one to another. 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.

Verses 16-17

1 Samuel 14:16-17. Behold the multitude melted away Were discomfited and scattered; so that fewer and fewer were seen in a company together. They went on beating down one another Not being able in this confusion to distinguish their friends from their enemies. Then said Saul, Number now, &c. Saul, upon the report of the watchmen concerning the seeming confusion in the army of the Philistines, concluded that some of his people had gone out unknown, and attacked them. He therefore ordered them to be numbered, to see who were missing.

Verses 18-19

1 Samuel 14:18-19. Saul said, Bring hither the ark of God Finding only Jonathan and his armour-bearer missing, Saul did not know what to conclude, and therefore called in all haste for Ahiah the priest, to inquire of the Lord concerning it, and in what manner he and the people with him were to act. But before the priest had performed his office, the rout and flight of the Philistines were perceived so plainly that Saul called to the priest to desist, or, as it is expressed, to withdraw his hand, as there was no occasion for further inquiry, it being plain what the matter was, and what they had to do.

Verses 20-21

1 Samuel 14:20-21. There was a very great discomfiture Namely, in the army of the Philistines; which, it is likely, consisted of various nations, and in the confusion into which they were thrown, they fell upon one another, not distinguishing friends from enemies. The Hebrews that were with the Philistines Having gone with their army, either by constraint, as servants, or in policy, to gain their favour and protection. They also turned to be with the Israelites In the midst of this battle they went over to their own countrymen.

Verse 23

1 Samuel 14:23. The Lord saved Israel that day Their deliverance was evidently effected by him, and that by means very extraordinary, and such as could have produced no such effect without his almighty power working thereby. The battle passed over unto Beth-aven That is, the warriors that were engaged in the battle, and were pursuing the Philistines.

Verse 24

1 Samuel 14:24. The men of Israel were distressed that day With hunger, and weakness, and faintness, and all by reason of the following rash and inconsiderate oath, whereby Saul had foolishly adjured them, and to which, it is probable, they had consented. Saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening Saul’s intention in putting this oath was undoubtedly to save time, lest the Philistines should gain ground of them in their flight. But the event showed it was a false policy; for the people were so faint and weak for want of food, that they were less able to follow and slay the Philistines than if they had stopped to take a moderate refreshment. That I may be avenged of mine enemies 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.

Verse 25

1 Samuel 14:25. All they of the land The six hundred that were with Saul, and who were now engaged in the pursuit of the Philistines, are chiefly intended here. Many others, however, from different parts of the neighbouring country, had begun to flock in, and join them as soon as they understood that their enemies fled. There was honey upon the ground Which had dropped, as was usual, from the hollow trees, or the clefts of rocks, where bees were wont to make their combs in that country, as they also use to do in many others, and even upon the very ground.

Verses 27-28

1 Samuel 14:27-28. His eyes were enlightened He was refreshed, and recovered his lost spirits. This cleared his sight, which was grown dim by hunger and faintness. Then answered one of the people One of them that came with Saul, whose forces were now united with Jonathan’s.

Verse 30

1 Samuel 14:30. How much more if the people had eaten freely They would have been able to pursue them more swiftly, and to have done greater execution upon them, than they could when they were faint. Thus men, by their rashness, hinder what they most desire.

Verse 32

1 Samuel 14:32. The people flew on the spoil Like ravenous birds. They were so faint and hungry that in the evening, when the pursuit was given over, they seized upon and devoured what was eatable of the spoil, and had not patience to wait the killing and draining of the blood from the beasts, in the manner it ought to have been done according to the law. But did eat them with (or rather in) the blood Thus they who made conscience of obeying the king’s commandment, for fear of the curse, made no scruple of transgressing God’s command.

Verses 33-34

1 Samuel 14:33-34. Ye have transgressed He sees their fault, but not his own, in giving the occasion of it. Disperse yourselves among the people Saul sends out his officers to charge the people that, when any more beasts were to be killed by or for any of them, they should bring them to a particular place, where he had fixed a stone for the purpose, and slay them under the inspection of proper officers.

Verses 36-37

1 Samuel 14:36-37. Let us go down after the Philistines by night Having thus refreshed themselves in the evening, Saul proposes to them to renew the pursuit, hoping to cut off the whole army of the Philistines when they were asleep in the night. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God To the ark, in order to inquire of God. It is probable he stood before the altar, and wished to remind them that it was dangerous to undertake any thing without God’s direction. He answered him not that day Though the priest, it seems, often asked an answer, yet he received none.

Verse 39

1 Samuel 14:39. As the Lord liveth Here again we have a proof of Saul’s rashness and folly, and of the violence and impetuosity of his temper. As he had before adjured the people, and exposed them to an execration uttered most inconsiderately; so now he lays himself under an execration to put to death, as it turned out, even his son Jonathan, who had been the first and almost sole instrument of effecting this glorious deliverance for Israel, and that for no other fault than tasting a little honey, without knowing that he had thereby exposed himself to his father’s curse. But not a man answered him None of those that saw Jonathan eating informed against him; because they were satisfied that his ignorance excused him; and from their great love to Jonathan, whom they would not expose to death for so small an offence.

Verses 41-42

1 Samuel 14:41-42. Give a perfect lot Or, Declare the perfect, or guiltless person. That is, O Lord, so guide the lot, that it may discover who is guilty in this matter, and who innocent. The people escaped They were pronounced guiltless. Jonathan was taken God so ordered the lot; not that he approved Saul’s execration, (1 Samuel 14:24,) or his oath that the transgressor should die, (1 Samuel 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 most excellent son; and that Jonathan’s innocence might be cleared.

Verses 44-45

1 Samuel 14:44-45. Thou shalt surely die, Jonathan This again was most rashly spoken. Saul, however, seems to have been influenced by a real fear of God, and certainly is to be commended for having a greater regard to his oath than to his kindred and natural affection. The people said, Shall Jonathan die? Hitherto they had expressed themselves in a way that manifested their obedience to Saul, and acquiesced in what seemed good to him. But now that Jonathan is in danger, Saul’s word is no longer a law to them; but with the utmost zeal they oppose the execution of his sentence. Who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel Shall that life be sacrificed which was so bravely exposed for the public service, and to which we owe our lives and triumphs? No, we will never stand by and see him thus treated whom God has delighted to honour. As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground Saul had sworn that he should die; but they oppose their oath to his, and swear he shall not die. They did not rescue him by violence, but by reason and resolution. And Josephus says, “They offered prayers to God that he would forgive Jonathan’s sin,” and that he might be loosed from the curse. He hath wrought with God this day It is plain the blessing and favour of God have been with him. It has been in concurrence with God that he has wrought this salvation. And God is so far from being offended with Jonathan, that he hath graciously owned him in the great services of this day. We may suppose Saul had not so perfectly forgot the relation of a father, but that he was willing enough to have Jonathan rescued, and well pleased to have that done which yet he would not do himself; and he that knows the heart of a father, knows not how to blame him.

It may be edifying to the reader, and therefore not improper to copy here, the following important observations of a late but anonymous writer, on the foregoing verses: “It may, at first sight, appear strange that the Divine Providence should so order things, by giving no answer to the high-priest, and causing the lots so to fall, that Jonathan, who appears entirely guiltless, should be brought into imminent danger of his life. If we consider this only in respect to Jonathan, it does indeed appear unaccountable; but if we take in his father Saul, it will appear to have been an act of divine wisdom. It is manifest, as well from the unnecessary and unprofitable oath that Saul here exacted from the people, as from many other passages of his life, that Saul was of a hasty, precipitate temper. What better lesson then could God give to him, and to all of such hasty, precipitate tempers, than to bring him into the grievous strait of either breaking a solemn oath or putting his own son to death? That this was the main intention of all that happened on this occasion appears evident, in that God inspired the people with such a courage and love for Jonathan, that they would not, upon any terms, permit even a hair of his head to fall to the ground. For we cannot suppose, if God had intended to punish Jonathan, as guilty of any crime, that the disposition of the people could have prevented his purposes, though they did those of Saul, which had no foundation in justice.”

Verses 47-48

1 Samuel 14:47-48. Saul took the kingdom That is, resumed the administration of it, after he had, in a manner, lost it by the Philistines, who had almost got the entire possession of it, and enslaved Israel. And fought against all his enemies on every side He did not invade them, as may be gathered from the next verse, but repelled them, and kept them within their own limits. He gathered a host, and smote the Amalekites; which war is described at large in the next chapter.

Verse 49

1 Samuel 14:49. And Ishui Called also Abinadab, 1 Samuel 31:2. Ish- bosheth, Saul’s other son, is here omitted because the sacred historian intended to mention only those of Saul’s sons who went with him into the battles here recorded, and who were afterward slain with him.

Verse 52

1 Samuel 14:52 . When Saul saw any strong man, he took him That is, when he saw any one behave well in battle, or of great strength, he took him into his band to be near to him on all occasions, and to go out to battle with him.