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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:24 - 14:46
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Saul's Unwise Adjuration
v. 24. And the men of Israel were distressed that day, harassed, thoroughly wearied; 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. This was an act of false zeal, unauthorized by the Lord, Saul having more regard to his royal power than to the honor of Jehovah. So none of the people tasted any food, although they were jaded to the point of exhaustion.
v. 25. And all they of the land, namely, those who had now joined the forces of Saul, came to a wood, into a forested section of the hills; and there was honey upon the ground, flowing down in streams from the overloaded hives of wild bees.
v. 26. And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped, running down from the trees where the bees had stored it; but no man put his hand to his mouth, to eat any of the honey; for the people feared the oath.
v. 27. But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath, he was not aware of the curse; wherefore he put forth, while hastily passing by, the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in an honeycomb, one visible in the structure of the bees, and put his hand, with which he had removed the honey from the rod, to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened, the slight refreshment revived his strength, and this showed in the glow of his eyes.
v. 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, rather, are, faint. It was a timid protest against Saul's rash order.
v. 29. Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land, brought disaster to the army of Israel and to all whom they represented; see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
v. 30. How much more, if haply, by any means, the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? Had the soldiers had nourishing food, they would have been in condition to inflict a much more severe defeat upon the Philistines.
v. 31. And they smote the Philistines that day, those who had not fled toward Beth-aven, from Michmash to Aijalon, far in the western foothills; and the people were very faint, weary to the point of utter exhaustion.
v. 32. And the people, as soon as it was evening, flew upon the spoil, in a ravenous desire for food, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people did eat them with the blood, too impatient to let the blood drain out according to God's command, Lev_19:26. This was the result of Saul's unwise adjuration.
v. 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, their conduct being faithlessness to the covenant of Jehovah; roll a great stone unto me this day, right now.
v. 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, where the blood could drain off properly, 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.
v. 35. And Saul built an altar unto the Lord, apparently as a monument of the great victory; the same was the first altar that he built unto the Lord.
v. 36. And Saul said, after the people had once more been strengthened through the food which they ate, Let us go down after the Philistines by night and spoil them, take more booty, until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. Saul seems to have been aware of the fact that his rash order had been foolish, and therefore wanted to make up for lost time. And they, his counselors, or the people, said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Ahiah, Let us draw near hither unto God, to consult Him by means of the Urim and Thummim and thus to get His decision.
v. 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, at that time, this being an indication that the Lord had turned from the people and withdrawn His assistance.
v. 38. And Saul said, pursuing the hint given him by the silence of Jehovah, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people, the representatives, probably the elders, Num_11:30; and know and see wherein this sin, indicated by the silence of Jehovah, hath been this day.
v. 39. For, as the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan, my son, he shall surely die. This was another rash oath, and just as foolish as the first. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him, evidently from terror regarding the consequences.
v. 40. Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan, my son, will be on the other side, namely, in the casting of lots to determine the guilty one. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.
v. 41. Therefore Saul said unto the Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot, exemption from punishment, establish the truth. And Saul and Jonathan were taken; but the people escaped, they went out free, the lot did not accuse them.
v. 42. And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan, my son. And Jonathan was taken, discovered as the one on whom, in Saul's opinion, rested the fault.
v. 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; he was ready to pay the penalty, although in this case, since the mere command of a man was concerned, the guilt really fell on him who gave the foolish order.
v. 44. And Saul answered, with another unwarranted oath, God do so and more also; for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.
v. 45. And the people, rousing themselves from their attitude of apparent indifference and silent submission at last, said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? They regarded his great victory as a direct evidence of God's favor and assistance. 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, he was obviously a tool in the hand of God. So the people rescued Jonathan, from the fate which was threatening him, that he died not.
v. 46. Then Saul went up from following the Philistines, he did not continue the pursuit; and the Philistines, by no means permanently disabled, went to their own place, to their own country. The cause of the Lord's silence was evidently not Jonathan's conduct, but Saul's own arbitrary and rash act. If men profess to seek God's glory and honor, but at the same time take His name in vain time and again, the Lord often punishes them by letting them continue in their foolishness.