1 Samuel 14:3 Komentář

We left the host of Israel in a very ill posture, in the close of the foregoing chapter; we saw in them no wisdom, nor strength, nor goodness, to give us ground to expect any other than that they should all be cut off by the army of the Philistines; yet here we find that infinite power which works without means, and that infinite goodness which gives without merit, glorified in a happy turn to their affairs, that still Samuel's words may be made good: "The Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake," (Sa1 12:22). In this chapter we have, I. The host of the Philistines trampled upon, and triumphed over, by the faith and courage of Jonathan, who unknown to his father (Sa1 14:1-3), with his armour-bearer only, made a brave attack upon them, encouraging himself in the Lord his God (Sa1 14:4-7). He challenged them (Sa1 14:8-12), and, upon their acceptance of the challenge, charged them with such fury, or rather such faith, that he put them to flight, and set them one against another (Sa1 14:13-15), which gave opportunity to Saul and his forces, with other Israelites, to follow the blow, and gain a victory (Sa1 14:16-23). II. The host of Israel troubled and perplexed by the rashness and folly of Saul, who adjured the people to eat no food till night, which 1. Brought Jonathan to a praemunire (Sa1 14:24-30). 2. Was a temptation to the people, when the time of their fast had expired, to eat with the blood, (Sa1 14:31-35). Jonathan's error, through ignorance, had like to have been his death, but the people rescued him (Sa1 14:36-46). III. In the close we have a general account of Saul's exploits (Sa1 14:47, Sa1 14:48) and of his family (Sa1 14:49-52).

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 14 This chapter gives an account of an adventure of Jonathan and his armourbearer smiting a garrison of the Philistines, Sa1 14:1, which with other circumstances struck terror into the whole army; which being observed by Saul's spies, he and his men went out against them, and being joined by others, pursued them, and obtained a complete victory, Sa1 14:15, but what sullied the glory of the day was a rash oath of Saul's, adjuring the people not to eat any food till evening which Jonathan not hearing of ignorantly broke, Sa1 14:24 and which long fasting made the people so ravenous, that they slew their cattle, and ate them with the blood, contrary to the law of God, for which they were reproved by Saul, Sa1 14:32, upon which he built an altar, and inquired of the Lord whether he should pursue the Philistines all that night till morning, but had no answer; which made him conclude sin was committed, and which he inquired after, declaring that if it was his own son Jonathan that had committed it he should surely die, Sa1 14:35, the people being silent, he cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonathan; who had it not been for the resolution of the people that rescued him out of his hands, because of the great salvation he had wrought, must have died, Sa1 14:40 and the chapter is cited with an account of Saul's battles with the neighbouring nations in general, and of his family, Sa1 14:47.

And Ahiah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother,.... 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 Sa1 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: the son of Phinehas; so Ichabod was: the son of Eli; so Phinehas was: 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: 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, Sa1 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, Sa1 14:18. and the people knew not that Jonathan was gone; or they would have gone with him, namely, the military men that were particularly with him; he and Saul were in two different parts of Gibeah, with distinct bodies of men; whether the thousand that Jonathan first had with him all continued is not certain; it seems probable they did not; it can hardly be thought he should have more with him than were with Saul; see Sa1 14:2, though from Sa1 14:17 they seem now to have been together.

For Achias in our language means "shade" [umbraculum]. But what is designated by "shade" in this place, if not protection? Those therefore who in holy Church protect any of the lesser ones from hidden adversaries are rightly designated by the shade. But one who sits under a shade cannot feel the heat of the sun. Why indeed are shades spoken of in sacred eloquence, unless because they also point to a wicked sun, by which the freshness of the mind is scorched? Of this sun indeed the Truth speaks in the division of the seeds: 'When the sun rose, they withered' (Matt. 13:6). For the burning heat of desire is a sun, which gleams as if with light, but which scorches the mind upon which it shines. Therefore, when by the exhortations of our superiors we reject the enticements of all desires, where else are we sheltered but under a pleasant shade, where we may escape the fires of temptations? But diminutively the minister of the Church is called a shade, so that no one may be compared to the Redeemer. For of His protection the bride glories in the Canticles, saying: 'Under the shadow of him whom I had desired, I sat' (Song of Sol. 2:3). And the Psalmist entreating says: 'Under the shadow of your wings protect me' (Ps. 16:9). But whence this great Achias comes forth is explained, because he is recorded as the son of Achitob. Achitob means "my brother is good." Who then is understood as this good brother, if not our Redeemer? A brother indeed, because He is a partaker of our nature; but good, because He freed our nature, which He assumed, from eternal death. Or good, because we are all evil, as He Himself says: 'If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children' (Matt. 7:11). Achias therefore is called the son of Achitob, so that those who are powerful in the Church may be understood to possess their power solely from the imitation of the Redeemer. Moreover, the same Achitob is declared the brother of Ichabod, because he is named after the translation of glory. For our Redeemer according to the flesh was born of the Jewish people. Since from that people all the ornament of the temple, all the rites of sacrifices, all the mysteries of the Scriptures passed over to the Gentile people, the translation of glory is rightly recalled in the brother of Achitob. This same Achitob is also said to have been the son of Phinehas, because the Jewish people, in the perfidy of its error in which it plunged itself, had teachers of its own nation far more wicked than itself. Hence the same Phinehas is interpreted as "silent mouth" or "sparing the mouth." He is called a mouth, because through that people the Lord spoke. But his mouth is now known to be silent, because when it rejected the Redeemer, it likewise lost the Spirit who once spoke through it. He is also rightly called "sparing the mouth," because he fell once into the guilt of so great blood that he can in no way be converted to Him through penitence and confession. He is therefore called "sparing the mouth," because he disdains to blush in pious confession. Against which blessed Job, in the person of the converted, promises, saying: 'I will not spare my mouth; I will speak in the tribulation of my spirit' (Job 7:11). But because that people likewise had the dignity of religion in its patriarchs and prophets, the same Phinehas is declared to have been born of Eli, priest of the Lord. For Eli means "my God," and Shiloh means "sent." But sometimes in holy Scripture the elect preachers are understood as "gods." Whence also the Lord says to Moses: 'I have made you a god to Pharaoh' (Exod. 7:1). And in the law He commands, saying: 'You shall not speak ill of the gods' (Exod. 22:28). Therefore the father of Phinehas is called "my God," because indeed the Jewish people imitates according to the letter the Scriptures of those who merited both to perceive the word of God with a revealed mind and to conceal it, as it were, in the container of the letter. Indeed the Truth showed these through Himself, when He expounded the words of the Psalmist, saying: 'He called them gods, to whom the word of God was spoken' (John 10:35). Moreover, he is declared to have been born in Shiloh, because the Jewish people, though carnally, is still nevertheless instructed in the spiritual Scriptures. Since therefore every chosen and wise person in holy Church follows through teaching the Lord born of the Jewish people, Achias, who is called "shade," is said to be the son of Achitob, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli. He is also described as wearing the ephod, so that it may be openly shown that one who does not shine with the beauty of a good way of life and with light can in no way protect others. There follows: (Verse 3.) 'But the people did not know where Jonathan had gone.' What does it mean that the people did not know where Jonathan went, except that the chosen teacher strives to conceal through humility the things he intends to do? Hence in the Gospel the Lord also says: "Let not your left hand know what your right hand does" (Matt. 6:3). For if eternal things are figured by the right hand, and the present life by the left, we have men on the left and angels on the right. When, however, through good works we strive toward the fellowship of the citizens above, our right hand is said to be at work. And our left hand does not know the works of the right, if we have our co-workers — namely, the faithful of holy Church — as helpers in the work, yet refuse to have them as praisers leading to pride. Rightly, therefore, it is said: "The people did not know where Jonathan had gone," because we strive to do great things well only when we avoid displaying what we do for the sake of show. But since we bring these things forward as an example of the elect, we ought to examine attentively not only where he goes, but also by what way he goes. There follows: (Verse 4.) "Between the passes by which Jonathan sought to cross over to the garrison of the Philistines, there were prominent rocks on either side, and steep crags jutting out on both sides like teeth: the name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh."

Jonathan and his armor-bearer purpose to attack a garrison of the Philistines, Sa1 14:1. Saul and his army, with Ahiah the priest, tarry in Gibeah, Sa1 14:2, Sa1 14:3. Jonathan plans his attack of the Philistine garrison, Sa1 14:4-10. He and his armor-bearer climb over a rock: attack and rout the garrison, Sa1 14:11-15. Saul and has company, seeing confusion on the Philistine host, come out against them; as did the men who had hidden themselves; and the Philistines are defeated, Sa1 14:16-23. Saul lays every man under a curse who shall eat food until the evening; in consequence of which the people are sorely distressed, Sa1 14:24-26. Jonathan, not hearing the adjuration, eats a little honey, which he found on the ground, Sa1 14:27-30. The Philistines being defeated, the people seize on the spoil, and begin to eat flesh without previously bleeding the animals, which Saul endeavors to prevent, Sa1 14:31-34. He builds an altar there, Sa1 14:35. Inquires of the Lord if he may pursue the Philistines by night, but receives no answer, Sa1 14:36, Sa1 14:37. Attributes this to some sin committed by some unknown person: makes inquiry by lot; and finds that Jonathan had tasted the honey, on which he purposes to put him to death, Sa1 14:38-44. The people interpose, and rescue Jonathan, Sa1 14:45. Saul fights against the Moabites, Ammonites, and Amalekites, Sa1 14:46-48. An account of the family of Saul, Sa1 14:49-52.

Ahiah, the son of Ahitub - Phinehas, son of Eli the high priests had two sons, Ahitub and I-chabod; the latter was born when the ark was taken, and his mother died immediately after. Ahiah is also called Ahimelech, Sa1 22:9. 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, Sa1 13:9, etc.

JONATHAN MIRACULOUSLY SMITES THE PHILISTINES' GARRISON. (Sa1 14:1-14) the Philistines' garrison--"the standing camp" (Sa1 13:23, Margin) "in the passage of Michmash" (Sa1 13:16), now Wady Es-Suweinit. "It begins in the neighborhood of Betin (Beth-el) and El-Bireh (Beetroth), and as it breaks through the ridge below these places, its sides form precipitous walls. On the right, about a quarter of an acre below, it again breaks off, and passes between high perpendicular precipices" [ROBINSON].