1 Samuel 14:35 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 Saul built an altar unto the Lord,.... To offer peace offerings upon, in thankfulness for the victory obtained over his enemies, or sin offerings to make atonement for the sin of the people, perhaps both, however the former: the same was the first altar that he built unto the Lord; 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; so some others say, that he was the first of the kings that built an altar to the Lord (d); others, the first of the judges that built one; though Gideon built one, it was for his own private use, not for all Israel, as this, so R. Isaiah; but Ben Gersom, and so Abarbinel, refer this to the great stone Saul ordered to be rolled to him, and take the sense to be, that that began to be built 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, as follows. (d) See Kimchi in loc.

For when sinners are converted, a heavenly edifice is, as it were, constructed from stones. And since many manuscripts have: "And then Saul first began to build," the name of altar can be understood as compunction of heart. For when compunction of heart is raised up through the word of a teacher, an altar is surely built to the Lord. And it is said to have been built first, because there is a compunction of love. Hence in the tabernacle of the covenant, two altars were commanded by the Lord to be made: one, namely, for burning incense, and another for burning flesh (Exod. XXVII, XXXVII). The first altar was outside; the second was within the Holy of Holies. The first altar, therefore, is the compunction of fear; the second altar is the compunction of love. The former belongs to those who mourn their sins; the latter to those who yearn with all their desires for eternal joys. The stones of the former are recollections of sins; the stones of the latter are meditations on everlasting joys. Therefore the teacher builds the first altar when he sets forth the faults which the sinner, when he beholds them in himself, groans over. Rightly also is compunction called an altar, because it offers incense. But when each person is pricked with compunction for a long time over his sins, he advances through repentance to the practice of confidence. For after the times of affliction, he begins to burn for eternal life, and he who formerly wept from dread of punishment now begins to weep even more abundantly over the delay of his reward. Therefore, since the first compunction of the elect is born from fear, while through the figure of the king and the people, preachers and their recently converted subjects are signified, Saul is said to have then first built an altar. But from the progress of some, a teacher is often inflamed to pursue the gains of others. Hence it is added: (Verse 36.) And Saul said: "Let us rush upon the Philistines by night and lay waste to them until the morning light, and let us not leave a single man among them."

Saul built an altar to the Lord. He built an altar to offer a holocaust upon it and to intervene for the sin of the people, which they had rashly committed. Every perfect teacher builds in the hearts of the hearers the faith in the Lord's Passion, where on the altar of the living cross that precious blood was shed for the remission of sins, clearly instructing all by this example; for if the end of the Lord was death, much more should the servants mortify their members which are on earth; fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry (Colossians III), and such things that are works of the flesh and blood, clearly cannot be associated with the fruit of the Spirit. But also, daily revisiting the sayings or acts of the old fathers and the people, and desiring through these to be spiritually refreshed while struggling against enemies, as many of us who perceive only according to the letter of such great authority we feel, as if killing oxen and sheep on the earth, we eat with the blood; because handling heavenly matters with a carnal and earthly eye. But whoever recognizes that all things are spiritually summed up in Christ and the Church, upon that great rock, which was cut from the mountain without hands and grew, destroying the empire of the world, and filled the whole earth, we kill without harm and feast, constructing an altar of our devotion and pious sense pleasing to the Lord.

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.

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.

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].