1 Samuel 14:38 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 said, draw ye near hither all the chief of the people,.... Or, the corners of the peoples (g); the princes, as Jarchi interprets it: and so the Targum, the heads of the people, in allusion to the cornerstones in buildings, which are the ornament, strength, and cement of them, see Zac 10:4, though Abarbinel thinks the tribes themselves are meant, which lay encamped everyone in a corner by themselves, separated from one another; and these he would have brought together; not the heads only, but everyone, small and great, that it might be seen and known where the sin lay; but he should have observed, that the tribes of Israel were not now present with Saul, but a small number of them: and know and 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. (g) "anguli populi", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

By these words he clearly demonstrated the well-ordered procedure of judgment, because the fault must first be discovered, and then the punishment imposed. For the order of judgment is thrown into confusion if punishment is pronounced before the examination of the discovered fault. For lest he strike before the examination, he says: "Bring here all the corners of the people, and see, and know through whom this sin has occurred today." And because once the fault is known it must be struck more severely, he swears, saying: "As the Lord lives, even if it was done through Jonathan my son, he shall die without reconsideration." The matter must indeed be deliberated upon at length so that the fault may be found, but after it has been found, no one should be left alive in it. He is destroyed without reconsideration who, as soon as his sin becomes known, is forbidden to live in it. But this "without reconsideration"—that is, to destroy—is itself not without reconsideration, because the pastor exercises much deliberation so that the fault, which he discovers through careful examination, may be struck without reconsideration and extinguished swiftly. But if according to the historical sense we consider the weight of this paternal oath, and equally observe the fervor of that time and the lukewarmness of this one. For the ancient fathers, in order to please God, did not spare even their sons from death. But we do not dare to pursue even with a mild harshness of words those whom we love according to the flesh. Behold, he who was raising his son for the kingdom says: "Because if the sin was committed through him, he shall die without reconsideration." We see sinners, and we either refuse or fear to rebuke the sinning. Why then do we do this, unless because we by no means love God as they did? For Moses, in order to properly punish the sin of idolatry, ordered the Levites to kill twenty-three thousand men. In carrying out which slaughter he indeed said: "If anyone is the Lord's, let him join me. Let every man put his sword upon his thigh. Go and return from gate to gate, and let each one kill his brother, and his friend, and his neighbor" (Exod. 32:26–27). As if to say: In this each one will show that he is the Lord's, if for love of Him he does not spare brother, neighbor, or friend. Saul therefore says of his son: "He shall die without resistance," because for us who now live under the grace of the Redeemer, even if bodily death is not decreed, the life of sin ought not to be prolonged. Indeed, a ruler slays without reconsideration when he does not regard the affection of the flesh, but when he finds a crime, strikes swiftly. He reconsiders, however, who, lest he sharply sting the wicked one, thinks of the services rendered to him by that person, or of the affection of kinship. In this matter it should be noted that not all faults are to be struck sharply. For light stains of dust are better removed by shaking off than by washing or applying fire. Even serious faults are not to be pursued with equal severity in all cases, because wounds of bodies require the strength of medicine in proportion to the nature and strength of the bodies themselves. Most often, however, prelates of the Church, when they hear of faults, grow more heated than is just; and while they measure out punishment, they regard neither the nature of the wounds nor the strength of the offending persons. They indeed are to be tolerated when they threaten, but are to be calmed from vengeance by the counsel of good men. Whence it is also added here: "To which no one contradicted him from all the people." For because the threats of superiors are to be humbly endured, it says: "No one contradicted him." And because their excess is to be restrained by the wholesome counsel of the devout, not much further on, when the king attempts to inflict the same death on his son, all the people cry out: "Shall Jonathan then die, who accomplished this salvation in Israel?" Therefore the people delivered Jonathan so that he would not die.

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.

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].