1 Samuel 14:31 Kommentar

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 they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon,.... Michmash was the place where the camp of the Philistines was when Jonathan first attacked them, and from whence they fled, and they were pursued by the Israelites that day as far as Aijalon. There was a city of this name in the tribe of Dan, famous for the moon standing still in a valley adjoining to it, in the time of Joshua, Jos 10:12 and another in the tribe of Zebulun, Jdg 12:12, but they both seem to be at too great a distance to be the place here meant, which rather seems to be Aijalon in the tribe of Judah, Ch2 11:10 according to Bunting (z), it was twelve miles from Michmash: and the people were very faint; as they might well be, with pursuing the enemy so many miles, and doing so much execution among them, without eating any food. (z) Travels of the Patriarchs, &c. p. 127.

The day of the mind is the splendor of instruction. But those whom the arrogant teach, because they are inflamed by the ambition of temporal glory, receive a semblance of light, not the truth. When therefore that day is spoken of, what else is signified, except that often by the aim of temporal glory, mighty deeds seemed to be accomplished? For in that day, that is, by the teaching or example of the proud, they strike, because they serve in the ministry of preaching for this purpose: to obtain the splendor of temporal glory. And because they desire to become known to all, it says: From Magmas to Aion. Magmas, as has already been sufficiently stated, is interpreted as "humility," while Aion is interpreted as "my mourning brother." By the humble in this place, the little ones and simple people in the holy Church are designated. And the mourning brother—whom else does he suggest, except those whom the Lord praises in the Gospel, saying: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (Matt. 5:5)? For he who has already learned to despise all temporal things and to long for eternal things with great desires, while he dreads being held in the body and groans that he is not yet in that joy of eternal life, is rightly called "my mourning brother." Brother indeed, because he has already begun to be a co-heir of Christ, for whose most blessed and most joyful inheritance he groans with all his desires. He is called mourning, so that the unspeakable grief of the perfect may be designated. To mourn, moreover, is not to weep in just any manner, but to weep most deeply. For because they are filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, they have reached that abundance of tears which the distinguished teacher affirms, saying: The Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings (Rom. 8:26). He is also called mourning brother because the perfect are joined to the Redeemer in great intimacy. For he whom the Redeemer loves singularly, whom he nourishes with singular dignity for the possession of the perpetual inheritance, when he is called his brother, is designated in the singular number. Whence he also says to Moses as to a singular friend: I know you by name (Exod. 33:12). Hence it is that it is said of John in the Gospel: This is that disciple whom Jesus loved (John 21:20). For he who greatly loved all his disciples, when he is said to love this one, the brother is indicated in the singular number. In that day from Magmas to Aion they strike the arrogant Philistines, because in order to receive the light of worldly glory, they preach not only small things to the little ones, but lofty things that the more perfect may recognize. And because while they harm themselves through the perversity of their intention and some little ones in Christ, they benefit many who are more perfect by their speaking, they are said not to fight but to strike from Magmas to Aion. To strike the Philistines indeed is to destroy the snares of demons or the tyranny of vices from the heart of the elect. But often proud teachers benefit others through their word, and receive none of the praises for that same word which they desire. Whence it also frequently happens that while they do not see themselves being praised and exalted, they fall silent as if wearied by great labors. Therefore it is also added: (Verse 31) But the people were exceedingly weary. It is also the custom of the proud that when another's tongue is silent from their praises, their own self-estimation is not silent. While others indeed are silent, they cry out, because they carry the proclamations of their own self-estimation in their heart. Well therefore it is added concerning the same people: (Verse 32) And the people turned to the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground, and the people ate with the blood.

So on that day they struck down the Philistines, etc. Ajalon signifies great humility. In all the things the Church rightly does, it strikes at the Philistines; because through the good it does, it diminishes the powers of evil spirits; because they must be struck down beginning from humility, up to the breadth of perfected virtue, from the beginning of faith up to the fruitful amplitude of charity. Of which it is said: Your commandment is exceedingly broad (Psalm 119). But even the very state of the universal Church, beginning from the humility of a single Judean nation, has reached to the ends of the whole world through growth. Of which the Psalmist sings to the Lord: And your fields will be filled with abundance, the fattened edges of the desert (Psalm 65).

The people were exceedingly weary, etc. That the people were said to have eaten with blood should not be thought to mean they ate bloody and raw flesh, which is not at all human but is the nature of beasts; rather, that after slaying the animals, before the blood was fully drained, they cooked or roasted the unsanctified meat and then ate it. However, this signifies the lazy teachers, who, as we often see today, exhausted by the long labor of catechizing, hasten to incorporate some whom they had rescued from demonic errors by preaching, educating them in Gentile rites; attempting to imitate him to whom all kinds of animals destined from heaven were said: "Kill and eat" (Acts 10). But they almost kill on earth and eat with blood those whom they imperfectly detach from earthly senses and the allurements of flesh and blood, either by teaching or by their own living. They hasten to incorporate into the members of the Church those who are still accustomed to vices and not yet engaged in practicing virtues; contrary to the example of the first pastor of the Church, who, placed in the upper room, that is, in the highest place of living or teaching, is ordered to kill the offerings and eat what was purified by God. And it is noteworthy that, although the perfection of the human mind is perfect and weak, Jonathan, the perpetrator of so many great deeds and the author of such a triumph, unsuspectingly succumbed to the deception of gluttony. The entire people, after observing the appointed time for diligent continence, after laying low so many adversaries in one day, are themselves overcome by the victorious gluttony. But because the temptation of gluttony is manifold, it led one to eat before the allotted time and persuaded the other to consume less lawful things even within the allotted time.

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.

They smote the Philistines - from Mishmash to Aijalon - The distance Calmet states to be three or four leagues.

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].

the people were very faint. And the people flew upon the spoil--at evening, when the time fixed by Saul had expired. Faint and famishing, the pursuers fell voraciously upon the cattle they had taken, and threw them on the ground to cut off their flesh and eat them raw, so that the army, by Saul's rashness, were defiled by eating blood, or living animals; probably, as the Abyssinians do, who cut a part of the animal's rump, but close the hide upon it, and nothing mortal follows from that wound. They were painfully conscientious in keeping the king's order for fear of the curse, but had no scruple in transgressing God's command. To prevent this violation of the law, Saul ordered a large stone to be rolled, and those that slaughtered the oxen to cut their throats on that stone. By laying the animal's head on the high stone, the blood oozed out on the ground, and sufficient evidence was afforded that the ox or sheep was dead before it was attempted to eat it.

Result of the battle, and consequences of Saul's rashness. - Sa1 14:31. "On that day they smote the Philistines from Michmash to Ajalon," which has been preserved in the village of Ylo (see at Jos 19:42), and was about three geographical miles to the south-west of Michmash; "and the people were very faint," because Saul had forbidden them to eat before the evening (Sa1 14:24). Sa1 14:32 They therefore "fell voraciously upon the booty" - (the Chethibh ויּעשׂ is no doubt merely an error in writing for ויּעט, imperf. Kal of עיט with Dagesh forte implic. instead of ויּעט, as we may see from Sa1 15:19, since the meaning required by the context, viz., to fall upon a thing, cannot be established in the case of עשׂה with על. On the other hand, there does not appear to be any necessity to supply the article before שׁלל, and this Keri seems only to have been taken from the parallel passage in Sa1 15:19), - "and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground (ארצה, lit. to the earth, so that when they were slaughtered the animal fell upon the ground, and remained lying in its blood, and was cut in pieces), and ate upon the blood" (הדּם על, with which הדּם אל, "lying to the blood," is interchanged in Sa1 14:34), i.e., the flesh along with the blood which adhered to it, by doing which they sinned against the law in Lev 19:26. This sin had been occasioned by Saul himself through the prohibition which he issued. Sa1 14:33-34 When this was told to Saul, he said, "Ye act faithlessly towards Jehovah" by transgressing the laws of the covenant; "roll me now (lit. this day) a large stone. Scatter yourselves among the people, and say to them, Let every one bring his ox and his sheep to me, and slay here" (upon the stone that has been rolled up), viz., so that the blood could run off properly upon the ground, and the flesh be separated from the blood. This the people also did. Sa1 14:35 As a thanksgiving for this victory, Saul built an altar to the Lord. לבנות החל אתו, "he began to build it," i.e., he built this altar at the beginning, or as the first altar. This altar was probably not intended to serve as a place of sacrifice, but simply to be a memorial of the presence of God, or the revelation of God which Saul had received in the marvellous victory. Sa1 14:36 After the people had strengthened themselves in the evening with food, Saul wanted to pursue the Philistines still farther during the night, and to plunder among them until the light (i.e., till break of day), and utterly destroy them. The people assented to this proposal, but the priest (Ahiah) wished first of all to obtain the decision of God upon the matter. "We will draw near to God here" (before the altar which has just been built). Sa1 14:37 But when Saul inquired of God (through the Urim and Thummim of the high priest), "Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt Thou deliver them into the hand of Israel?" God did not answer him. Saul was to perceive from this, that the guilt of some sin was resting upon the people, on account of which the Lord had turned away His countenance, and was withdrawing His help. Sa1 14:38-39 When Saul perceived, this, he directed all the heads of the people (pinnoth, as in Jdg 20:2) to draw near to learn whereby (wherein) the sin had occurred that day, and declared, "As truly as Jehovah liveth, who has brought salvation to Israel, even if it were upon Jonathan my son, he shall die." The first כּי in Sa1 14:39 is explanatory; the second and third serve to introduce the words, like ὅτι, quod; and the repetition serves to give emphasis, lit., "that even if it were upon my son, that he shall die." "And of all the people no one answered him," from terror at the king's word. Sa1 14:40-41 In order to find out the guilt, or rather the culprit, Saul proceeded to the lot; and for this purpose he made all the people stand on one side, whilst he and his son Jonathan went to the other, and then solemnly addressed Jehovah thus: "God of Israel, give innocence (of mind, i.e., truth). And the lot fell upon Saul and Jonathan (ילּכד, as in Sa1 10:20-21); and the people went out," sc., without the lot falling upon them, i.e., they went out free. Sa1 14:42 When they proceeded still further to cast lots between Saul and his son (הפּילוּ, sc., גּורל; cf. Ch1 26:14; Neh 11:11, etc.), Jonathan was taken. (Note: In the Alex. version, vv. 41 and 42 are lengthened out with long paraphrases upon the course pursued in casting the lots: καὶ εἶπε Σαούλ, Κύριε ὁ θεὸς Ἰσραήλ τί ὅτι οὐκ ἀπεκρίθης τῷ δούλῳ σου σήμερον; ει ̓ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἢ ἐν Ἰωνάθαν τῷ υἱῷ μου ἡ ἀδικία; κύριε ὁ θεὸς Ἰσραήλ δὸς δήλους· καὶ ἐἀν τάδε εἴπῃ δὸς δὴ τῷ λαῷ σου Ἰσραήλ, δός δὴ ὁσιότηατ, καὶ κληροῦται Ἰωνάθαν καὶ Σαούλ καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἐξῆλθε. V. 42: Καὶ εἶπε Σαοὑλ, βάλλετε ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Ἰωνάθαν τοῦ υἱοῦ μου· ὃν ἂν κατακληρώσηται Κύριος ἀποθανέτω. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ λαὸς πρὸς Σαούλ, οὐκ ἔστι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο. Καὶ κατεκράτησε Σαοὺλ τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ βάλλουσιν ἀνὰ μέσον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Ἰωνάθαν τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ κατακληροῦται Ἰωναθαν. One portion of these additions is also found in the text of our present Vulgate, and reads as follows: Et dixit Saul ad Dominum Deum Israel: Domine Deus Israel, da indicium! quid est quod non responderis servo tuo hodie? Si in me aut in Jonathan filio meo est iniquitas, da ostensionem; aut si haec iniquitas est in populo tuo, da sanctitatem. Et deprehensus est Jonathas et Saul, populus autem exivit. The beginning and end of this verse, as well as v. 42, agree here most accurately with the Hebrew text. But the words from quid est quod to da sanctitatem are interpolated, so that תמים הבה are translated twice; first in the words da indicium, and then in the interpolation da ostensionem. This repetition of the same words, and that in different renderings, when taken in connection with the agreement of the Vulgate with the Hebrew text at the beginning and end of the verse, shows clearly enough, that the interpolated clauses did not originate with Jerome, but are simply inserted in his translation from the Itala. The additions of the lxx, in which τάδε εἶπῃ is evidently only a distortion of ἡ ἀδικία, are regarded by Ewald (Gesch. iii. p. 48) and Thenius as an original portion of the text which has dropped out from the Masoretic text. They therefore infer, that instead of תמים we ought to read תּמּים (Thummim), and that we have here the full formula used in connection with the use of the Urim and Thummim, from which it may be seen, that this mode of divine revelation consisted simply in a sacred lot, or in the use of two dice, the one of which was fixed upon at the outset as meaning no, and the other as meaning yes. So much at any rate is indisputable, that the Septuagint translator took תמים in the sense of thummim, and so assumed that Saul had the guilty person discovered by resorting to the Urim and Thummim. But this assumption is also decidedly erroneous, together with all the inferences based upon it. For, in the first place, the verbs הפּיל and ילּכד can be proved to be never used throughout the whole of the Old Testament to signify the use of the Urim and Thummim, and to be nothing more than technical expressions used to denote the casting of a simple lot (see the passages cited above in the text). Moreover, such passages as Sa1 10:22, and Sa1 2:5, Sa1 2:23, show most unmistakeably that the divine oracle of the Urim and Thummim did not consist merely in a sacred lot with yes and no, but that God gave such answers through it as could never have been given through the lots. The Septuagint expansions of the text are nothing more, therefore, than a subjective and really erroneous interpretation on the part of the translators, which arose simply from the mistaken idea that תמים was thummim, and which is therefore utterly worthless.) Sa1 14:43-44 When Saul asked him what he had done, Jonathan confessed that he had tasted a little honey (see Sa1 14:27), and resigned himself to the punishment suspended over him, saying, "Behold, I shall die;" and Saul pronounced sentence of death upon him, accompanying it with an oath ("God do so," etc.: vid., Rut 1:17). Sa1 14:45 But the people interposed, "Shall Jonathan die, who has achieved this great salvation (victory) in Israel? God forbid! As truly as Jehovah liveth, not a hair shall fall from his head upon the ground; for he hath wrought (the victory) with God to-day." Thus the people delivered Jonathan from death. The objection raised by the people was so conclusive, that Saul was obliged to yield. What Jonathan had done was not wrong in itself, but became so simply on account of the oath with which Saul had forbidden it. But Jonathan did not hear the oath, and therefore had not even consciously transgressed. Nevertheless a curse lay upon Israel, which was to be brought to light as a warning for the culprit. Therefore Jehovah had given no reply to Saul. But when the lot, which had the force of a divine verdict, fell upon Jonathan, sentence of death was not thereby pronounced upon him by God; but is was simply made manifest, that through his transgression of his father's oath, with which he was not acquainted, guilt had been brought upon Israel. The breach of a command issued with a solemn oath, even when it took place unconsciously, excited the wrath of God, as being a profanation of the divine name. But such a sin could only rest as guilt upon the man who had committed, or the man who occasioned it. Now where the command in question was one of God himself, there could be no question, that even in the case of unconscious transgression the sin fell upon the transgressor, and it was necessary that it should either be expiated by him or forgiven him. But where the command of a man had been unconsciously transgressed, the guilt might also fall upon the man who issued the command, that is to say, if he did it without being authorized or empowered by God. In the present instance, Saul had issued the prohibition without divine authority, and had made it obligatory upon the people by a solemn oath. The people had conscientiously obeyed the command, but Jonathan had transgressed it without being aware of it. For this Saul was about to punish him with death, in order to keep his oath. But the people opposed it. They not only pronounced Jonathan innocent, because he had broken the king's command unconsciously, but they also exclaimed that he had gained the victory for Israel "with God." In this fact (Jonathan's victory) there was a divine verdict. And Saul could not fail to recognise now, that it was not Jonathan, but he himself, who had sinned, and through his arbitrary and despotic command had brought guilt upon Israel, on account of which God had given him no reply. Sa1 14:46 With the feeling of this guilt, Saul gave up any further pursuit of the Philistines: he "went up" (sc., to Gibeah) "from behind the Philistines," i.e., desisting from any further pursuit. But the Philistines went to their place, i.e., back into their own land.