1 Samuele 14:40 Commento

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.

Then said he unto all Israel,.... As many of them as were present; not the principal men only, but the common people; not the officers only, but the common soldiers in the army: be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side: so they divided to the right and left, one went one way, and the other the other; there were two boxes or urns, as Kimchi says, in one of which were the names of Saul and Jonathan, and in the other Israel; though Abarbinel observes, that such a partition of them on one side, and the other, is not according to the manner of lots; and he suspects that Saul knew that Jonathan had tasted of honey, being told it by the man that saw him eat it; and who said to him then, "thy father straitly charged", &c. Sa1 14:27 but chose this way to make it manifest to the people, and to show what a strict regard he had to justice: and the people said unto Saul, do what seemeth good unto thee; they were very obsequious to him in everything, see Sa1 14:36.

What does it mean that by the king's command the people are separated from the king and his son, except that when a hidden and suspected fault is sought, both the higher and lower persons must be examined? Indeed, often the people sin, and often their ruler sins; and sometimes the very fault of the subjects is ascribed to the prelate, by whose negligence it is said to be brought about. Therefore, when, after the signs shown above, it is recognized that a fault lies hidden among the people, and it is not known in whom it is concealed, let the king join himself in, so that the pastor may know whether the fault is his own or the people's. Indeed, King Saul was not conscious of the fault, which he had committed neither by consent nor by deed, and yet he is mixed in to be examined, so that if the fault also lies hidden in him, it may be found. For he was, as it were, searching himself as one unaware of sin, who said: "For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this; the one who judges me is the Lord" (1 Cor. 4:4). As if to say: I do not cease to search myself and to find myself, because if I am hidden from myself, I will not be hidden from him to whom all things are naked. Therefore let the king, not conscious of that sin which was being investigated, say: "I with my son Jonathan will be on one side"; because chosen teachers, when they rage against others through zeal for righteousness, by no means spare themselves and their own close associates. For they, as it were, separate the people on one side and do not separate themselves, who examine the faults of their subjects but do not care to investigate so as to find themselves. Great indeed is the ocean of human ignorance. For if we can scarcely or never search ourselves and find what we are, when can we search others? For what is it that the Prophet laments, saying: "My heart has forsaken me" (Ps. 39:13)? What is it that Sacred Scripture declares: "Man does not know whether he is worthy of love or hatred" (Eccl. 9:2)? Likewise, the Prophet declares the fruit of his searching, saying: "Your servant has found his heart" (2 Kings 7:27). If the saints can scarcely find their heart, with what recklessness do we cease from searching ourselves? But perhaps not even the Prophet could, because he added: "That he may fear you." He would surely have found his heart if he had fully known whether he was worthy of hatred or love. He who therefore did not find it so as to be secure before God, surely found it so as to fear. But we cannot easily do even this, because while we neglect to find our sins and to weigh them once found, we are, as it were, secure with a lost heart. Therefore these are placed on one side, those on the other, so that the hidden things of each may be considered, and once the fault is found, it may be struck with a fitting punishment. Because this is greatly to be praised and not to be discouraged, there follows: "The people answered Saul: Do what is good in your eyes."

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].