1 Samuele 14:46 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 Saul went up from following the Philistines,.... Returned home to his own city, finding that he could get no answer from the Lord, whether he should pursue further or not, and losing the time and opportunity of doing it, by examining into the affair of his son, and casting lots to find it out: and the Philistines went to their own place; their country and cities, such of them as remained, who were not cut off by their own and the sword of the Israelites. Josephus (n) says, Saul killed about 60,000 of them. It seems to be the will of God that they should not now be utterly destroyed, that they might be a rod of correction in his hand, to chastise the people of Israel hereafter. (n) Antiqu. l. 6. c. 6. sect. 5.

When Jonathan's fault is discovered, when the king is found not to have fulfilled his oath, he is said to cease pursuing the Philistines, because when pastors are weighed down by their own weakness, they cannot vigorously seek the gains of others. For to cease pursuing the Philistines is to stop for a time pursuing the vices of others by preaching. For they judge that they must first attend to their own purification, and then, once purified, be watchful for the salvation of others, because while they are silent they prepare themselves, so that through their own penance, as it were, they may rise up vigorously to gain others. And because often, while the teacher, conscious of his own guilt, is silent, evil spirits are not silent toward some of his subjects, suggesting impious things to them. When the teachers are silent, the demons depart to their own places; because through the silence of the pastors, none perish except those who are not predestined to eternal life. For the places of demons are those who are not foreordained by divine foreknowledge as a dwelling of God. Hence it is said, when the first teachers were preaching: "As many as were predestined to eternal life believed" (Acts 13:48). Hence Paul says: "Whom He foreknew, He also predestined, and whom He predestined, He also called" (Rom. 8:30). Hence it is that when the apostles wished to cross into Asia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16). Therefore those who are not predestined, whether they hear the words of the teachers or do not hear them, cannot be called into the dwelling of God, because through the wickedness in which they were foreknown before the foundation of the world, they have prepared a place within themselves for malign spirits. Rightly therefore, when the pursuit of the Philistines is said to have ceased, the demons are reported to have gone away to their own places, because sometimes by God's dispensation the teachers are silent, so that while they are silent, those who are not the Lord's may be reclaimed by evil spirits. But, as I said, when after their fault the pastors are silent, they humble themselves, so that, purified, they may rise powerfully to the ministry of preaching. While they are silent, they weigh their own weakness, but by examining themselves, they strengthen themselves more vigorously against hidden enemies.

And Saul withdrew, not pursuing the Philistines, etc. Indeed, teachers, conscious of their own frailty, realize they are not able to track or expel all the wiles of demons; but woe to those hearts to which the repelled and cast out unclean spirits return as if to their own places.

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].