1 Samuel 14:15 Ulasan

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 there was trembling in the host in the field,.... Belonging to Michmash, where the army lay encamped: and among all the people; the inhabitants of Michmash, or that attended the army, and furnished them with provisions, trafficking with them; the common people, as distinguished from the soldiers: the garrison; those that were in it, who did not sally out, but perceiving a great slaughter made of their outer scouts, were seized with a panic: and the spoilers they also trembled; who had been about the country, ravaging and plundering it, and were returned with their booty; see Sa1 13:17. and the earth quaked; the inhabitants of it thereabout, or the earth itself literally; a real earthquake was caused at the same time, which increased the terror: so that it was a very great trembling; both with respect to the numbers that were affected with it throughout the camp and garrison, and the causes of it; the terrible apprehension they had of a large army just ready to rush upon them; the earth quaking and opening in various places, threatening to swallow them up; and perhaps suspicions of treachery among themselves, they consisting of various nations, and some among them Hebrews; hence they fell upon and slew one another, Sa1 14:20, or "a trembling of God" (u); either in the same sense to which we translate it, as cedars of God, flame of God, &c. that is, large and great ones; or which came from God; it was he that sent this trembling among them, struck their minds with fear and dread, so that they were in the utmost consternation, and knew not what to do, nor which way to take, and had no heart to oppose the enemy, and defend themselves. (u) "in trepidationem Dei", Montanus, Drusius, Vatablus.

All who are perfect do not cease to marvel at the power and wisdom of almighty God in all things that have been made or are being made. Hence the Psalmist too, pressing on with divine praises, says: "God is wonderful in His saints; the God of Israel Himself will give power and strength to His people; blessed be God" (Ps. 67:36). Hence Moses confesses to the same Lord, saying: "Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, glorious among the saints, wonderful in majesty, working wonders?" (Exod. 15:11). He is indeed called wonderful in His saints because the more loftily they behold divine things, the more wondrously they are struck with amazement, for assuredly in the highest contemplation they see things at which they marvel, not things they can comprehend by reason. Therefore, whenever certain new things occur beyond ordinary experience that carnal and simple people wonder at, a miracle is said to happen among the fields. For in comparison with the saints, they are like rustic people who do not know how to marvel at so many ancient works of the Creator, so many arrangements of times, and so many orders of creatures. Rightly, then, all are generally included under that same dullness of rusticity, when it is added: (Verse 15.) "But also all the people of their garrison who had gone out to plunder were struck with astonishment." What garrison do they call, if not that of the Philistines? What is it then that the Philistines marvel at, except that sometimes other sinners, astonished, behold the conversion of sinners, and while they recognize the goodness of God in their visitation, they are kindled to a similar resolve of conversion? For the people of the garrison go out to plunder when they do not fear to act perversely. For what anyone dares to do while God forbids it, while the Scriptures threaten, while teachers oppose it, he strives as if by violence to seize for his own uses. If anyone wishes to understand demons by this people, he may, because they go out to plunder when they bring violent temptations and lead captive the souls of sinners. This people is certainly said to be astonished, because they do not understand by what grace converted sinners receive a penitent heart, which demons cannot possess. But while sinners come to their senses, they benefit both themselves and others, because many are corrected by their example. Whence it is also added: (Verse 15.) And the earth was shaken. While common men behold new wonders, the earth is disturbed, because it often happens that while some are converted through outward miracles, the hardness of others is moved by certain incentives toward the purpose of good work. For the earth is badly tranquil when the life of carnal men lies secure in the pleasures of the world, when the perishable things which it ardently desires sweetly delight it. But the earth is truly disturbed when the carnal mind is shaken from its evil firmness, and begins to think in a wavering manner, between the evils which it rejects and the goods which it loves. For to be disturbed is then for the mind to cloud over the serenity of evil pleasure with the purpose of Christian religion. But carnal affection is shaken so that spiritual life may be revealed. Whence it is also added: (Ver. 15.) And it happens as a miracle from God. For when the mind of man is weighed down by carnal delight, its vision is certainly dulled, so that it deserves to remain ignorant of spiritual goods. But when it begins to grow weak in its carnal things, it gradually grows strong in spiritual things, so that by advancing it sees heavenly things, and by forgetting it leaves behind what is weak. Indeed, the progress of a converted mind is shown, because first the earth is said to be disturbed, then the miracle is recorded as having come about as if from God. A miracle truly from God is what God does without man. For when the Lord rained manna in the desert for the children of Israel (Exod. 16), when He provided birds to those who desired them (Exod. 14), God certainly performed a miracle without man; but when He wished to divide the sea, He commanded Moses to touch it with a rod, so that He might display a miracle which He would demonstrate to the people through a man. So indeed the rock is struck with a rod so that streams of water might be brought forth (Num. 20), because the miracle He wished to display He performed through a man, not by Himself, so that by rendering the man venerable, the Israelite people would have been bound to submit humbly to him and obey devoutly. What then does it mean that the miracle is asserted to have come about as if from God after the earth is disturbed, unless that when the Holy Spirit moves the mind to conversion, He introduces to the stirred mind the examples of the elect, which it may both regard with reverence and devoutly desire to imitate? This miracle is indeed understood according to the historical sense as meaning that many were slain. But now in the holy Church sinners are converted to the religious life, and others follow them as examples of virtue. The Holy Spirit indeed draws them, and because they are drawn He shows them to others, so that He may draw those who have been drawn, and insert those who see into the company of the drawn, so that through the generosity of His grace He may encompass both. For when He works this in the hearts of the faithful without man, by Himself, the miracle certainly does not come about as if from God, but from God. But when He accomplishes this through the preaching of doctors of eternal life, the miracle is as if from God, because He displays His wondrous ministers so that those who behold them may be able to imitate them devoutly.

And a miracle happened in the camps through the fields, etc. By the miracle, strength and virtue are given to the just among those who are reprobates camping through the fields, having hearts astray, weakened by both malice and an abundance of pleasures. Hence the blessed apostle Peter, when he described the excess of those who, as if residing in the field of free pleasure, live in desires, drunkenness, revelries, drinking bouts, and illicit idolatries, added, saying: "In which they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same flood of debauchery" (1 Peter 4). But also the spiritual adversaries, although fierce plunderers of human salvation, are accustomed to be astonished at the deeds of perfect men, and to yield to the devotion of perfect prayers and other virtues.

And the earth was troubled, etc. So that those who are wise in earthly things may be troubled by the deeds of heavenly men; so that demons, terrified and groaning, may recoil from attacking men, their malice broken and their strength shattered; this is not a work of human virtue, but a miracle of divine mercy. Hence Paul, when he said he had labored more than all of them, immediately added: "Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Corinthians 15).

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.

There was trembling in the host - They were terrified and panic-struck; the people in general round about, those in the garrison, the spoilers, and the whole country, were struck with terror; the commotion was universal and most extraordinary. The trembling of the earth is probably not to be taken literally, but as a metaphor for a great commotion in the country, though God might have interposed in an extraordinary manner, and produced a real earthquake; but their being panic-struck was sufficient to produce all the requisite confusion and dismay.

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].