1 ซามูเอล 14:45 วิจารณ์

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 the people said unto Saul,.... Hearing such words, and filled with grief, pity, and sympathy for Jonathan, as Josephus (k) observes: shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? no, he shall not; what, such a man as he die, who, under God, has been the instrument of so great deliverance, who first began it himself with one man only with him, and has proceeded in it to the finishing of it? God forbid: this shall not be so; they speak of it with the utmost abhorrence and detestation, as a shocking piece of cruelty and ingratitude, unheard of, and not to be paralleled: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; as Saul swore he should die, they also swear he should not, expressing their firm resolution to stand by him, and preserve his life; and so far should it be from him to have his life taken away, that an hair of his head should not be touched, or the least injury done to his person; for though they had yielded a ready obedience to all the orders and commands of Saul, which were distressing to themselves, they were determined to oppose him in this case of his son: for he hath wrought with God this day; God has been with him, assisted him to do great things for Israel, and therefore should not die for a thing so trivial; and it being not done in disobedience to his father, nor in contempt of him, but through pure ignorance, as some of them well knew; so the Targum,"for it is known before the Lord, that in ignorance he did it this day:" so the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not; not by force, but by their resolution and importunity; or "redeemed" him (l), by exposing their own lives to danger in opposing their king, and by their petitions to him for him; and, as Josephus says (m), by their prayers to God for him, that his fault might be forgiven. (k) Antiqu. l. 6. c. 6. sect. 4. (l) "redemerunt", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. (m) Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 6. c. 6.) sect. 5.

Jonathan tasted of a honeycomb on a rod, and his eyes were enlightened, and his life was in danger because he acted through ignorance. For Scripture testifies to the fact that he did not know that his father had given strict orders that no one was to taste any food until the victory of the Lord was accomplished. However, the Lord was so angered that the lot disclosed him hiding, and he confessed openly, saying, “I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod, which was in my hand, and behold I must die.” And he was subsequently delivered through the intercession and prayers of the people, who said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? This must not be. As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has wrought with God this day. And the people delivered Jonathan, and he did not die.”

In this passage it should be noted that the king twice uttered an oath above concerning the killing of Jonathan, whom nevertheless, overcome by the insistence of the people, he did not kill. What does it mean that he swore, and by no means kept the assertion of his oath? But from this matter two lessons come to us, namely that we ought to be both cautious and discerning. Cautious indeed, lest we swear; discerning, if we swear to do perverse things. For he who takes care not to swear cannot possibly commit perjury. But when one swears wrongly, it is more just that the oath be abandoned than that the crimes which are sworn be carried out. Therefore let everyone be cautious before he swears, so that either he does not swear at all, or does not swear that he will do evil things. That we should indeed be cautious, the Lord teaches, saying: "Let your speech be: Yes, yes; no, no. Do not swear by heaven, nor by the earth" (Matt. 5:37). On the other hand, the reprobate are both incautious and lacking in discernment. For they often promise that they will do evil things, and do not trouble themselves to revoke their promises, as though they would incur perjury. Hence it is that Herod swore incautiously, and fulfilled the wicked oath he had uttered in the death of the Lord's forerunner (Mark 6). We ought therefore to be cautious in our decisions, but if we neglect to be cautious, our resolutions must be abandoned, not fulfilled. For to desist from a resolution in this way is not the vice of fickleness, but the virtue of discernment. Nevertheless, swearing things that must be revoked and detested is absolutely to be avoided and greatly dreaded, because when such an oath is not fulfilled, guilt is not entirely avoided, but the lesser evil is chosen.

What then is the meaning of what is said, "Shall Jonathan then die," unless that another would have died for the same fault? By these words of the people there is surely shown to us the power of great discernment, because in the judgment of the elect, not only must the causes of faults be weighed, but also the merits of persons. This is openly shown by these words, because Jonathan is declared not to die not because he was the son of the king, but because he had wrought great salvation in Israel. When therefore great men fall, they are not to be handed over to the common judgment, because their prior works deserve that the gravity of their later faults be lightened. But this lightening of fault itself is not to be determined by respect of persons, but by regard for their prior life, because for his absolution the gains of Holy Church must be weighed, not carnal affection admitted. But what wonder if one's own merits avail for the absolution of a sinner, when from the authority of sacred Scripture we learn that some have been delivered for the sake of others? Indeed, by the good work of some, others are helped, as is said by the Lord to the sinning King Solomon: "Because you have not kept my commandments, I will surely tear your kingdom apart and give it to your servant. Nevertheless, in your days I will not do it, for the sake of David your father; but from the hand of your son I will tear it away" (1 Kings 11:11). Hence it is that not only do the works of fathers benefit their children, but we have also recognized that citizens are to be delivered for the sake of fellow citizens. Indeed the Lord promised to spare Sodom, which was to be overthrown, if He found in it only ten righteous persons (Gen. 18). Jerusalem also is said to be looked upon mercifully, because some good works were found in it. Hence it is that Eli, righteous in his own life but negligent in pastoral authority, heard from the man of God: "A great part of your house shall die when they reach manhood; nevertheless I will not utterly take away from you a man from my altar" (1 Sam. 2:33), so that sacred Scripture might here openly show that he was both struck for his laxity and regarded for his past manner of life. But he could perhaps be struck in part, because he had some impurity of life. Of Jonathan therefore it is well said: "Shall Jonathan then die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! As the Lord lives, not a hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day." As if to say: He who has done great works has worthily deserved to be absolved entirely. Because therefore in ecclesiastical judgment, even if there is no respect of persons, there is nevertheless a discernment of merits, he fittingly concluded the sentence, saying: "So the people delivered Jonathan, that he should 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.

And the people said - "Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid! As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground." Here was a righteous and impartial jury, who brought in a verdict according to the evidence: No man should die but for a breach of the law of God; but Jonathan hath not broken any law of God; therefore Jonathan should not die. And because he should not, therefore he shall not. He hath wrought with God this day - God has been commander-in-chief; Jonathan has acted under his directions. So the people rescued Jonathan - And God testified no displeasure; and perhaps he permitted all this that he might correct Saul's propensity to rashness and precipitancy.

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 rescued Jonathan, that he died not--When Saul became aware of Jonathan's transgression in regard to the honey, albeit it was done in ignorance and involved no guilt, he was, like Jephthah [Jdg 11:31, Jdg 11:35], about to put his son to death, in conformity with his vow [Sa1 14:44]. But the more enlightened conscience of the army prevented the tarnishing the glory of the day by the blood of the young hero, to whose faith and valor it was chiefly due.