1 Samuel 14:37

37 And Saul, desiring directions from God, said, Am I to go down after the Philistines? will you give them up into the hands of Israel? But he gave him no answer that day.

1 Samuel 14:37 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:37

And Saul asked counsel of God
He agreed to the motion of the high priest, and asked counsel by Urim and Thummim; the Targum is, as before,

``inquired by the Word of the Lord:''

shall I go down after the Philistines?
pursue after them in their flight to their own country, which, lying to the sea, was a descent:

wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel?
what remain of them, otherwise a victory over them was obtained:

but he answered him not that day;
no answer was returned by Urim and Thummim, so that he was left in suspense whether he should pursue or no; the Targum is,

``he received not his prayer that day;''

this was treating him in a righteous manner; since he would not stay for an answer from the Lord, ( 1 Samuel 14:19 ) , the Lord now will not give him any; though the principal view was, that he might take the step he did.

1 Samuel 14:37 In-Context

35 And Saul put up an altar to the Lord: this was the first altar which he put up to the Lord.

36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, attacking them till the morning, till there is not a man of them living. And they said, Do whatever seems right to you. Then the priest said, Let us come near to God.

37 And Saul, desiring directions from God, said, Am I to go down after the Philistines? will you give them up into the hands of Israel? But he gave him no answer that day.

38 And Saul said, Come near, all you chiefs of the people, and let us get word from God and see in whom is this sin today.

39 For, by the living Lord, the saviour of Israel, even if the sinner is Jonathan, my son, death will certainly be his fate. But not a man among all the people gave him any answer.