1 Samuel 14:46

46 Then Sha'ul stopped pursuing the P'lishtim, and the P'lishtim returned to their own territory.

1 Samuel 14:46 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:46

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 ^F14 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 6. sect. 5.

1 Samuel 14:46 In-Context

44 Sha'ul said, "May God do the same to me and more also if you are not put to death, Y'honatan!"

45 But the people said to Sha'ul, "Must Y'honatan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Isra'el? Heaven forbid! As ADONAI lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground; because he worked with God today!" In this way the people rescued Y'honatan, so that he didn't die.

46 Then Sha'ul stopped pursuing the P'lishtim, and the P'lishtim returned to their own territory.

47 So Sha'ul took over the rulership of Isra'el. He fought against all his enemies on every side - against Mo'av, the people of 'Amon, Edom, the kings of Tzovah and the P'lishtim. No matter which way he turned, he defeated them.

48 He demonstrated his strength by attacking 'Amalek, and he saved Isra'el from the power of those who were plundering them.