1 Samuel 14:46

46 Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

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 And Saul said, "God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan."

45 Then the people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day." So the people ransomed Jonathan, so that he did not die.

46 Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

47 When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned he routed them.

48 And he did valiantly and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.