1 Samuel 14:35-52

Jonathan Rescued from His Father Saul

35 Then Saul built an altar to Yahweh; {it was the first altar he built} to Yahweh.

36 Saul said, "Let us go down after [the] Philistines [by] night, and let us plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave [alive] a man among them." So they said, "Do all that [is] good in your eyes." But the priest said, "Let us draw near to God here."

37 So Saul inquired of God, "Should I go down after [the] Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?" But he did not answer him on that day.

38 Then Saul said, "Come here, all [you] leaders of the people, {so that we find out} what the sin was this day.

39 For as Yahweh lives, who delivers Israel, [I swear] that even if it [is] in Jonathan my son, {he will certainly die}!" But nobody from all the army answered him.

40 Then he said to all Israel, "You will be {on one side}, and I and my son Jonathan will be {on the other}." And the army said to Saul, "Do [what is] good in your eyes."

41 Then Saul said to Yahweh the God of Israel, "{Render a decision perfectly}." Jonathan and Saul were chosen [by lot] and the people went out.

42 Then Saul said, "Let them cast [the lot] between me and my son Jonathan," and Jonathan was chosen.

43 So Saul said, "Tell me what you have done." So Jonathan told him and said, "I {merely tasted} a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die."

44 Then Saul said, "So may God do [to me] and {more}, you will certainly die today, Jonathan!"

45 But the army said to Saul, "Must Jonathan die, who accomplished this great victory in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, not a hair from his head will fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day." So the army ransomed Jonathan and he did not die.

46 Saul went up from [pursuing the] Philistines, and [the] Philistines went to their place.

47 So Saul took the kingship over Israel, and he fought all around against his enemies, against Moab, against the {Ammonites}, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. He inflicted punishment against all who rebelled.

48 He acted bravely and defeated [the] Amalekites and rescued Israel from the hand of those who plundered it.

49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua; the names of his two daughters [were as follows]: the name of the firstborn [was] Merab and the younger [was] Michal.

50 The name of Saul's wife [was] Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz, and the name of the commander of his army [was] Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

51 Now Kish [was] the father of Saul, but Ner, the father of Abner, [was] the son of Abiel.

52 Warfare was severe against [the] Philistines all the days of Saul. Whenever Saul saw {anyone who was a mighty warrior} or {any brave man}, he {conscripted him into his service}.

1 Samuel 14:35-52 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 14

This chapter gives an account of an adventure of Jonathan and his armourbearer smiting a garrison of the Philistines, 1Sa 14:1-14, 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, 1Sa 14:15-23, 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, 1Sa 14:24-31 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, 1Sa 14:32-34, 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, 1Sa 14:35-39, 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, 1Sa 14:40-46 and the chapter is cited with an account of Saul's battles with the neighbouring nations in general, and of his family, 1Sa 14:47-52.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "with it he began to build an altar"
• [b]. Literally "and know and see"
• [c]. Literally "surely dying he will die"
• [d]. Literally "opposite one"
• [e]. Literally "opposite one"
• [f]. Literally "give [what is] perfect"; the LXX includes additional words not found in the Masoretic Hebrew text but included in a number of modern English versions: "If this guilt [is] on me or in my son Jonathan, give Urim, but if this guilt [is] in your people Israel, give Thummim"
• [g]. Literally "tasted I tasted"
• [h]. Literally "so may he add"
• [i]. Literally "sons/children of Ammon"
• [j]. Literally "each man who [was] a mighty warrior"
• [k]. Literally "each son of ability"
• [l]. Literally "he gathered him to him[self]"