1 Samuel 14:40-50

40 Then said he to all Yisra'el, Be you on one side, and I and Yonatan my son will be on the other side. The people said to Sha'ul, Do what seems good to you.

41 Therefore Sha'ul said to the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, Show the right. Yonatan and Sha'ul were taken [by lot]; but the people escaped.

42 Sha'ul said, Cast [lots] between me and Yonatan my son. Yonatan was taken.

43 Then Sha'ul said to Yonatan, Tell me what you have done. Yonatan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, behold, I must die.

44 Sha'ul said, God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Yonatan.

45 The people said to Sha'ul, Shall Yonatan die, who has worked this great salvation in Yisra'el? 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 rescued Yonatan, that he didn't die.

46 Then Sha'ul went up from following the Pelishtim; and the Pelishtim went to their own place.

47 Now when Sha'ul had taken the kingdom over Yisra'el, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Mo'av, and against the children of `Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Tzovah, and against the Pelishtim: and wherever he turned himself, he put [them] to the worse.

48 He did valiantly, and struck the `Amaleki, and delivered Yisra'el out of the hands of those who despoiled them.

49 Now the sons of Sha'ul were Yonatan, and Yishvi, and Malki-Shua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merav, and the name of the younger Mikhal:

50 and the name of Sha'ul's wife was Achino'am the daughter of Achima`atz. The name of the captain of his host was Aviner the son of Ner, Sha'ul's uncle.

1 Samuel 14:40-50 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.