1 Samuel 14 Study Notes

14:28-30 The Hebrew word behind trouble (Hb ‘akar) was used of Achan, the man who kept some of Jericho’s spoil for himself and brought trouble to Israel during Joshua’s time (Jos 7:25-26). Jonathan suggested his father the king had likewise hurt Israel’s cause. On I have renewed energy, see note at v. 27.

14:31 From Michmash . . . to Aijalon was a distance of about fifteen miles, stretching from one side of the central Benjamin plateau to the other. That day may hint that as the day ended, the people were free from Saul’s rash vow (v. 24).

14:32 Sheep, goats, cattle, and calves were clean animals according to the Mosaic law (Lv 11:3-8), but the law also prohibited eating meat with the blood still in it (Lv 17:10-14).

14:33-34 To Saul’s credit, he acted to prevent people from sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood still in it.

14:35 The law of Moses normally condemned such an altar (Dt 12:13-14), though Samuel also had built one (1Sm 7:17). Perhaps Saul’s altar was intended only to commemorate the Lord’s victory.

14:36 The elevation dropped down over two thousand feet from the central Benjamin plateau to the Philistine coastal cities. Saul suggested the people continue pursuing their enemies through the night and bring complete destruction on them, an idea his army supported. Saul’s priest, however, suggested they should approach God before proceeding.

14:37 God not answering suggests three responses were possible when someone inquired of the Lord—yes, no, or silence (28:6).

14:38 Saul was convinced that sin was present in the camp and that it was preventing the divine answer.

14:39 Saul swore an oath that the guilty party must die. Not one of his warriors answered him, although many knew who had violated Saul’s curse.

14:40 Saul’s first step was to determine whether the blame for God’s silence lay with his house or with someone in his army.

14:41 Jonathan and Saul were selected shows that Saul now knew one of them was responsible.

14:42 Jonathan was selected, and so Saul now knew his son Jonathan was the cause of God’s silence.

14:43 Jonathan had not promised to fast that day, but as he confessed eating, he willingly offered to place himself under his father’s oath and suffer the harsh consequences.

14:44 With the words May God punish me . . . severely, Saul invoked a curse on himself if Jonathan did not die.

14:45 The people insisted Jonathan should not die when God had brought such a great deliverance for Israel through him. Saul had not uttered his original oath with divine authority, and Jonathan had not violated it anyway since he had not heard it. Saul’s rash curse and oath had put him in a difficult situation—either he would have to execute his son, or he would have to go back on his oath (this is comparable to Jephthah in the chaotic period of the judges [Jdg 11:29-40]). He gave in to the people’s wishes and ignored his oath (cp. “the people” in 1Sm 15:24, “the troops” in 13:11; 15:21, and “his servants” in 28:23). This whole episode (14:23-46) points to Saul’s impulsiveness and lack of discernment. The reader may be grateful that innocent Jonathan did not die because of Saul’s foolish vow, but it is clear that Israel’s king is a man of shifting and defective moral character.

14:46 This period of quiet between Israel and the Philistines would not last (v. 52; 28:1).

14:47 Moab lay to Israel’s southeast, east of the Dead Sea. The Ammonites were east of the Jordan River to Israel’s east and northeast. Edom was located south of the Dead Sea. Zobah was an Aramean city-state in Syria. The verse suggests that at least for a time, Saul secured all Israel’s borders.

14:48 The Amalekites were a nomadic group known for their marauding bands (15:2-3; 30:1-2; Ex 17:8-15).

14:49-51 Ishvi is called Abinadab elsewhere (31:2; 1Ch 8:33; 9:39; 10:2). Two other members of Saul’s family besides Jonathan would figure prominently in biblical history: Michal (18:20-29; 19:11-17; 25:44; 2Sm 3:13-16; 6:16,20-23) and Abner (2Sm 2:8-9; 3:6-27).

14:52 The constancy of the Philistine threat required that Saul maintain the strongest army he could muster, just as Samuel had warned a king would do (8:11).