1 Samuel 14:1-8

Jonathan's Victory

1 Now the day came that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who was carrying his armor, "Come and let us cross over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side." But he did not tell his father.

2 Saul was staying in the outskirts of ¹Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in ²Migron. And the people who were with him were ³about six hundred men,

3 and Ahijah, the ⁴son of Ahitub, ⁵Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the LORD at ⁶Shiloh, ⁷was wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.

4 ⁸Between the passes by which Jonathan sought to cross over to the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp crag on the one side and a sharp crag on the other side, and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

5 The one crag rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Geba.

6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who was carrying his armor, "Come and let us cross over to the garrison of ⁹these uncircumcised; perhaps the LORD will work for us, for ¹⁰the LORD is not restrained to save by many or by few."

7 His armor bearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart; turn yourself, and here I am with you according to your desire."

8 Then Jonathan said, "¹¹Behold, we will cross over to the men and reveal ourselves to them.

1 Samuel 14:1-8 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.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 13:15, 16
• 2. Isaiah 10:28
• 3. 1 Samuel 13:15
• 4. 1 Sam 22:9-12, 20
• 5. 1 Samuel 4:21
• 6. 1 Samuel 1:3
• 7. 1 Samuel 2:28
• 8. 1 Samuel 13:23
• 9. 1 Samuel 17:26, 36; Jeremiah 9:25, 26
• 10. Judges 7:4, 7; 1 Samuel 17:46, 47; Psalms 115:3; Psalms 135:6; Zechariah 4:6; Matthew 19:26
• 11. Judges 7:9-14

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "carrying"
• [b] Lit "heart"