1 Samuel 14:46

46 And Saul went back, and did not pursue after the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own places.

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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F14 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 6. sect. 5.

1 Samuel 14:46 In-Context

44 And Saul said: May God do so and so to me, and add still more: for dying thou shalt die, O Jonathan.

45 And the people said to Saul: Shall Jonathan then die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? this must not be: As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people delivered Jonathan, that he should not die.

46 And Saul went back, and did not pursue after the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own places.

47 And Saul having his kingdom established over Israel, fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and Edom, and the kings of Soba, and the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he overcame.

48 And gathering together an army, he defeated Amalec, and delivered Israel from the hand of them that spoiled them.