1 Samuel 14:30

_THEN ANSWERED ONE OF THE PEOPLE, AND SAID, THY FATHER STRAITLY CHARGED THE PEOPLE WITH AN OATH, SAYING, CURSED BE THE MAN THAT EATETH ANY FOOD THIS DAY. AND THE PEOPLE WERE FAINT._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

24-35 Saul's severe order was very unwise; if it gained time, it lost strength for the pursuit. Such is the nature of our bodies, that daily work cannot be done without daily bread, which therefore our Father in heaven graciously gives. Saul was turning aside from God, and now he begins to build altars, being then most zealous, as many are, for the form of godliness when he was denying the power of it....

EXPOSITION JONATHAN SMITES THE PHILISTINE GAR-BISON (1 Samuel 14:1). 1 SAMUEL 14:1 NOW IT CAME TO PASS UPON A DAY. Literally, "And there was a day, and Jonathan," etc.; or, as we should say, And it happened one day that Jonathan. The phrase means that Jonathan's brave feat took place not many days after the garrison had occupied the cliff, probably only two or three, but without definitely stating how many. HE TOLD NOT HIS FATHER. Not only because Saul would have forbidden so rash an enterprise, but because secrecy was essential to any chance of success: probably too the purpose came upon him as an inspiration from above....

HOW MUCH MORE, IF HAPLY THE PEOPLE HAD EATEN FREELY TODAY OF THE SPOIL OF THEIR ENEMIES WHICH THEY FOUND?.... That is, had they been, allowed eat freely of the provisions, of bread, wine, c. they found in the enemy's camp, they would have been much more refreshed and strengthened than it could be supposed he was with eating a little honey if that had had such an effect upon him, of what service would a full meal have been to the people? FOR HAD THERE NOT BEEN NOW A MUCH GREATER SLAUGHTER AMONG THE PHILISTINES? the people would have had more strength to smite them, and would have pursued them with greater ardour and swiftness, and so have made a greater slaughter among them than they had; he intimates that Saul's end would have been better answered by suffering the people to eat, than by forbidding them....

7. JONATHAN'S HEROIC DEED OF FAITH CHAPTER 14 _ 1. Jonathan's victory (1 Samuel 14:1)_ 2. Saul's adjuration and Jonathan's deed (1 Samuel 14:24) 3. Saul's first altar and unanswered inquiry (1 Samuel 14:33) 4. Jonathan condemned and saved (1 Samuel 14:38) 5. Saul's battle and success (1 Samuel 14:46) 6. Saul's family (1 Samuel 14:49) Jonathan, one of the most beautiful characters

In order to propitiate Yahweh and secure His continued assistance, Saul had laid a solemn taboo upon the people, forbidding them to take food till nightfall. Then there was honeycomb upon the ground, and the people came to the honeycomb, and behold the bees had gone away, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people were afraid. Jonathan, however, knowing nothing about the taboo, tasted a little honey, and was much refreshed. When he was told of it, he treated the matter lightly. 1 SAMUEL 14:25 F. Here we have followed the reconstruction of the text in SBOT, partly based on the LXX. The words for forest and honeycomb are the same in Hebrew....

HOW. ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6....

Jonathan's breach of Saul's rash oath 24. _were distressed that day: for Saul_, &c. Render, AND THE MEN OF ISRAEL WERE DISTRESSED THAT DAY. AND SAUL CAUSED THE PEOPLE TO SWEAR, &c. Seeing the fatigued condition of the army, and fearing lest they should relinquish the pursuit to get food, Saul rashly exacted from them an oath, which led to three evil results. (1) It hindered instead of facilitating the pursuit of the enemy. (2) It involved Jonathan in an involuntary trespass. (3) It indirectly occasioned the sin of the people (1 Samuel 14:32). The Sept. however appears to have had a different text as follows: "And all the people that were with Saul were about ten thousand men. And the battle was scattered throughout the whole wood [_city_is a mistranslation of the Heb. word for _wood_in...

Saul's Ill-advised Oath. 1 Samuel 14:24-46 24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed _be_ the man that eateth _any_ food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted _any_ food. 25 And all _they_ of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground. 26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that _was_ in his hand, and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Curse

JONATHAN'S EXPLOIT. THE BATTLE OF MICHMASH. A SUMMARY OF SAUL'S REIGN 3. Ahiah] RV 'Ahijah,' probably merely another form of Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21:1). Melech (king) was one of the titles of Jah or Jehovah....