1 Samuel 14:32

_AND THE PEOPLE FLEW UPON THE SPOIL, AND TOOK SHEEP, AND OXEN, AND CALVES, AND SLEW THEM ON THE GROUND: AND THE PEOPLE DID EAT THEM WITH THE BLOOD._ And ... flew upon the spoil. At evening, when the time fixed by Saul had expired, faint and famishing, the pursuers fell voraciously upon the cattle they had taken, and threw them on the ground, to cut off their flesh and eat it raw, so that the army, by Saul's rashness, were defiled by eating blood, or living animals; probably as the Abyssinians do, who cut a part of the animal's rump, but close the hide upon it, and nothing mortal follows from that wound. They were painfully conscientious in keeping the king's order, for fear of the curse, but had no scruple in transgressing God's command. To prevent this violation of the law, Saul ordered a large stone to be rolled, and those that slaughtered the oxen to cut their throats on that stone....

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....

Verse 1 Samuel 14:32. _THE PEOPLE DID EAT_ THEM _WITH THE BLOOD._] They were faint through hunger, and did not take time to bleed the cattle on which they fed. This was another bad effect of Saul's rash adjuration....

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....

AND THE PEOPLE FLEW UPON THE SPOIL,.... Like a swift and ravenous bird, as the eagle, and which seems to have its name in Greek from this word, see Isaiah 46:11. When the evening was come, and they were free from the oath of Saul, and being extremely hungry, faint, and weary, they were even ravenous for food and with the greatest haste and eagerness laid hold on what came first to hand: AND TOOK SHEEP, AND OXEN, AND CALVES, AND SLEW [THEM] ON THE GROUND; and there they lay in their blood, which in such a position would not run out freely as when slain and hang up: AND THE PEOPLE DID EAT THEM WITH THE BLOOD; they were so hungry they could not stay the dressing of them, but ate them raw with the blood in them, not being squeezed or drained out, at least not half boiled or roasted. Some of the Jewish Rabbins a are of opinion a See Jarchi in l

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

The pursuit continued as far as Aijalon. When it stopped, the exhausted people flew upon the cattle and sheep and ate them with the blood, a ritual sin (Genesis 9:4 *, Leviticus 17:10 *), at which Saul was greatly distressed; he was evidently punctilious as to religious observances. He had a great stone set up as an altar, and had the animals for food slain in proper sacrificial fashion....

The sin of the people 31. _from Michmash to Aijalon_ See note on 1 Samuel 14:23....

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....