1 Samuel 14:47

_SO SAUL TOOK THE KINGDOM OVER ISRAEL, AND FOUGHT AGAINST ALL HIS ENEMIES ON EVERY SIDE, AGAINST MOAB, AND AGAINST THE CHILDREN OF AMMON, AND AGAINST EDOM, AND AGAINST THE KINGS OF ZOBAH, AND AGAINST THE PHILISTINES: AND WHITHERSOEVER HE TURNED HIMSELF, HE VEXED THEM._ So Saul ... fought against all his enemies on every side. This signal triumph over the Philistines was followed, not only by their expulsion from the land of Israel, but by successful incursions against various hostile neighbours, on the east as well as west of the Jordan, whom he harassed, though he did not subdue them. KINGS OF ZOBAH - in northern Syria, adjoining Hamath on the north, and extending to the Euphrates. It was a rich and important region. In the time of Saul it was governed by a number of petty but independent rulers, whom he "vexed....

47-52 Here is a general account of Saul's court and camp. He had little reason to be proud of his royal dignity, nor had any of his neighbours cause to envy him, for he had but little enjoyment after he took the kingdom. And often men's earthly glory makes a blaze just before the dark night of disgrace and woe comes on them....

Verse 1 Samuel 14:47. _SO SAUL TOOK THE KINGDOM_] The Targum appears to give the meaning of this expression: "Saul prospered in his government over Israel." And the proofs of his prosperity are immediately subjoined. _FOUGHT AGAINST ALL HIS ENEMIES_] Of the wars which are mentioned here we have no particulars; they must have endured a long time, and have been, at least in general, successful....

Compare 2 Samuel 8:15. The preceding narrative shows that before this time Saul had been king in name only, since his country was occupied by the Philistines, and he could only muster 600 men, and those but half armed and pent up in a narrow stronghold. Now, however, on the expulsion of the Philistines from his country, and the return of the Israelites from their vassalage and from their hiding places 1 Samuel 14:21, Saul became king in deed as well as in name, and acted the part of a king through the rest of his reign in defending his people against their enemies round about. A comprehensive list of these enemies, including the Ammonite war which had already been described 1 Samuel 11:1, a

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....

SO SAUL TOOK THE KINGDOM OVER ISRAEL,.... Which seemed to be almost taken from him when he was shut up in Gibeah, and the Philistines ravaged his country at pleasure; but now, having obtained a victory over them, he recovered his kingdom, and reassumed his power and authority; or he was now strengthened in it, as Kimchi interprets it; the people seeing that he succeeded in his wars with their enemies, they readily submitted to his government without any hesitation, and obeyed his commands; so the Targum, "Saul prospered in the kingdom over Israel;'' and, according to Abarbinel, these words will admit of another sense, that whereas, after he was anointed and made king, he followed the herd, and attended rustic affairs; but now, after this victory over the Philistines, he took upon him the state and majesty of a king, and no more concerned himself with his farm and cattle, but betook him...

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 this section the editor gives a concluding summary concerning Saul as king, before narrating his deposition in the next chapter. In the editor's eyes, Saul ceased to be king _de jure,_ when Samuel anointed David to supersede him. But, according to the older documents, David himself did not take this view (1 Samuel 24:6; 1 Samuel 26:11). Saul fought successfully against a number of the neighbouring tribes: Moab; Ammon; Edom; Zobah, a Syrian state to the NE. of Palestine; Philistines; Amalekites. Next, a list of Saul's children; here Ishvi is for Ishyo, a contraction of Ish-Yahweh, Man of Yahweh, the same as Ishbaal. In early times Baal was used quite innocently as a title of Yahweh (_cf._ Hosea 2:16). In 2 Samuel 23, et

AND. Note the Figure of speech _Polysyndeton_ (App-6) in verses: 1 Samuel 14:47. CHILDREN. sons. HE VEXED THEM. he put them to the worse. But Septuagint reads "he was victorious"....

Summary account of Saul's wars and family 47. _So Saul took the kingdom_ The various wars undertaken by Saul whom the people elected king "to go out before them and fight their battles" are here summarily noticed. (1) Against Moab. See note on 1 Samuel 11:1. (2) Against the children of Ammon, as recorded in ch. 11, and perhaps upon other occasions. (3) Against the Edomites, the descendants of Esau, surnamed Edom (Genesis 25:30), who occupied Edom or Idumaea, previously called Mount Seir (_rugged_), the mountainous district stretching from the Dead Sea to the head of the Gulf of Elath. The Edomites were conquered by David (2 Samuel 8:14), and remained subject to Judah till the reign of Jehoram ...