1 Samuel 14:49

_NOW THE SONS OF SAUL WERE JONATHAN, AND ISHUI, AND MELCHISHUA: AND THE NAMES OF HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WERE THESE; THE NAME OF THE FIRSTBORN MERAB, AND THE NAME OF THE YOUNGER MICHAL:_ The sons of Saul were Jonathan (i:e., whom Yahweh gave). AND ISHUI, [Septuagint, Iessiou]. AND MELCHI-SHUA, [Septuagint, Melchisa]. ... MERAB, х_ MEERAB_ (H4764), increase; Septuagint, Merob; Josephus, Merobee]. ... MICHAL, [Septuagint, Melchol; Josephus, Michala]....

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 14:49. _NOW THE SONS OF SAUL_] We do not find Ishbosheth here. _Calmet_ says it was "because he was too young, and did not go with him to the war, for he mentions only those who were with him." Why then mention his _daughters_ and his _wife_? Did _they_ go with him to the war?...

This enumeration of Saul’s children and chief officers is according to the analogy of the subsequent annals of David and Solomen’s reign. But the one here called Ishui, is elsewhere (marginal references) called Abi-nadab; and a fourth son, Esh-baal or Ish-bosheth, is here omitted....

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 SONS OF SAUL WERE JONATHAN,.... Who seems to be his firstborn, of whom, his valour and success, we read in this and the preceding chapter: AND ISHUI; the same with Abinadab, 1 Chronicles 8:33 for he had two names: AND MELCHISHUA; and besides these three there was another, whose name was Ishbosheth, sometimes called Eshbaal, 2 Samuel 2:8 who succeeded him in the kingdom; for which reason Abarbinel thinks he is not mentioned here, because he was a king; though it is generally supposed the reason why these only are named is, because they went out to war with him, and died with him, but this did not; he had other children by a concubine, or secondary wife, whose name was Rizpah, not mentioned here,...

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

ISHUI. Called Abinadab in 1 Samuel 31:2....

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 ...