1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:1 This chapter focuses on Saul’s son Jonathan, who will become a friend of David. Jonathan’s act of trust in this chapter is sandwiched between two examples of Saul’s disobedience (chs. 1 Samuel 13:1 and 1 Samuel 15:1). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName(... [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:2 The OUTSKIRTS OF GIBEAH may mean “the edge of the hill.” MIGRON may mean “threshing floor.” Court was often held under a tree (1 Samuel 22:6; Judges 4:5) or on threshing floors (1 Kings 22:10). ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:4 BOZEZ means “the gleaming one,” and SENEH means “the thorny one.” ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:6 Jonathan’s trust contrasts with Saul’s concern about numbers (1 Samuel 13:11, 1 Samuel 13:15). UNCIRCUMCISED was a customary insult directed at the Philistines (see Judges 14:3; 1 Samuel 17:26; 2 Samuel 1:20).... [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:10 IF THEY SAY, “COME UP TO US.” This would give Jonathan and the armor-bearer the opportunity to get into the Philistine camp at what was probably its most thinly protected point, without raising an alarm. The guards’ words in v. 1 Samuel 14:12 suggest that an attack by... [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:14 The Hebrew “yoke” (esv footnote) was a unit for measuring area. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:15 A VERY GREAT PANIC is literally “a panic of God” (see esv footnote), suggesting divine intervention. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:16 Saul was in GIBEAH, about 4 miles (6.4 km) from Michmash. His WATCHMEN were probably stationed nearer, watching Michmash. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:18 The ARK had apparently been brought from Kiriath-jearim to be with the army for some special reason. Saul wanted AHIJAH, who carried the sacred lots in the ephod, to cast the lots before the ark. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0,... [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:21 Some people called HEBREWS 1:1 had previously sided with the Philistines (compare 1 Samuel 29:3) while others HAD HIDDEN THEMSELVES during this time of war. Now that Israel is succeeding, both groups commit to fighting for Israel. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒... [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:23 BEYOND BETH-AVEN. This battle seems to have driven the Philistines from the central mountain areas. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:24 SO SAUL HAD LAID AN OATH. Jonathan, of course, had not been present at the time. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:27 HIS EYES BECAME BRIGHT suggests renewed vitality (compare Ezra 9:8; Psalms 13:3). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:28 THIS DAY. See v. 1 Samuel 14:24 (“until it is evening”). The day began at sunset. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:32 When evening comes (v. 1 Samuel 14:34) and the people are once again free to eat (see v. 1 Samuel 14:24), they are in such a hurry that they do not drain the BLOOD properly from the animals they kill (v. 1 Samuel 14:33). Eating meat with blood is strictly prohibited i... [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:39 HE SHALL SURELY DIE. Saul assumes that the Lord does not answer Saul’s prior question (v. 1 Samuel 14:37) because of some unknown sin (v. 1 Samuel 14:38). Just as it was Saul’s own poor decision to impose the ban on eating (v. 1 Samuel 14:24), it is also his decision... [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:41 GIVE URIM.... GIVE THUMMIM.... CAST THE LOT. The Urim and Thummim (or just Urim) are mentioned also in Exodus 28:30; Numbers 27:21; Deuteronomy 33:8; 1 Samuel 28:6; and Ezra 2:63. They may have been two stones of two different colors, one representing a positive and t... [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:45 SHALL JONATHAN DIE?... FAR FROM IT! AS THE LORD LIVES... The people use the same oath that Saul used in v. 1 Samuel 14:39. They obviously think God spoke much more clearly in Jonathan’s victory than in Saul’s foolish oath (v. 1 Samuel 14:24). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:49 It is possible, but not certain, that ISHVI is a variation of the name Ish-bosheth (2 Samuel 2:8; he is called “Eshbaal” in 1 Chronicles 8:33). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 14:50 ABNER THE SON OF NER, SAUL’S UNCLE. Although it may not be clear from the text, Abner was Saul’s uncle. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]