INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 14 This chapter gives an account of an adventure of Jonathan and his armourbearer smiting a garrison of the Philistines, 1 Samuel 14:1, which with other circumstances struck terror into the whole army; which being observed by Saul's spies, he and his men went out agains... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW IT CAME TO PASS UPON A DAY,.... At a certain time, a little after the garrison of the Philistines had made the movement, 1 Samuel 13:23 and it is not to be taken strictly for the day time; for it is probable it was in the night that the following proposal was made, and began to be carried into e... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL TARRIED IN THE UTTERMOST PART OF GIBEAH,.... Not daring to go out against the Philistines, but remained in the furthest part of Gibeah, at the greatest distance from the camp of the Philistines, in the strongest part of the city, or deeply entrenched in the outer, part of it in the field:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AHIAH THE SON OF AHITUB, ICHABOD'S BROTHER,.... Ichabod was the child that Phinehas's wife bore prematurely on hearing the news of the ark being taken and of the death of her husband and father-in-law, which name she gave him on that account, and died; see 1 Samuel 4:19, he, it seems, had an eld... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BETWEEN THE PASSAGES BY WHICH JONATHAN SOUGHT TO GO OVER UNTO THE PHILISTINES' GARRISON,.... One of which is called the passage of Michmash, 1 Samuel 13:23 and was that by which they went from Gibeah to Michmash; the other, which might be called the passage of Gibeah, was that by which they went... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FOREFRONT OF THE ONE WAS SITUATE NORTHWARD, OVER AGAINST MICHMASH,.... The northern precipice of this rock was towards Michmash, where the Philistines lay encamped, and where was the passage of Michmash the garrison went into and possessed: AND THE OTHER SOUTHWARD, OVER AGAINST GIBEAH; the sout... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JONATHAN SAID TO THE YOUNG MAN THAT BARE HIS ARMOUR,.... A second time, as Abarbinel thinks; the young man giving no answer to him the first time, perhaps through fear, he repeats it, and enlarges upon it for his encouragement: COME, AND LET US GO OVER UNTO THE GARRISON OF THESE UNCIRCUMCISED;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS ARMOURBEARER SAID UNTO HIM,.... Very readily and cheerfully: DO ALL THAT IS IN THINE HEART; whatever is thy pleasure, that thou hast a mind to do, that is upon thy heart, and thou art desirous of, and strongly inclined and affected to: TURN THEE; which way thou wilt, towards the garrison o... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID JONATHAN, BEHOLD, WE WILL PASS OVER TO THESE MEN,.... Over the precipices to them, as steep and as cragged as they are: AND WE WILL DISCOVER OURSELVES TO THEM; present themselves to them at daylight, and let them know plainly who they were, that they were Hebrews.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THEY SAY THUS UNTO US,.... By this and what follows he gives his man a sign by which both might know how they should conduct themselves in this expedition, and what would be the issue, whether they should succeed or not: should they say, TARRY UNTIL WE COME TO YOU; this, as it would express bold... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF THEY SAY UNTO US, COME UP UNTO US,.... Which however spoken in contempt of them, yet would discover some fear, that they did not care to come out of their hold to them, and expose themselves to any danger; and besides being bid to come up, though it might be in a sneering ironical way, as sup... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BOTH OF THEM DISCOVERED THEMSELVES UNTO THE GARRISON OF THE PHILISTINES,.... They passed over the valley that lay between Michmash and Gibeah, and presented themselves at the bottom of the hill or rock on which the garrison was, to the open view of it; and who might easily discern who they were,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MEN OF THE GARRISON ANSWERED JONATHAN AND HIS ARMOURBEARER,.... The guards that were set to watch the garrison, who descrying them, called to them, and said: COME UP TO US, AND WE WILL SHOW YOU A THING; we have something to say to you, a pretty thing to show you, when you shall pay dear for... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JONATHAN CLIMBED UP UPON HIS HANDS AND UPON HIS FEET,.... He did not attempt to go up the way or pass the Philistines kept, but turned aside and climbed up a precipice thought inaccessible, and came upon them unseen, and at unawares; for had he attempted to come up in any part where he was seen,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FIRST SLAUGHTER WHICH JONATHAN AND HIS ARMOURBEARER MADE WAS ABOUT TWENTY MEN,.... Or the first blow they struck, as the Targum, they killed about twenty men; that is, they did not stop smiting, but followed their blows so quickly, that in a very little time, as well as in a very small space... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WAS TREMBLING IN THE HOST IN THE FIELD,.... Belonging to Michmash, where the army lay encamped: AND AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE; the inhabitants of Michmash, or that attended the army, and furnished them with provisions, trafficking with them; the common people, as distinguished from the soldier... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WATCHMEN OF SAUL IN GIBEAH OF BENJAMIN LOOKED,.... The city of Gibeah was built on an hill, from where it had its name; and these watchmen or sentinels of Saul were set by him no doubt in the highest part of it, whereby they could overlook the army of the Philistines as they lay encamped, an... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID SAUL UNTO THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WITH HIM,.... To some of the officers, particularly the muster master; NUMBER NOW, AND SEE WHO IS GONE FROM US: for he concluded that this agitation and confusion in the host of the Philistines were occasioned by an enterprise of some of his men, who by some... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAID UNTO AHIAH, BRING HITHER THE ARK OF THE LORD,.... That he, the high priest, might put on the ephod, with the Urim and Thummim, and inquire by them of the Lord before it, concerning the affair of Jonathan, what he had done, and the agitation that was in the host of the Philistines; so t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHILE SAUL TALKED WITH THE PRIEST,.... With Ahiah about bringing the ark, and inquiring before it: THAT THE NOISE THAT WAS IN THE HOST OF THE PHILISTINES WENT ON, AND INCREASED; the shrieks and cries of those that were beat down and trampled upon, and were bruised and wounded;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL, AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WITH HIM, ASSEMBLED THEMSELVES,.... The six hundred men that were with him, unless we can suppose the 1000 that had been with Jonathan in Gibeah were here still, see 1 Samuel 13:2 AND THEY CAME TO THE BATTLE; to the field of battle, the place where the army of... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, THE HEBREWS THAT WERE WITH THE PHILISTINES BEFORE THAT TIME,.... Who either were their servants and bondsmen they brought along with them, or such in whose cities they dwelt, or had taken as they came along, and forced into their army; or it may be some of them were renegades from the Isra... [ Continue Reading ]
LIKEWISE ALL THE MEN OF ISRAEL WHICH HAD HID THEMSELVES IN MOUNT EPHRAIM,.... In the caves and rocks, thickets and pits there, see 1 Samuel 13:6 when THEY HEARD THAT THE PHILISTINES FLED; now being delivered from their fears, and thinking themselves safe, ventured out of their lurking places: EVEN... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THE LORD SAVED ISRAEL THAT DAY, c] And a wonderful salvation it was, that two men should throw such a vast army into confusion, which issued in the utter rout and destruction of them this only could be of the Lord, to whom it is justly ascribed, and was the effect of his sovereign good will and p... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE MEN OF ISRAEL WERE DISTRESSED THAT DAY,.... By reason of the following order Saul gave with an oath, forbidding any to taste meat till evening, when the people were faint and weary, which is the common sense of interpreters; but Jarchi interprets it, the men of Israel were ready, forward, an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THEY OF THE LAND CAME TO A WOOD,.... Which lay between Bethaven and Aijalon; by whom are meant not all the inhabitants of the land of Israel, but all that came with Saul and Jonathan, and that joined them in the pursuit: AND THERE WAS HONEY UPON THE GROUND; which dropped upon it, as in the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE PEOPLE CAME INTO THE WOOD, BEHOLD, THE HONEY DROPPED,.... Either from trees, which produced it; so Diodorus Siculus t speaks of trees in some countries which produce honey; or from the sugar canes, as Jarchi; or rather from the honeycombs which were framed in trees by bees; so Hesiod u... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT JONATHAN HEARD NOT WHEN HIS FATHER CHARGED THE PEOPLE WITH THE OATH,.... Which charge was given, either before he came from Gibeah, before he came to Jonathan, or while pursuing, when Jonathan was with another party either fighting or pursuing: WHEREFORE HE PUT FORTH THE END OF THE ROD THAT WAS... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ANSWERED ONE OF THE PEOPLE, AND SAID,.... To Jonathan, who might direct and encourage the people to do as he had done, at least so he did by his example, if not by words; the latter is not improbable: and therefore one of the men that came along with Saul, and had now joined Jonathan, and who h... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID JONATHAN, MY FATHER HATH TROUBLED THE LAND,.... The people of the land, as the Targum, the soldiers in his army; afflicted and distressed them, and made them uneasy in their minds, like troubled waters; the Arabic version is, "my father hath sinned against the people;'' hath done them in... [ Continue Reading ]
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 su... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SMOTE THE PHILISTINES THAT DAY FROM MICHMASH TO AIJALON,.... Michmash was the place where the camp of the Philistines was when Jonathan first attacked them, and from whence they fled, and they were pursued by the Israelites that day as far as Aijalon. There was a city of this name in the tr... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THEY TOLD SAUL,.... Some that were more conscientious and religious, were more circumspect, and strictly attended to the laws forbidding the eating of blood, and were concerned at the indecent behaviour of others, and therefore thought fit to acquaint Saul with it, to restrain it: BEHOLD, THE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAID, DISPERSE YOURSELVES AMONG THE PEOPLE,.... In the camp, some one way, and some another, and make proclamation throughout it; this he said to some of his officers, whom he sent out as heralds, to publish his will and pleasure: AND SAY UNTO THEM, BRING ME HITHER EVERY MAN HIS OX, AND EV... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL BUILT AN ALTAR UNTO THE LORD,.... To offer peace offerings upon, in thankfulness for the victory obtained over his enemies, or sin offerings to make atonement for the sin of the people, perhaps both, however the former: THE SAME WAS THE FIRST ALTAR THAT HE BUILT UNTO THE LORD; for though h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAID,.... To his son Jonathan, or to some of the principal officers of his army: LET US GO DOWN AFTER THE PHILISTINES BY NIGHT; or tonight, that same night; which is another hardship he laid his troops under; as he had restrained them from eating all that day until evening, now he proposed... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL ASKED COUNSEL OF GOD,.... He agreed to the motion of the high priest, and asked counsel by Urim and Thummim; the Targum is, as before, "inquired by the Word of the Lord:'' SHALL I GO DOWN AFTER THE PHILISTINES? pursue after them in their flight to their own country, which, lying to the se... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAID, DRAW YE NEAR HITHER ALL THE CHIEF OF THE PEOPLE,.... Or, the corners of the peoples g; the princes, as Jarchi interprets it: and so the Targum, the heads of the people, in allusion to the cornerstones in buildings, which are the ornament, strength, and cement of them, see Zechariah 10... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR AS THE LORD LIVETH, WHICH SAVETH ISRAEL,.... And had saved them that day with a great salvation and had wrought a great deliverance for them in freeing them from the Philistines, who had threatened the ruin of the whole nation. This is the form of an oath: THOUGH IT BE IN JONATHAN MY SON, HE SH... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID HE UNTO ALL ISRAEL,.... As many of them as were present; not the principal men only, but the common people; not the officers only, but the common soldiers in the army: BE YE ON ONE SIDE, AND I AND JONATHAN MY SON WILL BE ON THE OTHER SIDE: so they divided to the right and left, one went o... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE SAUL SAID TO THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL,.... After the division was made between him and his son on one side, and the people of Israel on the other, and everything was ready for the drawing of the lot; Saul put up to God the following petition, as knowing that though the lot is cast into the l... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAID, CAST [LOTS] BETWEEN ME AND JONATHAN MY SON,..... Which showed his regard strict justice, and that he had no consciousness of guilt in himself, and should not spare his own son if found guilty: AND JONATHAN WAS TAKEN: the lot fell upon him, which was so directed, that his ignorance of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAUL SAID TO JONATHAN, TELL ME WHAT THOU HAST DONE,.... What sin he had committed, the lot having fallen on him, and found him out: AND JONATHAN TOLD HIM; the whole of the matter, all the truth, without any reserve: AND SAID, I DID BUT TAKE A LITTLE HONEY WITH THE END OF THE ROD THAT WAS IN M... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL ANSWERED, GOD DO SO AND MORE ALSO,.... A form of an oath imprecating evils upon him more and greater than he chose to mention, see the like form in Ruth 1:17, though Abarbinel thinks this is not the form of an oath, but an asseveration of a curse that would befall him; as that God would not... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PEOPLE SAID UNTO SAUL,.... Hearing such words, and filled with grief, pity, and sympathy for Jonathan, as Josephus k observes: SHALL JONATHAN DIE, WHO HATH WROUGHT THIS GREAT SALVATION IN ISRAEL? no, he shall not; what, such a man as he die, who, under God, has been the instrument of so gre... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAUL WENT UP FROM FOLLOWING THE PHILISTINES,.... Returned home to his own city, finding that he could get no answer from the Lord, whether he should pursue further or not, and losing the time and opportunity of doing it, by examining into the affair of his son, and casting lots to find it out:... [ Continue Reading ]
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 strength... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE GATHERED AN HOST,.... A large army; for after the battle with the Ammonites he disbanded his army, and sent them home, retaining only 3000 men, and these deserted him to six hundred, which were all the men he had with him, when he fought last with the Philistines; but now, finding he had enem... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Is... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE NAME OF SAUL'S WIFE WAS AHINOAM, THE DAUGHTER OF AHIMAAZ,.... Who very probably was the mother of all the above children, and therefore taken notice of; and Abarbinel conjectures that Ishbosheth was not a son of her's, but the son of Saul by another wife, and which he takes to be another rea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND KISH WAS THE FATHER OF SAUL,.... See 1 Samuel 9:1 AND NER THE FATHER OF ABNER WAS THE SON OF ABIEL; this Abiel was the father both of Kish and Ner, and the grandfather of Saul, see 1 Samuel 9:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WAS SORE WAR AGAINST THE PHILISTINES ALL THE DAYS OF SAUL,.... For notwithstanding the late victory over them, and slaughter made among them, they recovered themselves, and came out again to battle, and gave Saul a great deal of trouble, and he at last died in battle with them: AND WHEN S... [ Continue Reading ]