1 Samuel 14 Study Notes

14:1 This chapter begins to show a consistent contrast between Saul and his son Jonathan. To this point, Saul had largely retreated from the Philistines, but Jonathan courageously decided to challenge them.

14:2 The exact location of the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah is unknown. Perhaps Saul’s palace had not yet been established. Assuming Saul stationed his troops on Gibeah’s north side, he was about an hour’s march away from the Philistines at Geba.

14:3 Ahijah, a descendant of Eli, was present, wearing his priestly ephod (Ex 28:4). Thus, God’s counsel was available if Saul was willing to ask for it.

14:4-5 This verse identifies a portion of the Wadi Suweinit south of Michmash. The meanings of Bozez and Seneh are uncertain.

14:6-7 With his words, Nothing can keep the Lord from saving, Jonathan demonstrated faith beyond that of his father, who remained at Gibeah with about six hundred men (v. 2).

14:8-10 Jonathan proposed they cross over into the Philistines’ view and seek a sign from the Lord. An invitation to come on up to the Philistines’ location may have indicated they did not have the courage to relinquish the high ground to fight against only two Israelites.

14:11 The phrase the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they’ve been hiding is probably a sarcastic statement mocking the Israelites’ weakened position.

14:12 We’ll teach you a lesson is literally “we’ll make something known to you.” The CSB translation captures the sense of the Philistines’ challenge. Jonathan, however, who had entrusted even the Philistines’ words into the Lord’s hand, had the confirming sign he needed that victory was his to claim.

14:13 The two Israelites were vulnerable to Philistine attack as they climbed to the Philistines’ position. Probably the overconfident Philistines feared little.

14:14 Jonathan’s success in the first assault indicated God’s hand was with him.

14:15 Terror spread as news of the assault came from the survivors. Terror . . . from God came upon them, meaning the Philistines may have feared they had come too far inland and incurred the wrath of the Israelites’ God as they had done when they captured the ark (5:6-12).

14:16-17 Taking an account of those present by calling the roll would help Saul know if Israelite troops might have been responsible for the Philistine retreat.

14:18 Saul apparently intended to inquire of the Lord about what was happening in the Philistine camp by conferring with the priests who carried the ark of God.

14:19-20 Stop what you’re doing is literally “Withdraw your hand.” Saul decided he might lose the opportunity to rout the Philistines if he delayed, and he told the priest to stop inquiring of the Lord. Perhaps the Lord had already revealed his will for Saul through the panic in the Philistine camp. Another possibility is that the text reveals yet another example of Saul’s refusal to follow the Lord’s guidance.

14:21 The Philistines’ incursion into Israel had led many Israelites to defect to the Philistines, but now the defectors switched back as they sensed the Philistine panic. Their doing so meant the Philistines now found themselves on the battlefield with Israelites of whose allegiance they were unsure. They would not make the mistake of joining forces with any Israelites again (29:2-11).

14:22 The hill country of Ephraim lay directly north of the central Benjamin plateau where the battle was occurring.

14:23 After giving many details about human participants in the battle, the text gives God, not Saul, credit for the incredible victory. The Philistines fled beyond Beth-aven (Bethel) as they tried to get back westward across the plateau to the Aijalon Valley (v. 31), which led to their coastal home.

14:24 Many have questioned the wisdom of Saul’s placing his troops under an oath. Going into battle did not require abstinence from food; perhaps Saul thought such a vow would secure the Lord’s favor. Consequently, however, the men of Israel were worn out because they had eaten nothing to sustain them while expending much energy.

14:25-26 The flow of honey probably originated from broken nests of wild bees.

14:27 Saul may have made the troops swear the oath by having them respond “Amen!” to his statement (v. 24; cp. Dt 27:15). However, Jonathan had not heard the oath and therefore ate the honey (lit “put his hand to his mouth”) and had renewed energy (lit “his eyes brightened”).

14:28-30 The Hebrew word behind trouble (Hb ‘akar) was used of Achan, the man who kept some of Jericho’s spoil for himself and brought trouble to Israel during Joshua’s time (Jos 7:25-26). Jonathan suggested his father the king had likewise hurt Israel’s cause. On I have renewed energy, see note at v. 27.

14:31 From Michmash . . . to Aijalon was a distance of about fifteen miles, stretching from one side of the central Benjamin plateau to the other. That day may hint that as the day ended, the people were free from Saul’s rash vow (v. 24).

14:32 Sheep, goats, cattle, and calves were clean animals according to the Mosaic law (Lv 11:3-8), but the law also prohibited eating meat with the blood still in it (Lv 17:10-14).

14:33-34 To Saul’s credit, he acted to prevent people from sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood still in it.

14:35 The law of Moses normally condemned such an altar (Dt 12:13-14), though Samuel also had built one (1Sm 7:17). Perhaps Saul’s altar was intended only to commemorate the Lord’s victory.

14:36 The elevation dropped down over two thousand feet from the central Benjamin plateau to the Philistine coastal cities. Saul suggested the people continue pursuing their enemies through the night and bring complete destruction on them, an idea his army supported. Saul’s priest, however, suggested they should approach God before proceeding.

14:37 God not answering suggests three responses were possible when someone inquired of the Lord—yes, no, or silence (28:6).

14:38 Saul was convinced that sin was present in the camp and that it was preventing the divine answer.

14:39 Saul swore an oath that the guilty party must die. Not one of his warriors answered him, although many knew who had violated Saul’s curse.

14:40 Saul’s first step was to determine whether the blame for God’s silence lay with his house or with someone in his army.

14:41 Jonathan and Saul were selected shows that Saul now knew one of them was responsible.

14:42 Jonathan was selected, and so Saul now knew his son Jonathan was the cause of God’s silence.

14:43 Jonathan had not promised to fast that day, but as he confessed eating, he willingly offered to place himself under his father’s oath and suffer the harsh consequences.

14:44 With the words May God punish me . . . severely, Saul invoked a curse on himself if Jonathan did not die.

14:45 The people insisted Jonathan should not die when God had brought such a great deliverance for Israel through him. Saul had not uttered his original oath with divine authority, and Jonathan had not violated it anyway since he had not heard it. Saul’s rash curse and oath had put him in a difficult situation—either he would have to execute his son, or he would have to go back on his oath (this is comparable to Jephthah in the chaotic period of the judges [Jdg 11:29-40]). He gave in to the people’s wishes and ignored his oath (cp. “the people” in 1Sm 15:24, “the troops” in 13:11; 15:21, and “his servants” in 28:23). This whole episode (14:23-46) points to Saul’s impulsiveness and lack of discernment. The reader may be grateful that innocent Jonathan did not die because of Saul’s foolish vow, but it is clear that Israel’s king is a man of shifting and defective moral character.

14:46 This period of quiet between Israel and the Philistines would not last (v. 52; 28:1).

14:47 Moab lay to Israel’s southeast, east of the Dead Sea. The Ammonites were east of the Jordan River to Israel’s east and northeast. Edom was located south of the Dead Sea. Zobah was an Aramean city-state in Syria. The verse suggests that at least for a time, Saul secured all Israel’s borders.

14:48 The Amalekites were a nomadic group known for their marauding bands (15:2-3; 30:1-2; Ex 17:8-15).

14:49-51 Ishvi is called Abinadab elsewhere (31:2; 1Ch 8:33; 9:39; 10:2). Two other members of Saul’s family besides Jonathan would figure prominently in biblical history: Michal (18:20-29; 19:11-17; 25:44; 2Sm 3:13-16; 6:16,20-23) and Abner (2Sm 2:8-9; 3:6-27).

14:52 The constancy of the Philistine threat required that Saul maintain the strongest army he could muster, just as Samuel had warned a king would do (8:11).