1 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that [is] on the other side. But he told not his father.
2 And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which [is] in Migron: and the people that [were] with him [were] about six hundred men;
3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD’S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.
4 And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, [there was] a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one [was] Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The forefront of the one [was] situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.
6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for [there is] no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that [is] in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I [am] with thee according to thy heart.
8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto [these] men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.
9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.
10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this [shall be] a sign unto us.
11 And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.
13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.
14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, [which] a yoke [of oxen might plow].
15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.
16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down [one another].
17 Then said Saul unto the people that [were] with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer [were] not [there].
18 And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.
19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that [was] in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.
20 And Saul and all the people that [were] with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, [and there was] a very great discomfiture.
21 Moreover the Hebrews [that] were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp [from the country] round about, even they also [turned] to be with the Israelites that [were] with Saul and Jonathan.
22 Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, [when] they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.
23 So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.
24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed [be] the man that eateth [any] food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted [any] food.
25 And all [they of] the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.
26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.
27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that [was] in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed [be] the man that eateth [any] food this day. And the people were faint.
29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.
32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew [them] on the ground: and the people did eat [them] with the blood.
33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.
34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay [them] here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew [them] there.
35 And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.
36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.
37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.
38 And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.
39 For, [as] the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But [there was] not a man among all the people [that] answered him.
40 Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.
41 Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect [lot]. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.
42 And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that [was] in mine hand, [and], lo, I must die.
44 And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.
45 And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: [as] the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.
46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.
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].
48 And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.
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:
50 And the name of Saul’s wife [was] Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host [was] Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.
51 And Kish [was] the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner [was] the son of Abiel.
52 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.
Overview of 1 Samuel Chapter 14
1 Samuel Chapter 14 details a significant military engagement between the Israelites and the Philistines, highlighting themes of faith, leadership, and divine intervention. This chapter focuses primarily on the actions of Jonathan, the son of King Saul, and the consequences of his decisions amidst the broader context of Israel’s struggle against their enemies.
Key Characters
- Jonathan: Son of Saul, known for his bravery and faith in God.
- Saul: King of Israel, whose leadership is tested throughout the chapter.
- Philistines: The primary adversaries of Israel, representing oppression and conflict.
- Armor-bearer: Jonathan’s loyal companion who supports him in his bold actions.
Summary of Events
- Jonathan’s Initiative (Verses 1-5):
Jonathan decides to take action against the Philistines without informing his father, Saul. He proposes to his armor-bearer that they cross over to the Philistine outpost, demonstrating his faith in God’s ability to deliver Israel. The two men approach the enemy camp, relying on a sign from God to confirm their mission.
- Divine Confirmation (Verses 6-10):
Jonathan expresses his belief that God can save Israel regardless of the number of soldiers. He and his armor-bearer agree on a sign: if the Philistines invite them to come up, it will be a sign that God has given them victory.
- Attack on the Philistines (Verses 11-15):
Upon revealing themselves, Jonathan and his armor-bearer receive the sign from the Philistines, leading to a surprise attack. The two manage to kill about twenty men, causing panic among the Philistine forces, which is interpreted as a divine intervention.
- Saul’s Response (Verses 16-23):
Saul observes the chaos in the Philistine camp and gathers his troops. He initiates a battle, calling for a roll call to determine who has joined the fight. The chapter emphasizes the importance of unity and the consequences of Saul’s earlier decisions that led to a diminished army.
- Saul’s Rash Oath (Verses 24-30):
During the battle, Saul imposes a curse on anyone who eats before evening, intending to ensure that his men remain focused. However, this leads to exhaustion among the troops, and Jonathan, unaware of his father’s command, eats honey, which brings him renewed strength.
- Consequences of the Oath (Verses 31-35):
After the battle, the soldiers are famished and begin to eat meat with blood, violating the law. Saul realizes the severity of the situation and builds an altar to God, seeking guidance on how to proceed.
- Saul’s Leadership Challenges (Verses 36-46):
Saul seeks to pursue the Philistines further but is halted by God’s silence when he inquires through the priest. After discovering Jonathan’s unintentional breach of his oath, Saul is faced with a moral dilemma but ultimately allows Jonathan to live, recognizing his valor and the divine favor upon him.
- Conclusion of the Chapter (Verses 47-52):
The chapter concludes with a summary of Saul’s reign, his military campaigns, and the ongoing conflict with the Philistines. It sets the stage for future developments in Saul’s leadership and the rise of David.
Thematic Analysis
- Faith and Divine Providence: Jonathan’s actions exemplify a deep faith in God, contrasting with Saul’s reliance on human authority and oaths.
- Leadership and Responsibility: Saul’s decisions reflect the complexities of leadership, including the impact of rash decisions on the morale and well-being of his troops.
- Consequences of Actions: The chapter illustrates how both Jonathan’s bravery and Saul’s rashness have significant repercussions for Israel, emphasizing the need for wise and thoughtful leadership.
- Community and Unity: The chapter underscores the importance of unity among the Israelites in the face of adversity, highlighting how individual actions can affect the collective outcome.
Conclusion
1 Samuel Chapter 14 serves as a pivotal moment in the narrative of Israel’s early monarchy, showcasing the contrast between faith-driven action and the pitfalls of hasty leadership. Through Jonathan’s bravery and Saul’s challenges, the chapter invites readers to reflect on the nature of faith, the responsibilities of leadership, and the consequences of human decisions in the context of divine will.
