FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL

Study continued

For the TEXT of the following Study please see previous Post

CHAPTER 14

As 1 Samuel continues we see the gradual decline of King Saul that began in chapter 13. Ironically as Saul through disobedience declines his son Jonathan is upheld as a great warrior and man of faith. This continues all throughout chapter 14 and climaxes in chapter 15. Jonathan would indeed would  have made a great king.

Verse 1

Jonathan is armed only with trust in God and courage as he goes off to the Philistines. He is vulnerable. He is only armed by the support of his armour bearer.

Verse 2 -3

Saul remains in Gibeah, on the defensive. He rests comfortably under the fruit tree in secure Gibeah. His army is only now consisting of 600 men. Hey King Saul – don’t just rest .

Once again King Saul rests when he should act and he acts when he should rest.

Saul is accompanied by of all people – Ahijah, a member of the Jewish Priest Eli’s family. Remember how in disobedience Eli’s family was cut off from the priestly lineage. They had taken the Ark of the Covenant from the Tabernacle to parade it and then was captured in the battle with the Philistines. Jewish Priest ELI ->  Phinehas -> Ichabod ( meaning ‘ the glory of God has departed from Israel ’) -> Ahitub his brother -> Ahijah.  What should we expect – here is King Saul , ever more rejected mingling with Ahijah of the rejected priestly family.

Verse 4 – 8

Jonathan and the armour bearer seek a sign and direction from God. They hide in the rocky crevices between Bozez ( meaning ‘ shining ‘ ) and Seneh ( meaning ‘ thorn ‘ ) Jonathan steps forward with courage before the Philistines confident that the Lord can save with either few or many ( verse 6 )  

Verses 9 – 10

The sign from God shall be - the response of the Philistines

If they say - Wait 'till we come - this means that they are courageous

If they say - Come up to us - this means they are cowards                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Verse 11 - 15

The two bravely step forward, they are not in disguise for the Philistines know they are Hebrew warriors. At first the Philistines think these are deserters for there were many Hebrew deserters.  The Philistines say – Come up to us. Jonathan knows by this sign that they are cowards and it is a sign from God to attack.  God even sends an earthquake to frighten the Philistines.

Verse 16 – 19

Saul and his 600 man army sees what is happening across the valley. King Saul does not know who it is from his camps and thus does a roll call, discovering that it is Jonathan and his armour bearer. When King Saul sees the Philistines fleeing he calls for the Ark of God.

Verse 20 – 23

God even causes the Philistines to fight one another – what an awesome humorous God. Even the Israelite deserters switch back to fight with King Saul and Jonathan. The Hebrew soldiers even come out from the caves of Mount Ephraim. And indeed THE LORD SAVED ISRAEL THAT DAY  ( Verse 23 ) – it was not King Saul or Jonathan but God’s victory.

Verse 24 – 30

Saul then proclaims that no one is to eat – this is a solemn vow. What ! Soldiers need strength. Jonathan was not present when the King proclaimed this vow.  This vow was tested when the people saw honey on the ground. No-one ate of it. But Jonathan did not hear the vow and he ate and his eyes were enlightened, that is filled with the grace of God. Jonathan tells the people that his father Saul caused trouble with this bad decision and oath. This oath was not from God but one that King Saul invented. That if they ate the honey they would be even stronger and defeat even more.

Verse 31- 36

This is why now the people are tempted. They continue to win but grow faint and hungry, so hungry that they eat of animals with blood – this is forbidden from God.

Verse 37 – 45

King Saul now asks God for guidance and God does not answer. King Saul assumes it is because someone in camp has defiled HIS oath ( without even thinking that it was the eating of impure animals, those forbidden from God  ). King Saul says that this person must die.  By casting lots ( the Thummim from the breastplate of the Jewish Priest ) it comes down to Jonathan. He is to die.  Here King Saul confuses HIS LAWS with GOD’S LAWS. Ironically Jonathan was the one who DID fulfill God’s Will.  Jonathan in the glory of God won the battle; Jonathan did not hear the oath; Jonathan is innocent. The people let him go free.

Verse 46 – 48

King Saul now extends his kingdom – he wins wars against the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, the kings of Zobah, Philistines, and Amalikites.

Verse 49

The Family of King Saul and his wife Ahino-am, daughter of Ahima-az                                          

Sons - Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua;                                                                                                                          

Daughters were these: the name of the first-born was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal

To me the last verses says it all – “ when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself. “ 

King Saul thought the victory would be with man – instead it is with God.

QUESTIONS

1.       Why did King Saul simply rest under the tree? What do you think in this moment of time went through his head ?  Do you know of a similar example ?

2.       Jonathan went out before a great force. With such a father as King Saul how do you think that Jonathan gained so much trust in the Lord ?

3.       Jonathan is in this moment so vulnerable to the Philistines.  And yet we see what did actually happen . Can you give a parallel example of vulnerability before a grave power ?

4.       What do you now think of King Saul ?

FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL

CHAPTER 14

TEXT FOR STUDY

One day Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on yonder side." But he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibe-ah under the pomegranate tree which is at Migron; the people who were with him were about six hundred men, 3 and Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of the LORD in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4 In the pass, * by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side; the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The one crag rose on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. 6 And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us; for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few." 7 And his armor-bearer said to him, "Do all that your mind inclines to; * behold, I am with you, as is your mind so is mine." * 8 Then said Jonathan, "Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 If they say to us, Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. 10 But if they say, Come up to us,' then we will go up; for the LORD has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us." 11 So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, "Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hid themselves." 12 And the men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor-bearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you a thing." And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, "Come up after me; for the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel." 13 Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed them after him; 14 and that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, was of about twenty men within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre* of land. 15 And there was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and even the raiders trembled; the earth quaked; and it became a very great panic. 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibe-ah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude was surging hither and thither. * 17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, "Number and see who has gone from us." And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. 18 And Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring hither the ark of God." For the ark of God went at that time with the people of Israel. 19 And while Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more; and Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand." 20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle; and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. 21 Now the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines before that time and who had gone up with them into the camp, even they also turned to be with* the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise, when all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they too followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the LORD delivered Israel that day; and the battle passed beyond Beth-aven. 24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul laid an oath on the people, saying, "Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies." So none of the people tasted food. 25 And all the people* came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground. 26 And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; so he put forth the tip of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes became bright. 28 Then one of the people said, "Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day.'" And the people were faint. 29 Then Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land; see how my eyes have become bright, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found; for now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great." 31 They struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint; 32 the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, "Behold, the people are sinning against the LORD, by eating with the blood." And he said, "You have dealt treacherously; roll a great stone to me here. *" 34 And Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, Let every man bring his ox or his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.'" So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night, and slew them there. 35 And Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar that he built to the LORD. 36 Then Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night and despoil them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them." And they said, "Do whatever seems good to you." But the priest said, "Let us draw near hither to God." 37 And Saul inquired of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Wilt thou give them into the hand of Israel?" But he did not answer him that day. 38 And Saul said, "Come hither, all you leaders of the people; and know and see how this sin has arisen today. 39 For as the LORD lives who saves 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 he said to all Israel, "You shall be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side." And the people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you." 41 Therefore Saul said, "O LORD God of Israel, why hast thou not answered thy servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O LORD, God of Israel, give Urim; but if this guilt is in thy people Israel, * give Thummim." And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. 42 Then Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan." And Jonathan was taken. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." And Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand; here I am, I will die." 44 And Saul said, "God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan." 45 Then the people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great victory in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has wrought with God this day." So the people ransomed Jonathan, that he did not die. 46 Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place. 47 When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines; wherever he turned he put them to the worse. 48 And he did valiantly, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them. 49* Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the first-born was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal; 50 and the name of Saul's wife was Ahino-am the daughter of Ahima-az. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle; 51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52 There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself.