As we go from day to day, it is easy to let our lips profess words which we have no intention of keeping. If someone asks us to do something, we may carelessly say "yes". When we need to complete the task, it is easy to make up excuses and tell the person we are unable to keep our word. It is not difficult to break our bonds and to let our "yes" mean "no" and our "no" mean "yes". However, we should be diligent to let whatever flows from our mouths to be honest and trustworthy words. We should mean what we say.
In this week's Bible story, we explore two people who took oaths. The first person is King Saul. The second person is Hannah. Each one makes a vow. And both try to keep his word despite the high cost it inflicts on his/her family.
King Saul. 1 Samuel 14
After the time of the Judges, God allows Israel to have a king. The prophet Samuel anoints Saul, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, to be Israel’s first king. King Saul starts his rule being obedient to God. As time passes, King Saul becomes powerful, and he makes rash decisions.
In 1 Samuel 13, the Philistines come to attack Israel. King Saul feels handicapped. No one in Israel has weapons of war because the Philistines had forbidden blacksmiths in the land of Israel. Instead, the Israelites only had fair implements which they had to go to the Philistines to sharpen, and they had to pay outrageous prices to get their fame tools sharpened.
King Saul does not attack the Philistines. Instead, he sits under a pomegranate tree with his commanders and the priest.
In 1 Samuel 14, Jonathan decides to go with his armor-bearer into the Philistine camp. Jonathan tells his armor-bearer, if God is with him, then God will deliver the Philistines into their hands.
Jonathan and his armor-bearer have a huge victory over the Philistines. As the Philistines are fleeing, King Saul realizes something is happening. He calls for roll call and discovers his son Jonathan is missing. King Saul and the men with him take courage and go to battle with the Philistines. They have a major victory.
King Saul decides to make a foolish oath in which he prohibits his people from eating until he avenges himself of his enemies.
24 Now the men of Israel were hard-pressed on that day, for Saul had put the people under oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food before evening, and before I have avenged myself on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. (1 Samuel 14:24)
The men of Israel knew an oath was a binding word. Hence, they all obediently followed King Saul’s oath, and they did not eat any food.
25 All the people of the land entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the people entered the forest, behold, there was honey dripping; but no man put his hand to his mouth, because the people feared the oath. (1 Samuel 14:25-26)
King Saul makes this oath while Jonathan is still away. Jonathan does not know he is not supposed to eat food. When Jonathan sees honey, he eats it and is refreshed. Jonathan is informed of his father’s oath after he eats honey.
27 However, Jonathan had not heard it when his father put the people under oath; so he put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. 28 Then one of the people responded and said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’” And the people were weary. (1 Samuel 14:27-28)
Jonathan realizes what a dumb vow his father had decreed. War is tiring and expends a lot of energy. The troops need to eat to keep up their strength. Jonathan utters his disapproval of the oath to the men of Israel.
29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See now that my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if only the people had freely eaten today of the spoils of their enemies which they found! For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.” (1 Samuel 14:29-30)
After the men of Israel defeat the Philistines, they rush upon the spoils of war to eat. They slaughter the animals and do not let the blood drain out. Instead, they eat the blood.
31 They attacked the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. But the people were very tired. 32 So the people loudly rushed upon the spoils, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then observers informed Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood.” And he said, “You have acted treacherously; roll a large rock to me today.” 34 Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Each one of you bring me his ox or his sheep, and slaughter it here and eat; and do not sin against the Lord by eating it with the blood.’” So all the people brought them that night, each one his ox [h]with him, and they slaughtered them there. (1 Samuel 14:31-34)
We read in the text, when the men of Israel eat the meat with the blood still in it, they are sinning. The men are violating God’s commands.
In Genesis 9, Noah and his family survived the flood. God commands Noah that he may eat the animals, but the blood must not be eaten.
Then God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. 2 The fear of you and the terror of you will be on every animal of the earth and on every bird of the sky; on everything that crawls on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea. They are handed over to you. 3 Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I have given everything to you, as I gave the green plant. 4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. 5 I certainly will require your lifeblood; from every animal I will require it. And from every person, from every man as his brother I will require the life of a person. (Genesis 9:1-5)
Next, King Saul decides to inquire of the LORD if he should continue pursuing the Philistines overnight. King Saul does not receive a word from the LORD.
36 Then Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines by night and take plunder among them until the morning light, and let’s not leave a man among them alive.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” So the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.” 37 So Saul inquired of God: “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You hand them over to Israel?” But He did not answer him on that day. (1 Samuel 14:36-37)
King Saul realizes someone must have violated the oath he made. King Saul decides to draw lots to find out who broke the oath. King Saul’s son Jonathan is selected.
38 Then Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, and investigate and see how this sin has happened today. 39 For as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, even if it is in my son Jonathan, he shall assuredly die!” But not one of all the people answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good [l]to you.” 41 Therefore, Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Give a perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected by lot, but the people were exonerated. 42 Then Saul said, “Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected by lot. (1 Samuel 14:38-42)
When King Saul finds out it is Jonathan who broke the oath, King Saul wants to execute Jonathan. This is truly amazing. King Saul knew his word was a binding oath. Since Jonathan broke the oath, the penalty was death.
43 So Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, and said, “I did indeed taste a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die!” 44 And Saul said, “May God do the same to me and more also, for you shall certainly die, Jonathan!” 45 But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, he who has brought about this great [p]victory in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, not even a hair of his head shall fall to the ground, because he has worked with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan and he did not die. 46 Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place. (1 Samuel 14:43-46)
The men of Israel save Jonathan. They protest Jonathan’s death. King Saul decades not to kill Jonathan, but King Saul bears the punishment for not fulfilling his oath. King Saul discontinues his pursuit of the Philistines. He knows God is not with him because he broke his oath. The Philistines get away and will continue to torment Israel for many years to come.
Hannah’s Vow. 1 Samuel 1
In the first chapter of the Book of 1 Samuel, we are introduced to a family. There is the father Elkanah who has two wives Peninnah and Hannah. Peninnah has children; Hannah does not. The family goes to Shiloh every year to worship the LORD. Shiloh is the place where the tabernacle is.
While at Shiloh, Hannah pours out her heart before the LORD. She makes an oath, stating if God allows her to have a son, she will dedicate him to the LORD. In essence, the child will be a Nazarite all the days of his life.
9 Then Hannah got up after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the [b]temple of the Lord. 10 She, [c]greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. 11 And she made a vow and said, “Lord of armies, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your bond-servant and remember me, and not forget Your bond-servant, but will give Your bond-servant a [d]son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.” (1 Samuel 1:9-11)
As Hannah is praying, Eli the High Priest sees her. He assumes she is drunk.
12 Now it came about, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were quivering, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought that she was drunk. 14 Then Eli said to her, “How long will you behave like a drunk? Get rid of your wine!” (1 Samuel 1:12-14)
Hannah politely corrects the High Priest. Eli realizes his mistake and gives Hannah a blessing.
15 But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman [f]despairing in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Do not [g]consider your bond-servant a useless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.” 17 Then Eli answered and said, “Go in peace; and may the God of Israel grant your request that you have asked of Him.” 18 She said, “Let your bond-servant find favor in your sight.” So the woman went on her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad. (1 Samuel 1:15-18)
God remembers Hannah. Hannah conceives and gives birth to a son. She names him Samuel. When the child is weaned, Hannah returns to Shiloh and gives up her son to the Tabernacle service. Samuel is raised by Eli the High Priest.
19 Then they got up early in the morning and worshiped before the Lord, and returned again to their house in Ramah. And Elkanah had relations with Hannah his wife, and the Lord remembered her. 20 It came about in due time, after Hannah had conceived, that she gave birth to a son; and she named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him of the Lord.”
21 Then the man Elkanah went up with all his household to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “I will not go until the child is weaned; then I will bring him, so that he may appear before the Lord and stay there for life.” 23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you. Stay until you have weaned him; only may the Lord confirm His word.” So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with a three-year-old bull, one ephah of flour, and a jug of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh, although the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and brought the boy to Eli. 26 And she said, “Pardon me, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. 27 For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my request which I asked of Him. 28 So I have also dedicated him to the Lord; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there. (1 Samuel 1:19-28)
For Hannah’s faithfulness to the LORD, God blesses Hannah with children.
21 The Lord indeed visited Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up before the Lord. (1 Samuel 2:21)
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