4. (1 Sam 14:36-39) In response to God's silence, Saul makes another foolish oath
Then Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them." And they said, "Do whatever seems good to you." So the priest said, "Let us draw near to God here." Saul inquired of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?" But He did not answer him on that day. Saul said, "Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people, and investigate and see how this sin has happened today. For as the LORD lives, who delivers Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But not one of all the people answered him.
Let us go down after the Philistines by night: Saul, conscious that he had prevented the victory from being so decisive as it would otherwise have been, proposed to repair his fault. Now that the people have taken food, he commands for the people to continue pursuing the Philistines by night. The people give the same unquestioning obedience as before, but Ahijah gives counsel that they should first ask the approval of God.
Let us draw near to God here: Ahijah checks Saul's impulse, reminding Saul that it was necessary to first ascertain the will of God. Ahijah may have done this because he disapproved Saul's decision or because God should be consulted before undertaking anything of importance.
He did not answer him on that day: Saul inquired of the LORD through the priest Ahijah. It is likely that the priest used the Urim and Thummim to inquire of the LORD. The use of the discerning tools--the Urim and Thummim--is described on a few occasions (Exodus 28:30, Numbers 27:21, Ezra 2:63 and Nehemiah 7:65). The use of the Urim and Thummim may be impied in other passages where God is sought such as Judges 1:1 and Judges 20:18, 23. The name Urim means lights, and the word Thummim means perfections. We are not sure what they were or how they were used. Most think they were a pair of stones, one light and one dark. Each stone indicated a "yes" or "no" from God. The High Priest would ask God a question, reach into the breastplate and pull out either a "yes" or a "no".
Investigate and see how this sin has happened: Saul assumes that some undiscovered sin must have caused God to refuse to answer, as Achan's trespass led God to withdraw His Presence and abandon Israel to defeat. ("Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst" Joshua 7:11-12.) Jonathan's transgression of the oath, although unintentional, was an offense against God which could not be left unnoticed.
For as the LORD, lives, who delivers Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die: This shows how sure Saul was that he was right. He was so sure, he pronounced another oath. Of course, if Saul knew that it was Jonathan who violated his oath, he would have never said this. But he was so caught up in being right, he added this foolish vow to his previous foolish commandment.
But not one of all the people answered him: None of those who saw Jonathan eating honey informed against him. Jonathan had given Israel a great defeat over the Philistines, and the people would not expose Jonathan to death for such a small offense.
5. (1 Sam 14:40-44) Jonathan is implicated by the casting of lots
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." Therefore, Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, "Give a perfect lot." And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped. Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was taken. Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." So Jonathan told him and said, "I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die!" Saul said, "May God do this to me and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan."
Give a perfect lot:A better translation of the Hebrew is "show the innocent". That is, "God so guide the lot that it may reveal who is guilty and who is innocent in this matter.
Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped: Saul wanted to find the wrong doer by casting lots. The people were separated into two groups. Then, based on the lot cast (such as a low number on a dice meant Saul and Jonathan's group, and a high number meant the rest of Israel), the groups were included/excluded from being held accountable. They continued to narrow the selected group until they found the guilty person. Saul wanted everyone to know that he and his son Jonathan were innocent. So, that was the first division. Imagine Saul's shock when the lot indicated that he and Jonathan were in the guilty group!
Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son: Saul seems completely clueless that by casting lots between himself and his son, he is condemning to death either himself or his own son.
Tell me what you have done: This whole situation seems to mirror a similar story with Joshua and Achan. After the Israelites were told while plundering the city of Jericho to not take any of the spoil for themselves, Achan took some of the spoil and hid it in his tent. When Joshua sends a small force to Ai to continue the conquest in Canaan, the Israelites are defeated because God abandoned Israel due to Achan's sin. Lots are cast and Achan is shown to be the guilty party. Achan and his family are stoned to death to make atonement for Achan's death (see Joshua chapter 7).
I indeed tasted a little honey...Here I am, I must die: Jonathan's words are not a lamentation over his fate, but they are a confession of guilty. Although he involuntarily committed a crime, he was ready to sacrifice his life for his country even during his hour of great victory.
May God do this to me and more: Again Saul takes an oath to put Jonathan to death, supposing himself bound by his former words. Jonathan's trespass, committed unwittingly, required nothing more than a trespass offering for its atonement. Moreover, the silence of the Urim and Thummim did not imply Jonathan was guilty. The fault lay in Saul having imposed an oath upon the army. That oath had been broken, and a formal atonement must be made. Saul was willing to kill his son rather than to humbly admit that he was really at fault. Saul stated out as a humble man (1 Samuel 10:21), but his once impressive humility has now been overtaken by pride.
6. (1 Sam 14:45-46) The people rescue Jonathan from execution
But the people said to Saul, "Must Jonathan die, who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day." So the people rescued Jonathan and he did not die. Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
The people said: Previously, the people had shown their disapproval of Saul's conduct by their silence. Now, they decide Jonathan shall not die. Saul might feel bound by his rash oath, but the consciences of the people told them that an oath to commit a crime is an oath to be repented of as sin.
As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground: As Saul swore that Jonathan should die, the people also swore that Jonathan should not die. So far should it be from Jonathan to have his life taken away, that absolutely no injury should befall Jonathan for his transgression. For although the people had yielded a ready obedience to all the orders and commands of Saul, they were determined to oppose Saul in this case of his son Jonathan.
For he has worked with God this day: God had been with Jonathan. He had assisted him in doing great things for Israel. Therefore, Jonathan should not die for such a trivial infringement. His error was not done in disobedience to his father nor in contempt of him. But his trespass occurred through pure ignorance.
And the Philistines went to their own place: The implication in this phrase is that the victory might have been greater if not for Saul's foolish oath. Saul had to discontinue his pursuit of the Philistines, and their power, although weakened by the overthrow, remained unbroken.
7. (1 Sam 14:47-52) Saul's many wars and his family
Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, the sons of Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines; and wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment. He acted valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them. Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi and Malchi-shua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the names of the firstborn Merab and the name of the younger Michal. The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. Kish was the father to Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. Now the war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he attached him to his staff.
Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel: The various wars undertaken by Saul are briefly summarized.
1. Against Moab
2. Against the children of Ammon as recorded in chapter 11 and perhaps on other occasions.
3. Against the Edomites, descendants of Esau, who occupied Edom (aka, Idumea) previously called Mount Seir, the mountainous district stretching from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Elath. The Edomites were conquered by David (2 Samuel 8:14) and remained subject to Judah until the reign of Jeroboam (2 Kings 8:20). They are fiercely denounced by the prophets, especially Obadiah, for their hostility toward Judah.
4. Against the Syrian kingdom of Zobah. The kingdom was probably situated between Damascus and the Euphrates River, but its exact position and limits are unknown. The "kings" were independent chiefs.
5. Against the Philistines throughout Saul's reign.
No special account of the wars against Moab, Edom and Zobah is given, for the object of the book of First Samuel if not to give the complete history of Saul's reign but to describe its most important features, and the sins which led to Saul's rejection.
Defeated the Amalekites: Out of the many wars Saul waged, the war with the Amalekites is singled out, for Saul's campaign against them was especially prominent. This war is related with some detail in chapter 15.
The sons of Saul: The three brave sons who perished with their father in the battle on Mount Gilboa are mentioned here--Jonathan, Ishvi and Malchi-shua. Saul's two daughters, Merab and Michal are specifically named here probably owing to their connection with David (1 Samuel 18:17-21). The elder daughter (Merab) having been promised to David in marriage, and the younger daughter (Michal) actually being wedded to him.
Saul's wife: In accordance with usual practice, the names of the most prominent of the family and royal household are given. We know nothing of Saul's wife besides her name. It has been postulated that she was of the family of Eli, the high priest.
The captain of his army was Abner: Saul and Abner were first cousins. (Both their fathers, Kish and Ner, were sons of Abiel.) Abner was a man of rare powers and abilities. The brilliant campaigns of Saul's reign were, no doubt, in no small measure owing to the military skill of this great commander.
The war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul: After the rout at Michmash, the Philistines were driven out of the land of Israel back to their own coastal districts. However, all through Saul's reign, they continued to be powerful and were a constant source of danger and trouble to the Israelites. In the end, Saul and his sons lost their lives in the battle at Mount Gilboa. The Philistines were finally crushed under Saul's successor, King David.
When Saul saw any mighty man: When Saul saw any man who behaved well in battle or had great strength, he recruited them into his army to go out with him in battle.
No comments:
Post a Comment