14:1ff In this chapter we read about the miserable job Saul did as leader: he had no communication with Jonathan (14:1, 17); he made a foolish curse (14:24); and he ignored the well-being of his own soldiers (14:31). Saul’s poor leadership was not a result of personality traits but of decaying spiritual character. What we do is often a direct result of our spiritual condition. We cannot ignore the importance of spiritual character in effective leadership.
14:1 Why would Jonathan go alone to attack the Philistines? Jonathan may have been weary of the long, hopeless standoff in the battle; he trusted God to give the victory and wanted to act on that trust. He also knew that the number of Philistines was no problem for God. Perhaps he didn’t tell his father about his mission because he thought Saul would not let him go.
14:6 Jonathan and his armor bearer weren’t much of a force to attack the huge Philistine army. But while everyone else was afraid, they trusted God, knowing that the size of the enemy army would not restrict God’s ability to help them. God honored the faith and brave action of these two men with a tremendous victory.
Have you ever felt surrounded by the “enemy” or faced overwhelming odds? God is never intimidated by the size of the enemy or the complexity of a problem. With him, there are always enough resources to resist the pressures and win the battle. If God has called you to action, then bravely commit what resources you have to God, and rely upon him to lead you to victory.
14:12 Jonathan did not have the authority to lead all the troops into battle, but he could start a small skirmish in one corner of the enemy camp. When he did, panic broke out among the Philistines; the Hebrews who had been drafted into the Philistine army revolted; and the men who were hiding in the hills regained their courage and returned to fight.
When you are facing a difficult situation that is beyond your control, ask yourself, What steps can I take now to work toward a solution? A few small steps may be just what is needed to begin the chain of events leading to eventual victory.
14:19 “Withdraw thine hand” refers to the use of the Urim and Thummim. These small objects were withdrawn from the linen ephod (vest) worn by the priest and used to determine God’s will (see the note on 10:20). Saul was rushing the formalities of getting an answer from God so he could hurry and get into battle to take advantage of the confusion of the Philistines.
14:24 Saul made an oath without thinking through the implications. The results? (1) His men were too tired to fight; (2) they were so hungry they ate meat that still contained blood, which was against God’s law (14:32); (3) Saul almost killed his own son (14:42-45).
Saul’s impulsive oath sounded heroic, but it had disastrous side effects. If you are in the middle of a conflict, guard against impulsive statements that you may be forced to honor.
14:32-34 One of the oldest and strongest Hebrew food laws was the prohibition against eating meat containing the animal’s blood (Leviticus 7:26, 27). This law began in Noah’s day (Genesis 9:4) and was still observed by the early Christians (Acts 15:27-29). It was wrong to eat blood because blood represented life, and life belonged to God. (For a further explanation, see Leviticus 17:10-14.)
14:35, 36 After being king for several years, Saul finally built his first altar to God, but only as a last resort. Throughout Saul’s reign he consistently approached God only after he had tried everything else. This was in sharp contrast to the priest, who suggested that God be consulted first. How much better if Saul had gone to God first, building an altar as his first official act as king. God is too great to be an afterthought. When we turn to him first, we will never have to turn to him as a last resort.
14:39 This is the second of Saul’s foolish vows. Saul made the first of his two oaths (14:24-26) because he was overly anxious to defeat the Philistines and wanted to give his soldiers an incentive to finish the battle quickly. In the Bible, God never asked people to make oaths or vows, but if they did, he expected them to keep them (Leviticus 5:4; Numbers 30).
Saul’s vow was not something God would have condoned, but still it was an oath. And Jonathan, although he didn’t know about Saul’s oath, was nevertheless guilty of breaking it. Like Jephthah (Judges 11), Saul made an oath that risked the life of his own child. Fortunately, the people intervened and spared Jonathan’s life.
14:39 Saul had issued a ridiculous command and had driven his men to sin, but still he wouldn’t back down even if he had to kill his son. When we make ridiculous statements, it is difficult to admit we are wrong. Sticking to the story, just to save face, only compounds the problem. It takes more courage to admit a mistake than to hold resolutely to an error.
14:42 The lots cast in this incident were probably the Urim and Thummim, which were designed to give only a yes or no answer. When God controlled them, the innocent were eliminated by the no answer and the guilty exposed by the yes answer. A similar incident occurred in Joshua 7:14-18. (For more on the Urim and Thummim see the notes on 2:18 and 10:20.)
14:43 Jonathan’s spiritual character was in striking contrast to Saul’s. Jonathan admitted what he had done; he did not try to make excuses. Even though he was unaware of Saul’s oath, Jonathan was willing to accept the consequences of his actions. When you do wrong, even unintentionally, respond like Jonathan, not like Saul.
14:44, 45 Saul made another foolish statement, this time because he was more concerned about saving face than being right. To spare Jonathan’s life would require him to admit he had acted foolishly, an embarrassment for a king. Saul was really more interested in protecting his image than in enforcing his vow. Fortunately, the people came to Jonathan’s rescue. Don’t be like Saul. Admit your mistakes, and show that you are more interested in doing what is right than in looking good.
14:47 Why was Saul so successful right after he had disobeyed God and been told that his reign would end (13:13, 14)? Sometimes ungodly people win battles. Victory is neither guaranteed nor limited to the righteous. God provides according to his will. God might have given Saul success for the sake of the people, not for Saul. He may have left Saul on the throne for a while to utilize his military talents so that David, Israel’s next king, could spend more time focusing on the nation’s spiritual battles. Regardless of God’s reasons for delaying Saul’s demise, his reign ended exactly the way God had foretold. The timing of God’s plans and promises is known only to him. Our task is to commit our ways to God and then trust him for the outcome.