1 Samuel 14:36-46

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:36-46

Here is, I. Saul's boasting against the Philistines. He proposed, as soon as his soldiers had got their suppers, to pursue them all night, and not leave a man of them, 1 Sam. 14:36. Here he showed much zeal, but little discretion; for his army, thus fatigued, could as ill spare a night's sleep as a meal's meat. But it is common for rash and foolish men to consider nobody but themselves, and, so that they might but have their humour, not to care what hardships they put upon those that are under... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:36

And Saul said ,.... To his son Jonathan, or to some of the principal officers of his army: let us go down after the Philistines by night ; or tonight, that same night; which is another hardship he laid his troops under; as he had restrained them from eating all that day until evening, now he proposed they shall take no sleep that night, but proceed on in their pursuit of the Philistines, having eaten, and drank, and refreshed themselves. The Arabic version is, "let us go down to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:37

And Saul asked counsel of God ,.... He agreed to the motion of the high priest, and asked counsel by Urim and Thummim; the Targum is, as before,"inquired by the Word of the Lord:" shall I go down after the Philistines ? pursue after them in their flight to their own country, which, lying to the sea, was a descent: wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel ? what remain of them, otherwise a victory over them was obtained: but he answered him not that day ; no answer was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:38

And Saul said, draw ye near hither all the chief of the people ,.... Or, the corners of the peoples F7 פנות העם "anguli populi", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.; ; the princes, as Jarchi interprets it: and so the Targum, the heads of the people, in allusion to the cornerstones in buildings, which are the ornament, strength, and cement of them, see Zechariah 10:4 , though Abarbinel thinks the tribes themselves are meant, which lay encamped everyone in a corner by themselves, separated... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:39

For as the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel ,.... And had saved them that day with a great salvation and had wrought a great deliverance for them in freeing them from the Philistines, who had threatened the ruin of the whole nation. This is the form of an oath: though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die ; that is, though the sin should be found in him, or he should be found guilty of the breach of what he had charged them with an oath to observe, namely, to eat no food that day... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:40

Then said he unto all Israel ,.... As many of them as were present; not the principal men only, but the common people; not the officers only, but the common soldiers in the army: be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side : so they divided to the right and left, one went one way, and the other the other; there were two boxes or urns, as Kimchi says, in one of which were the names of Saul and Jonathan, and in the other Israel; though Abarbinel observes, that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:41

Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel ,.... After the division was made between him and his son on one side, and the people of Israel on the other, and everything was ready for the drawing of the lot; Saul put up to God the following petition, as knowing that though the lot is cast into the lap, the disposing of it is of the Lord: give a perfect lot ; or man, let it fall upon the guilty person, and let the innocent go free; the Targum is,"cause it to come in truth;' let truth... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:42

And Saul said, cast lots between me and Jonathan my son ,..... Which showed his regard strict justice, and that he had no consciousness of guilt in himself, and should not spare his own son if found guilty: and Jonathan was taken : the lot fell upon him, which was so directed, that his ignorance of his father's charge and oath might appear; and that the affection of the people might be discovered; and that a regard is to be had to the orders and commands of princes, and obedience to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:43

Then Saul said to Jonathan, tell me what thou hast done ,.... What sin he had committed, the lot having fallen on him, and found him out: and Jonathan told him ; the whole of the matter, all the truth, without any reserve: and said, I did but take a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand ; he speaks of the fact as a trivial thing, as if it was not deserving of death, though he was willing to submit to it; yet it seems strange he should say nothing of his ignorance... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:44

And Saul answered, God do so and more also ,.... A form of an oath imprecating evils upon him more and greater than he chose to mention, see the like form in 1:17 , though Abarbinel thinks this is not the form of an oath, but an asseveration of a curse that would befall him; as that God would not answer him when he inquired of him, and that he would add to do so again and again, if he died not: for thou shall surely die, Jonathan ; such words from a father must be very striking to a... read more

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