1 Samuel 14:24-44

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:24-35

We have here an account of the distress of the children of Israel, even in the day of their triumphs. Such alloys are all present joys subject to. And such obstructions does many a good cause meet with, even when it seems most prosperous, through the mismanagement of instruments. I. Saul forbade the people, under the penalty of a curse, to taste any food that day, 1 Sam. 14:24. Here we will suppose, 1. That as king he had power to put his soldiers under this interdict, and to bind it on with a... read more

Matthew Henry

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 14:24

And the men of Israel were distressed that day ,.... By reason of the following order Saul gave with an oath, forbidding any to taste meat till evening, when the people were faint and weary, which is the common sense of interpreters; but Jarchi interprets it, the men of Israel were ready, forward, and hasty, and drew nigh to fight with the Philistines, and so refers it to the persons before mentioned, who came out of their lurking places; and this sense is approved of by Abarbinel: "for", or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:25

And all they of the land came to a wood ,.... Which lay between Bethaven and Aijalon; by whom are meant not all the inhabitants of the land of Israel, but all that came with Saul and Jonathan, and that joined them in the pursuit: and there was honey upon the ground ; which dropped upon it, as in the following verse, or where it was produced by bees; for Aristotle F18 Hist. Animal. l. 5. c. 22. reports, that bees in some places make their combs upon the ground; this was wild honey,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:26

And when the people came into the wood, behold, the honey dropped ,.... Either from trees, which produced it; so Diodorus Siculus F20 Bibliothec. l. 17. p. 548. speaks of trees in some countries which produce honey; or from the sugar canes, as Jarchi; or rather from the honeycombs which were framed in trees by bees; so Hesiod F21 Hesiod, Theogon. ver. 230. Vid. Diodor. Sic. ut supra. (Bibliothec. l. 17. p. 548.) speaks of bees making their nests or combs in trees. Ben Gersom... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:27

But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath ,.... Which charge was given, either before he came from Gibeah, before he came to Jonathan, or while pursuing, when Jonathan was with another party either fighting or pursuing: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand : the staff with which he walked, or rather the spear which he carried in his hand, and fought his enemies with: and dipped it in an honeycomb ; or sugar cane, as Jarchi; or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:28

Then answered one of the people, and said ,.... To Jonathan, who might direct and encourage the people to do as he had done, at least so he did by his example, if not by words; the latter is not improbable: and therefore one of the men that came along with Saul, and had now joined Jonathan, and who heard what Saul had said, replied: thy father straitly charged the people with an oath ; gave them a strict charge, with an oath or imprecation annexed to it: saying, cursed be the man that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:29

Then said Jonathan, my father hath troubled the land ,.... The people of the land, as the Targum, the soldiers in his army; afflicted and distressed them, and made them uneasy in their minds, like troubled waters; the Arabic version is,"my father hath sinned against the people;'hath done them injury by forbidding them to eat. This was not wisely said by Jonathan; how much soever his father was to be blamed, it did not become him as a son thus to reflect upon him, and it might have tended to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:30

How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found ?.... That is, had they been, allowed eat freely of the provisions, of bread, wine, &c.; they found in the enemy's camp, they would have been much more refreshed and strengthened than it could be supposed he was with eating a little honey; if that had had such an effect upon him, of what service would a full meal have been to the people? for had there not been now a much greater... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:31

And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon ,.... Michmash was the place where the camp of the Philistines was when Jonathan first attacked them, and from whence they fled, and they were pursued by the Israelites that day as far as Aijalon. There was a city of this name in the tribe of Dan, famous for the moon standing still in a valley adjoining to it, in the time of Joshua, Joshua 10:12 and another in the tribe of Zebulun, Judges 12:12 , but they both seem to be at... read more

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