1 SAMUEL LESSON 15
We will begin this lesson in I Samuel 14:24 "And the men of
Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people,
saying, Cursed [be] the man that eateth [any] food until evening, that
I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted [any]
food."
In the last lesson, we saw that Jonathan and his armourbearer
attacked the Philistines. Saul found out about it, after it was nearly
over, and rushed out with his men to help. Now, we see that Saul had
called a fast for that day. "Adjured" means he made them swear. He,
also, said that anyone, who ate before the day was over, would be
cursed. He was in such a hurry, that he did not want them to stop to
eat.
I Samuel 14:25 "And all [they of] the land came to a wood; and
there was honey upon the ground."
There seemed to be an abundance of honey running down the rocks.
The men had been walking all day without food, and this was a great
temptation.
I Samuel 14:26 "And when the people were come into the wood,
behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for
the people feared the oath."
Even though there was an abundance of honey, and they were very
hungry, they did not eat. They were more afraid of the curse Saul had
spoken, if they broke their oath, than they were of being hungry. They
did not even taste it.
I Samuel 14:27 "But Jonathan heard not when his father charged
the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod
that [was] in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his
hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened."
Not only had Jonathan not heard what his father said, he did not
take the oath, either. Jonathan would not be punished, for breaking an
oath he did not take. Jonathan takes a bite of the honey, because he
is unaware of his father's restriction. The dimness in his eyes had
been caused from his exhaustion. The sweetness of the honey brought
him strength and bright eyes.
I Samuel 14:28 "Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy
father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed [be]
the man that eateth [any] food this day. And the people were faint."
The father was in such a hurry to get these people into the
battle, that he forgot how weak they would be, if they did not eat.
His causing them to swear, that they would not eat, would make them so
weak, it would be about impossible to finish the battle.
I Samuel 14:29 "Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the
land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I
tasted a little of this honey."
Saul's mistake was in a hasty judgement, again. Jonathan had
found strength in the taste of honey he had taken. They could all
fight better, if they were not so weak from hunger.
I Samuel 14:30 "How much more, if haply the people had eaten
freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had
there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?"
The truth is, they could have fought better, but they had taken
the vow. The end result would have been better, if Saul had thought of
the needs of his soldiers.
I Samuel 14:31 "And they smote the Philistines that day from
Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint."
They pursued and killed the Philistines, but the slaughter would
have been much greater, had they not been so weary.
I Samuel 14:32 "And the people flew upon the spoil, and took
sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew [them] on the ground: and the
people did eat [them] with the blood."
It seems, they kept the forced fast that Saul had caused them to
swear to. The minute the fast was over, they committed a very bad sin
by eating the blood with the meat. The Hebrews had a special way they
were to kill animals. They were to bleed them, and cover the blood
with the dirt. Leviticus 3:17 "[It shall be] a perpetual statute for
your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither
fat nor blood."
I Samuel 14:33 "Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people
sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye
have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day."
They have not kept the covenant with God. They were to obey God's
commandments. They were all aware, that they were not to eat the blood
of an animal. They were to immediately bring a stone to Saul, so the
animals could be cut up and drained properly.
I Samuel 14:34 "And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the
people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every
man his sheep, and slay [them] here, and eat; and sin not against the
LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man
his ox with him that night, and slew [them] there."
The animals slain on the rock would have a chance for the blood
to drain thoroughly. It does not say anything about cooking the meat
here, but the meat had to be cooked to fulfill the law. They were not
to eat raw meat.
I Samuel 14:35 "And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same
was the first altar that he built unto the LORD."
This altar was in thanks for the victory they had against the
Philistines. This altar to the LORD was the first Saul had built.
I Samuel 14:36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the
Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let
us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good
unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.
Saul realizes that he was really the cause, that all of the
Philistines had not been killed. Now, he proposes that they go down by
night and finish killing them. It appears, the army was willing to do
whatever Saul wanted to do. The priest wanted to inquire of God,
before they went to battle, however.
I Samuel 14:37 "And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down
after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel?
But he answered him not that day."
God did not answer him quickly, because he was so impatient. Saul
wanted to hear what God had to say, as long as He said it immediately.
I Samuel 14:38 "And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief
of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day."
Because God did not answer him immediately, he assumes it is
because of some sin that has been committed. He never looks at
himself. His fault finding is always with someone else. He wants to
find who has sinned, and kill him.
I Samuel 14:39 "For, [as] the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel,
though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But [there was]
not a man among all the people [that] answered him."
He had made rash decisions several times earlier. This is another
rash statement, because he wants to hurry up and go to war. The people
are not going to accuse Jonathan, who led them to the victory over the
Philistines. We said before that Jonathan did not sin, because he had
not taken the oath with the others.
I Samuel 14:40 "Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side,
and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people
said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee."
He had not received an answer from God through the Urim and the
Thummim of the high priest. Now, he has decided to figure out who is
worthy of death by lot.
I Samuel 14:41 "Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel,
Give a perfect [lot]. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people
escaped."
The lot fell on Jonathan and Saul. The people were spared in
this.
I Samuel 14:42 "And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and
Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken."
The lot fell on Jonathan this time.
I Samuel 14:43 "Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou
hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little
honey with the end of the rod that [was] in mine hand, [and], lo, I
must die."
Truly Jonathan had taken of the honey, but he had done it
innocently. He had not taken the vow, nor heard the oath his father
made. He bows to the judgement of God, and does not try to defend
himself in this. He agrees he must die.
I Samuel 14:44 "And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for
thou shalt surely die, Jonathan."
Saul is a man who does not stop to think, before he speaks. He
takes an oath, here, to kill his own son. Jonathan had not broken the
oath, because he never took it.
I Samuel 14:45 "And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan
die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: [as]
the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the
ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued
Jonathan, that he died not."
The people are right. There is no reason to kill Jonathan. Not
only did he win the battle almost singlehandedly for them, but he is
innocent. Certainly the blessings of God had been upon him, as he
fought the Philistines. The people loved Jonathan, and they would not
let Saul kill him.
I Samuel 14:46 "Then Saul went up from following the Philistines:
and the Philistines went to their own place."
Saul saw that the people were not with him, and he returns home.
The Philistines, who were not killed earlier, were spared. They went
to their homes, as well.
I Samuel 14:47 "So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought
against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the
children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah,
and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he
vexed [them]."
It seemed the bravery of Jonathan, Saul's son, gave Saul the
courage to lead his troops bravely. He fought with all the enemies of
Israel. Paul says that Saul reigned for 40 years as king. I have no
argument with that. He was an impatient military king. Notice, he did
not kill them all. He vexed them. He was a constant enemy of theirs.
I Samuel 14:48 "And he gathered an host, and smote the
Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled
them."
We do not read of daring exploits like Jonathan did, from Saul.
Saul took an army with him, when he fought their enemies. He fought
valiantly for Israel and won. The Amalekites were just one of the
lands he defeated.
I Samuel 14:49 "Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui,
and Melchi-shua: and the names of his two daughters [were these]; the
name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:"
Ishui and Abinidab are the same person. The fourth son of Saul is
not mentioned here. His name was Ishbosheth. Generally, daughters are
not mentioned, but these will play important roles in their history,
so they are mentioned. "Jonathan" means whom Jehovah gave. The name
"Ishui" means peaceful, or quiet. "Melchi-shu" means king of aid.
"Ishbosheth" means man of shame. Perhaps, that is why he was not named
here. "Merab" means increase. "Michal" means who like God.
I Samuel 14:50 And the name of Saul's wife [was] Ahinoam, the
daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host [was]
Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.
"Ahinoam" means brother of grace. "Ahimaaz" means brother of
anger. "Abner" means father of light. Kish, Saul's father was a
son of Ner. Abner was Saul's captain of hosts.
I Samuel 14:51 "And Kish [was] the father of Saul; and Ner the
father of Abner [was] the son of Abiel."
This makes Abiel the great-grandfather of Saul.
I Samuel 14:52 "And there was sore war against the Philistines
all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant
man, he took him unto him."
This is just saying that, a strong healthy man was enlisted in
the army of Saul. Saul was a good soldier leader. He knew the
Philistines were a powerful opponent. Saul kept a standing army of the
finest young men in the country. The moral was high, because they were
successful against their enemies.
1 Samuel 15 Questions
1. What rash thing does Saul say in verse 24?
2. What does "adjured" mean?
3. Why did Saul make such a rash vow?
4. There was an abundance of ___________upon the ground.
5. Why did the soldiers not take of the honey?
6. Why did Jonathan take of the honey?
7. What happened to Jonathan's eyes, when he did this?
8. What did one of the people tell Jonathan, after he had taken of
the honey?
9. Saul's mistake was in his ___________ judgement.
10. If the people had eaten better, what would they, possibly, have
done?
11. It seems the soldiers kept the ________ fast.
12. What did they do, the minute the fast was over?
13. Quote Leviticus chapter 3 verse 17.
14. Why were they to roll a great stone to Saul?
15. What would be the difference in the animals slain on the rock?
16. In verse 35, what did Saul build?
17. What did Saul want to do further to the Philistines.
18. What does the priest say to do?
19. When there is no answer from God, what does Saul propose they do?
20. What rash statement does Saul say about Jonathan?
21. Where does the lot fall?
22. Why does Saul not kill him?
23. Why is it right, that the people not let Saul kill Jonathan?
24. Did they attack the Philistines that night?
25. What exploits of Saul do we read of in verse 47?
26. How long does Paul say that Saul was king?
27. Who were the sons of Saul?
28. Who were his daughters?
29. Who is the same as Ishui?
30. What was Saul's wife named?
31. Who was the great-grandfather of Saul?
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