1 Samuel 14 Study Notes: Jonathan's Bold Attack at Michmash
Jonathan and one companion climb to a Philistine outpost trusting the LORD to save with a tiny force, and God sends panic among the enemy. Saul's rash ban on food leaves the troops faint, so they eat meat with its blood, and the people spare Jonathan, who unknowingly ate honey. Saul's wars and family end the chapter.
General
True or False: Jonathan’s armor-bearer tried to talk him out of attacking the outpost.
Answer: False
This is false. The armor-bearer did the opposite: he told Jonathan to do whatever he had in mind and promised to go with him fully, in heart and soul (14:7). He then climbed up behind Jonathan and fought beside him (14:13). Scripture values this kind of faithful companion, who stands with a friend in danger (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; Proverbs 17:17).
- 1 Samuel 14:7 (BSB)“His armor-bearer replied, “Do all that is in your heart. Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.””The armor-bearer pledges to go with Jonathan wholeheartedly.
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (BSB)“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!”The value of a companion who stands with you in danger is commended here.
- Proverbs 17:17 (BSB)“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”A true friend is loyal at all times, especially in adversity.
Theological
True or False: Jonathan’s armor-bearer urged him to abandon the plan to attack the outpost.
Answer: False
This is false. The armor-bearer commits himself without reservation, telling Jonathan to act on what is in his heart and pledging his whole support (14:7), and he follows Jonathan up the cliff into the fight (14:13). His loyalty reflects the wisdom literature’s praise of a faithful companion in adversity (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; Proverbs 17:17).
- 1 Samuel 14:7 (BSB)“His armor-bearer replied, “Do all that is in your heart. Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.””The armor-bearer pledges to go with Jonathan wholeheartedly.
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (BSB)“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!”The value of a companion who stands with you in danger is commended here.
- Proverbs 17:17 (BSB)“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”A true friend is loyal at all times, especially in adversity.
General
After the battle, the faint troops rushed on the plunder. How did they sin against God?
Answer: They ate animals without draining out the blood
Exhausted after a long day of fighting, the troops seized sheep and cattle, killed them where they lay and devoured the meat without draining the blood (14:31-32). God had forbidden this since Noah’s day and repeated it in the law, because the blood stands for the life and was to be poured out (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 12:23-24). Saul called it breaking faith, had a large stone rolled over so the animals could be slaughtered properly, and then built his first altar (14:33-35). The text links this to Saul’s oath: the soldier had said the oath was why the troops were faint (14:28), and being very faint, they rushed on the plunder (14:31-32).
- 1 Samuel 14:32-33 (BSB)“So they rushed greedily to the plunder, taking sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them on the ground and ate meat with the blood still in it. Then someone reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.” “You have broken faith,” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here at once.””The famished troops slaughter animals on the ground and eat without draining the blood.
- 1 Samuel 14:34-35 (BSB)“Then he said, “Go among the troops and tell them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep, slaughter them in this place, and then eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.’” So that night everyone brought his ox and slaughtered it there. Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had built an altar to the LORD.”Saul has the animals slaughtered properly on a large stone and builds his first altar.
- Genesis 9:4 (BSB)“But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it.”God forbade eating meat with its lifeblood already in Noah’s day.
- Leviticus 19:26 (BSB)“You must not eat anything with blood still in it. You must not practice divination or sorcery.”The law repeated the ban on eating anything with blood in it.
- Deuteronomy 12:23-24 (BSB)“Only be sure not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. You must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.”Moses explained that the blood is the life and must be poured out, not eaten.
Theological
In what way did the famished troops sin against God when they fell on the plunder?
Answer: They ate animals without draining out the blood
The exhausted army slaughtered the captured animals where they lay and ate them undrained of blood (14:31-32), transgressing the prohibition given to Noah and codified in the law, where the blood represents the life and must be poured out (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 12:23-24). Saul names it faithlessness, provides a stone for proper slaughter, and builds his first altar (14:33-35). The text ties the transgression to the oath: the troops were faint because of it (14:28), and in that faintness they fell on the plunder (14:31-32).
- 1 Samuel 14:32-33 (BSB)“So they rushed greedily to the plunder, taking sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them on the ground and ate meat with the blood still in it. Then someone reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.” “You have broken faith,” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here at once.””The famished troops slaughter animals on the ground and eat without draining the blood.
- 1 Samuel 14:34-35 (BSB)“Then he said, “Go among the troops and tell them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep, slaughter them in this place, and then eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.’” So that night everyone brought his ox and slaughtered it there. Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had built an altar to the LORD.”Saul has the animals slaughtered properly on a large stone and builds his first altar.
- Genesis 9:4 (BSB)“But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it.”God forbade eating meat with its lifeblood already in Noah’s day.
- Leviticus 19:26 (BSB)“You must not eat anything with blood still in it. You must not practice divination or sorcery.”The law repeated the ban on eating anything with blood in it.
- Deuteronomy 12:23-24 (BSB)“Only be sure not to eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. You must not eat the blood; pour it on the ground like water.”Moses explained that the blood is the life and must be poured out, not eaten.
General
When Saul asked God whether to chase the Philistines through the night, what response did he receive?
Answer: God gave Saul no reply of any kind that day
Saul wanted to raid the Philistines all night, and the troops agreed, but the priest urged them to seek God first (14:36). Saul asked whether to go down and whether God would give the enemy into Israel’s hand, but received no reply that day (14:37). Saul took the silence as a sign that some sin had been committed and set out to find it (14:38). Scripture teaches that sin can stand between people and God and hide His face from them (Isaiah 59:2). The text does not spell out whose wrong lay behind this silence; later in Saul’s life, God would again refuse to answer him (28:6).
- 1 Samuel 14:36-37 (BSB)“And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn, leaving no man alive!” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied. But the priest said, “We must consult God here.” So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.”At the priest’s urging Saul asks God whether to pursue, but receives no reply.
- 1 Samuel 14:38 (BSB)“Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today.”Saul concludes that some sin lies behind God’s silence.
- 1 Samuel 28:6 (BSB)“He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.”Later in Saul’s life the LORD again gave him no answer by any means.
- Isaiah 59:2 (BSB)“But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.”Sin separates people from God so that He does not hear.
Theological
What was the result when Saul sought God’s direction about chasing the enemy by night?
Answer: God gave Saul no reply of any kind that day
At the priest’s insistence Saul inquires of God, but God withholds an answer that day (14:36-37). Saul reads the silence as evidence of sin in the camp (14:38), consistent with the prophetic teaching that iniquity can hide God’s face from His people (Isaiah 59:2). The narrative leaves unstated whose fault lay behind it; the episode foreshadows the end of Saul’s life, when the LORD answers him by no means at all (28:6).
- 1 Samuel 14:36-37 (BSB)“And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn, leaving no man alive!” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied. But the priest said, “We must consult God here.” So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.”At the priest’s urging Saul asks God whether to pursue, but receives no reply.
- 1 Samuel 14:38 (BSB)“Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today.”Saul concludes that some sin lies behind God’s silence.
- 1 Samuel 28:6 (BSB)“He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.”Later in Saul’s life the LORD again gave him no answer by any means.
- Isaiah 59:2 (BSB)“But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.”Sin separates people from God so that He does not hear.
General
After eating honey and then learning of Saul’s oath, how did Jonathan respond?
Answer: He said his father had brought harm on the land
Jonathan knew nothing of the oath, and he dipped his staff into a honeycomb, ate, and was refreshed (14:27). When a soldier told him of the curse and said the troops were faint, Jonathan replied that Saul had brought trouble on the land. If the people had eaten freely from the plunder, he argued, the defeat of the Philistines would have been far greater (14:29-30). His words point out the cost of Saul’s rash oath, which fell on others. Proverbs warns that one who troubles his own household gains nothing (Proverbs 11:29), and Jephthah’s vow had likewise brought grief on his own family (Judges 11:35).
- 1 Samuel 14:27 (BSB)“Jonathan, however, had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath. So he reached out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.”Jonathan, who had not heard the oath, tastes honey and is refreshed.
- 1 Samuel 14:29-30 (BSB)““My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been much greater?””Jonathan judges that his father’s oath has harmed the people and the battle.
- Proverbs 11:29 (BSB)“He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.”One who brings trouble on his own house reaps nothing but wind.
- Judges 11:35 (BSB)“As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back.””Jephthah’s rash vow also brought misery on those closest to him.
Theological
How did Jonathan respond when told of the oath after he had eaten the honey?
Answer: He said his father had brought harm on the land
Jonathan ate in ignorance of the oath and was revived (14:27). Informed of it, he passes a blunt judgment: his father has troubled the land, since a fed army would have inflicted a far heavier defeat (14:29-30). The rash oath, meant to advance Saul’s vengeance, actually hampered the victory and burdened the people. Proverbs speaks of the one who troubles his own house (Proverbs 11:29), and Jephthah’s vow offers a sobering parallel of a vow whose cost fell on others (Judges 11:35).
- 1 Samuel 14:27 (BSB)“Jonathan, however, had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath. So he reached out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.”Jonathan, who had not heard the oath, tastes honey and is refreshed.
- 1 Samuel 14:29-30 (BSB)““My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been much greater?””Jonathan judges that his father’s oath has harmed the people and the battle.
- Proverbs 11:29 (BSB)“He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart.”One who brings trouble on his own house reaps nothing but wind.
- Judges 11:35 (BSB)“As soon as Jephthah saw her, he tore his clothes and said, “No! Not my daughter! You have brought me to my knees! You have brought great misery upon me, for I have given my word to the LORD and cannot take it back.””Jephthah’s rash vow also brought misery on those closest to him.
General
True or False: Before crossing over toward the Philistine outpost, Jonathan told his father Saul what he planned to do.
Answer: False
This is false. The text says plainly that Jonathan kept his plan from his father (14:1), and that even the soldiers were unaware he was gone (14:3). Meanwhile Saul stayed on the edge of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree with a force of roughly 600 men, along with Ahijah the priest, who wore an ephod, a priestly garment used when seeking God’s guidance (14:2-3). Jonathan had already attacked a Philistine outpost once before (13:3), and Israel was so poorly armed that only Saul and Jonathan had swords or spears (13:22). Jonathan sets out with no army, only his armor-bearer.
- 1 Samuel 14:1 (BSB)“One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But Jonathan did not tell his father.”Jonathan proposes crossing to the Philistine outpost and keeps the plan from his father.
- 1 Samuel 14:2-3 (BSB)“Meanwhile, Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. And the troops who were with him numbered about six hundred men, including Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of the LORD in Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.”Saul waits near Gibeah with about six hundred men and a priest, and the troops do not know that Jonathan has gone.
- 1 Samuel 13:2-3 (BSB)“He chose for himself three thousand men of Israel: Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the troops he sent away, each to his own home. Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!””Jonathan had already struck a Philistine outpost at Geba, showing his readiness to take the fight to the enemy.
- 1 Samuel 13:22 (BSB)“So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hands of the troops with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.”Israel was badly outmatched, since only Saul and Jonathan carried real weapons.
Theological
True or False: Jonathan informed Saul of his intention before crossing toward the Philistine garrison.
Answer: False
This is false. The narrator stresses that Jonathan kept Saul uninformed (14:1) and that the soldiers were unaware of his departure (14:3). Saul remained near Gibeah with about 600 men and Ahijah, a priest of Eli’s line wearing the ephod (14:2-3). Jonathan had opened hostilities earlier at Geba (13:3), and Israel’s armament was so meager that only Saul and Jonathan bore weapons (13:22). The initiative in this chapter belongs to Jonathan, not to the king.
- 1 Samuel 14:1 (BSB)“One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But Jonathan did not tell his father.”Jonathan proposes crossing to the Philistine outpost and keeps the plan from his father.
- 1 Samuel 14:2-3 (BSB)“Meanwhile, Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. And the troops who were with him numbered about six hundred men, including Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of the LORD in Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.”Saul waits near Gibeah with about six hundred men and a priest, and the troops do not know that Jonathan has gone.
- 1 Samuel 13:2-3 (BSB)“He chose for himself three thousand men of Israel: Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the troops he sent away, each to his own home. Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!””Jonathan had already struck a Philistine outpost at Geba, showing his readiness to take the fight to the enemy.
- 1 Samuel 13:22 (BSB)“So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hands of the troops with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.”Israel was badly outmatched, since only Saul and Jonathan carried real weapons.
General
How was Jonathan identified as the one who had broken Saul’s oath?
Answer: By Urim and by lot, cast before the LORD
Saul swore that the guilty man must die, even if it were Jonathan, but the troops stayed silent (14:39). He set the people apart from himself and Jonathan, and asked God to answer by Urim or by Thummim, objects kept by the priest for seeking God’s decision (14:40-41). The lot fell on Saul and Jonathan, and then on Jonathan alone (14:41-42). Only then did Jonathan tell what he had done (14:43). God had the Urim and the Thummim carried in the high priest’s breastpiece when he came before the LORD (Exodus 28:30), and Scripture says the outcome of the lot comes from the LORD (Proverbs 16:33). Achan had been found in a similar way (Joshua 7:16-18).
- 1 Samuel 14:41-42 (BSB)“So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge. Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.”Saul asks God to answer by Urim or Thummim, and the lot narrows to Jonathan.
- Exodus 28:30 (BSB)“And place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD.”The Urim and Thummim were placed in the high priest’s breastpiece of judgment, carried before the LORD.
- Proverbs 16:33 (BSB)“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.”Though the lot is cast by people, its decision comes from the LORD.
- Joshua 7:16-18 (BSB)“So Joshua arose early the next morning and had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected. He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward, and the family of Zabdi was selected. And he had the family of Zabdi come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.”Achan had been singled out step by step in a similar way.
Theological
By what means was Jonathan singled out as the oath-breaker?
Answer: By Urim and by lot, cast before the LORD
After vowing that the guilty party would die even if it were Jonathan (14:39), Saul divides the assembly and appeals to God through Urim and Thummim (14:40-41). The lot takes Saul and Jonathan and then Jonathan (14:41-42), who only afterward confesses (14:43). Urim and Thummim were carried in the high priest’s breastpiece before the LORD (Exodus 28:30), whose decision governs the lot (Proverbs 16:33); the procedure echoes Achan’s identification (Joshua 7:16-18).
- 1 Samuel 14:41-42 (BSB)“So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge. Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.”Saul asks God to answer by Urim or Thummim, and the lot narrows to Jonathan.
- Exodus 28:30 (BSB)“And place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD.”The Urim and Thummim were placed in the high priest’s breastpiece of judgment, carried before the LORD.
- Proverbs 16:33 (BSB)“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.”Though the lot is cast by people, its decision comes from the LORD.
- Joshua 7:16-18 (BSB)“So Joshua arose early the next morning and had Israel come forward tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was selected. He had the clans of Judah come forward, and the clan of the Zerahites was selected. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward, and the family of Zabdi was selected. And he had the family of Zabdi come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was selected.”Achan had been singled out step by step in a similar way.
General
As Jonathan prepares to approach the Philistine outpost, what reason for hope does he give his armor-bearer (1 Samuel 14:6)?
Answer: The LORD can rescue with a large or small force
Jonathan’s hope rests on God, not on numbers: nothing can stop the LORD from rescuing His people, whether they number many or few (14:6). He calls the Philistines uncircumcised, meaning they stood outside God’s covenant, the binding relationship God had made with Israel and marked by circumcision. His words are humble, since he only hopes the LORD will act for them, yet he is sure of God’s power. Scripture repeats this truth often: King Asa prayed that only the LORD can help the weak against the strong (2 Chronicles 14:11), a psalm says a vast army cannot rescue a king (Psalm 33:16), and David would soon say the same before Goliath (17:47). The chapter shows God honoring this trust (14:23, 45).
- 1 Samuel 14:6 (BSB)“Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.””Jonathan invites his armor-bearer to cross over, resting his hope on the LORD’s power rather than on numbers.
- 2 Chronicles 14:11 (BSB)“Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.””King Asa later prayed in the same spirit, confessing that only the LORD can help the powerless against the mighty.
- Psalm 33:16 (BSB)“No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.”The psalm teaches that no king or warrior is saved by the size of his army or his strength.
- 1 Samuel 17:47 (BSB)“And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.””David voices the same conviction before Goliath: the LORD does not save by sword or spear.
Theological
On what ground does Jonathan base his hope as he proposes to attack the outpost (1 Samuel 14:6)?
Answer: The LORD can rescue with a large or small force
Jonathan grounds his venture in the LORD’s sovereign power, which is not restrained by the size of the force He uses (14:6). Calling the Philistines uncircumcised marks them as outside the covenant. His language is humble (it may be that the LORD will act) but his confidence in God’s ability is unqualified. The same conviction appears in Asa’s prayer (2 Chronicles 14:11), in the psalmist’s denial that kings are saved by armies (Psalm 33:16), and in David’s words before Goliath (17:47). The narrative vindicates this trust when the LORD saves Israel that day (14:23, 45).
- 1 Samuel 14:6 (BSB)“Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.””Jonathan invites his armor-bearer to cross over, resting his hope on the LORD’s power rather than on numbers.
- 2 Chronicles 14:11 (BSB)“Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.””King Asa later prayed in the same spirit, confessing that only the LORD can help the powerless against the mighty.
- Psalm 33:16 (BSB)“No king is saved by his vast army; no warrior is delivered by his great strength.”The psalm teaches that no king or warrior is saved by the size of his army or his strength.
- 1 Samuel 17:47 (BSB)“And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.””David voices the same conviction before Goliath: the LORD does not save by sword or spear.
General
What does the narrator say was the source of the panic that spread through the Philistine forces (1 Samuel 14:15)?
Answer: A panic that came from God, with the ground shaking
After Jonathan’s first attack, terror gripped the Philistine camp, the field, the outposts and the raiding parties; the earth itself quaked, and the narrator says the panic came from God (14:15). God had promised long before to send His terror ahead of Israel and throw their enemies into confusion (Exodus 23:27; Deuteronomy 7:23). The chapter makes clear that God, not Jonathan’s skill, turned the battle.
- 1 Samuel 14:15 (BSB)“Then panic struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked, and panic spread from God.”Terror spreads through the whole Philistine force, and the narrator traces it to God.
- Exodus 23:27 (BSB)“I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run.”God had promised to send His terror ahead of Israel and throw their enemies into confusion.
- Deuteronomy 7:23 (BSB)“But the LORD your God will give them over to you and throw them into great confusion, until they are destroyed.”Moses promised that the LORD would throw Israel’s enemies into great confusion.
Theological
To what does the narrator attribute the terror that spread through the Philistine army (1 Samuel 14:15)?
Answer: A panic that came from God, with the ground shaking
The terror extends through every part of the Philistine force, accompanied by an earthquake, and the narrator explicitly calls it a panic from God (14:15). This is the divine terror promised in the conquest covenant, by which the LORD would confound Israel’s enemies (Exodus 23:27; Deuteronomy 7:23). Jonathan’s faith is the occasion, but the decisive agent is God Himself.
- 1 Samuel 14:15 (BSB)“Then panic struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked, and panic spread from God.”Terror spreads through the whole Philistine force, and the narrator traces it to God.
- Exodus 23:27 (BSB)“I will send My terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn and run.”God had promised to send His terror ahead of Israel and throw their enemies into confusion.
- Deuteronomy 7:23 (BSB)“But the LORD your God will give them over to you and throw them into great confusion, until they are destroyed.”Moses promised that the LORD would throw Israel’s enemies into great confusion.
General
Why did the troops refuse to let Saul execute Jonathan?
Answer: He had won a great deliverance with God’s help
Saul swore again that Jonathan must surely die (14:44). But the people refused: Jonathan had won Israel a great victory, and he had done it with God’s help, so he would not be harmed in the least (14:45). The troops saw God at work through Jonathan and rescued him. Earlier, after his first victory, Saul himself had refused to put anyone to death because the LORD had brought salvation that day (11:13); now the people must restrain him. Saul then gave up the chase, and the Philistines went home (14:46). The text does not comment further on the oath, but it is clear that the victory was the LORD’s (Proverbs 21:31).
- 1 Samuel 14:44-45 (BSB)“And Saul declared, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if you, Jonathan, do not surely die!” But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.”Saul swears again that Jonathan must die, but the people intervene.
- 1 Samuel 11:13 (BSB)“But Saul ordered, “No one shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has worked salvation in Israel.””After his first victory Saul himself refused to put anyone to death because the LORD had brought salvation.
- Proverbs 21:31 (BSB)“A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.”Victory belongs to the LORD.
Theological
On what grounds did the people overrule Saul’s sentence on Jonathan?
Answer: He had won a great deliverance with God’s help
Saul reaffirms the death sentence with an imprecation (14:44), but the people refuse, reasoning that Jonathan has wrought a great deliverance in Israel and has done it with God (14:45). They recognize the hand of God in Jonathan’s action and rescue him from the oath. The scene contrasts with 11:13, where Saul himself forbade executions because the LORD had worked salvation. Saul abandons the pursuit (14:46). The narrator offers no further verdict on the oath, but the victory is plainly the LORD’s (Proverbs 21:31).
- 1 Samuel 14:44-45 (BSB)“And Saul declared, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if you, Jonathan, do not surely die!” But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.”Saul swears again that Jonathan must die, but the people intervene.
- 1 Samuel 11:13 (BSB)“But Saul ordered, “No one shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has worked salvation in Israel.””After his first victory Saul himself refused to put anyone to death because the LORD had brought salvation.
- Proverbs 21:31 (BSB)“A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.”Victory belongs to the LORD.
General
When Saul and his troops reached the battle, what did they find among the Philistines?
Answer: Their soldiers striking one another down
Saul’s men found the enemy in complete chaos, each man turning his sword on his neighbor (14:20). Hebrews who had earlier gone over to the enemy camps switched sides and joined Israel, and Israelites who had hidden in Ephraim’s hills joined the chase (14:21-22). God had done this before: in Gideon’s day the LORD set the Midianite camp against itself (Judges 7:22), and later Judah’s enemies destroyed one another (2 Chronicles 20:23).
- 1 Samuel 14:20-22 (BSB)“Then Saul and all his troops assembled and marched to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, with each man wielding the sword against his neighbor. And the Hebrews who had previously gone up into the surrounding camps to join the Philistines now went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. When all the Israelites who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined the battle in close pursuit.”The Philistines fight one another, and Hebrews who had deserted or hidden rejoin Israel.
- Judges 7:22 (BSB)“And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.”In Gideon’s day the LORD likewise set the enemy camp against itself.
- 2 Chronicles 20:23 (BSB)“The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.”In Jehoshaphat’s day Israel’s enemies turned and destroyed one another.
Theological
What condition did Saul’s force find among the Philistines when they joined the battle?
Answer: Their soldiers striking one another down
The Philistines are in complete disarray, slaying one another (14:20), while Hebrew collaborators defect back to Israel and those hiding in Ephraim join the pursuit (14:21-22). The pattern of the LORD turning an enemy’s weapons against itself recurs in Gideon’s victory (Judges 7:22) and in Jehoshaphat’s day (2 Chronicles 20:23), marking the battle as the LORD’s work.
- 1 Samuel 14:20-22 (BSB)“Then Saul and all his troops assembled and marched to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, with each man wielding the sword against his neighbor. And the Hebrews who had previously gone up into the surrounding camps to join the Philistines now went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. When all the Israelites who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined the battle in close pursuit.”The Philistines fight one another, and Hebrews who had deserted or hidden rejoin Israel.
- Judges 7:22 (BSB)“And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.”In Gideon’s day the LORD likewise set the enemy camp against itself.
- 2 Chronicles 20:23 (BSB)“The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.”In Jehoshaphat’s day Israel’s enemies turned and destroyed one another.
General
How does the chapter summarize Saul’s military record after he took the throne?
Answer: He fought foes all around and defeated them
The chapter closes with a summary of Saul’s reign: he fought Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zobah’s kings, and the Philistines, defeating them wherever he went, and he struck the Amalekites and rescued Israel from those who plundered it (14:47-48). This fits God’s word that the king He chose would save His people from the Philistines (9:16). The mention of Amalek prepares for the next chapter, where God sends Saul to carry out the judgment He had long ago announced against that nation (Deuteronomy 25:17-19).
- 1 Samuel 14:47-48 (BSB)“After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them. He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of its plunderers.”A summary of Saul’s wars against enemies on every side, including Amalek.
- 1 Samuel 9:16 (BSB)““At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him ruler over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.””God had said the man He chose would save His people from the Philistines.
- Deuteronomy 25:17-19 (BSB)“Remember what the Amalekites did to you along your way from Egypt, how they met you on your journey when you were tired and weary, and they attacked all your stragglers; they had no fear of God. When the LORD your God gives you rest from the enemies around you in the land that He is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you are to blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!”God had commanded Israel to blot out the memory of Amalek for attacking them on the way from Egypt.
Theological
How does the narrator summarize Saul’s campaigns once his kingship was established?
Answer: He fought foes all around and defeated them
The closing summary credits Saul with successful wars on every front (Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zobah and Philistia) and with a victory over Amalek that delivered Israel from its plunderers (14:47-48). His successes match the commission announced at his calling (9:16). The reference to Amalek sets up chapter 15 and the long-standing decree of judgment against that people (Deuteronomy 25:17-19).
- 1 Samuel 14:47-48 (BSB)“After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them. He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of its plunderers.”A summary of Saul’s wars against enemies on every side, including Amalek.
- 1 Samuel 9:16 (BSB)““At this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you are to anoint him ruler over My people Israel; he will save them from the hand of the Philistines. For I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.””God had said the man He chose would save His people from the Philistines.
- Deuteronomy 25:17-19 (BSB)“Remember what the Amalekites did to you along your way from Egypt, how they met you on your journey when you were tired and weary, and they attacked all your stragglers; they had no fear of God. When the LORD your God gives you rest from the enemies around you in the land that He is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you are to blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!”God had commanded Israel to blot out the memory of Amalek for attacking them on the way from Egypt.
General
What oath did Saul place on his troops during the battle?
Answer: No one could eat anything until the evening
Saul put the army under a curse: anyone who ate before nightfall, until he had avenged himself on his enemies, would be cursed (14:24). The narrator says this left Israel’s soldiers hard-pressed, and none of them tasted food. The remainder of the chapter shows what followed: faint troops (14:28, 31), the people eating meat with its blood (14:32), and Jonathan’s life put at risk (14:43-44). The text reports Saul’s oath; it does not hold it up as an example. Scripture warns against vows and words spoken in haste before God (Proverbs 20:25; Ecclesiastes 5:2; Proverbs 29:20).
- 1 Samuel 14:24 (BSB)“Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food.”Saul binds the troops with a curse on anyone who eats before evening.
- Proverbs 20:25 (BSB)“It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.”Making a vow rashly is a trap.
- Ecclesiastes 5:2 (BSB)“Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.”Words spoken before God should not be hasty.
- Proverbs 29:20 (BSB)“Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”A man who speaks in haste is worse off than a fool.
Theological
What oath did Saul impose on the army in the midst of the pursuit?
Answer: No one could eat anything until the evening
Saul lays a curse on any soldier who eats before evening, until he has avenged himself on his enemies (14:24), and the narrator immediately notes the distress it caused. The consequences unfold through the chapter: exhausted troops (14:28, 31), eating with the blood (14:32), and the threat to Jonathan’s life (14:43-44). The oath is narrated, not commended; it stands under the wisdom literature’s warnings against rash vows and hasty words before God (Proverbs 20:25; Ecclesiastes 5:2; Proverbs 29:20).
- 1 Samuel 14:24 (BSB)“Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food.”Saul binds the troops with a curse on anyone who eats before evening.
- Proverbs 20:25 (BSB)“It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly, only later to reconsider his vows.”Making a vow rashly is a trap.
- Ecclesiastes 5:2 (BSB)“Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.”Words spoken before God should not be hasty.
- Proverbs 29:20 (BSB)“Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”A man who speaks in haste is worse off than a fool.
General
True or False: Because the Philistine war stayed bitter throughout Saul’s reign, he drafted every mighty or valiant man he noticed.
Answer: True
This is true. The chapter ends by noting that the Philistine war stayed bitter throughout Saul’s life, so whenever Saul spotted a strong or courageous man, he drafted him (14:52). This is just what Samuel had warned when Israel asked for a king: the king would take their sons for his chariots and appoint them as commanders and workers for himself (8:11-12). The same chapter names Abner, Saul’s cousin, as his army commander (14:50).
- 1 Samuel 14:52 (BSB)“And the war with the Philistines was fierce for all the days of Saul. So whenever he noticed any strong or brave man, Saul would enlist him.”Because the Philistine war never let up, Saul drafted every strong or brave man he saw.
- 1 Samuel 8:11 (BSB)“He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to serve his own chariots and horses, and to run in front of his chariots.”Samuel had warned that a king would take Israel’s sons into his service.
- 1 Samuel 8:12 (BSB)“He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.”Samuel added that the king would appoint men as his commanders and workers.
Theological
True or False: Owing to the unrelenting Philistine war, Saul conscripted every strong or valiant man he noticed.
Answer: True
This is true. The closing note records constant Philistine warfare and Saul’s practice of drafting any mighty or valiant man (14:52), with Abner as commander of the army (14:50). It is a concrete fulfillment of Samuel’s warning that the king would take Israel’s sons into his own service (8:11-12).
- 1 Samuel 14:52 (BSB)“And the war with the Philistines was fierce for all the days of Saul. So whenever he noticed any strong or brave man, Saul would enlist him.”Because the Philistine war never let up, Saul drafted every strong or brave man he saw.
- 1 Samuel 8:11 (BSB)“He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to serve his own chariots and horses, and to run in front of his chariots.”Samuel had warned that a king would take Israel’s sons into his service.
- 1 Samuel 8:12 (BSB)“He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.”Samuel added that the king would appoint men as his commanders and workers.
General
While Saul was consulting the priest Ahijah, the noise among the Philistines kept growing. What did Saul do?
Answer: He told the priest to stop and marched to battle
Seeing the Philistines melting away, Saul called the roll, found Jonathan missing, and called for the ark of God, the sacred chest that stood for God’s presence among His people, to be brought (14:16-18). But as the commotion kept increasing, he told the priest to withdraw his hand, breaking off the inquiry, and led his troops into battle (14:19-20). God’s law had placed seeking His word through the priest before going out to war (Numbers 27:21). The narrator gives no reason beyond the growing noise, and the inquiry Saul had begun was left unfinished. Scripture repeatedly calls God’s people to wait for Him with patience (Psalm 27:14).
- 1 Samuel 14:18-19 (BSB)“Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites.) While Saul was talking to the priest, the commotion in the Philistine camp continued to increase. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.””Saul calls for the ark of God, then tells the priest to stop as the uproar grows.
- Numbers 27:21 (BSB)“He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.””Israel’s leader was to go out and come in at the word sought through the priest by the judgment of the Urim.
- Psalm 27:14 (BSB)“Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!”Scripture calls God’s people to wait patiently for the LORD.
Theological
How did Saul respond when the uproar among the Philistines increased during his inquiry through Ahijah?
Answer: He told the priest to stop and marched to battle
Saul summons the ark of God so he can inquire (14:18), but as the tumult intensifies he orders Ahijah to withdraw his hand and goes straight to battle (14:19-20). The law placed the leader’s going out under the word sought through the priest (Numbers 27:21). The text gives no motive beyond the rising commotion, and the inquiry is left unfinished. Scripture instead calls God’s people to wait on Him with patience (Psalm 27:14).
- 1 Samuel 14:18-19 (BSB)“Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites.) While Saul was talking to the priest, the commotion in the Philistine camp continued to increase. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.””Saul calls for the ark of God, then tells the priest to stop as the uproar grows.
- Numbers 27:21 (BSB)“He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him—the entire congregation—will go out and come in.””Israel’s leader was to go out and come in at the word sought through the priest by the judgment of the Urim.
- Psalm 27:14 (BSB)“Wait patiently for the LORD; be strong and courageous. Wait patiently for the LORD!”Scripture calls God’s people to wait patiently for the LORD.
General
What sign did Jonathan set to know whether he and his helper should climb up to the outpost?
Answer: If the Philistines called on them to come up
Jonathan decided that if the Philistines told them to wait, they would stay put, but if the men called them to come up, that would be proof that the LORD had given the enemy into their hands (14:9-10). The Philistines mocked them as Hebrews crawling out of their hiding holes, since Israel’s men had hidden in caves (13:6), and dared them to climb up (14:11-12). That answer matched the sign, and Jonathan at once gave the credit to the LORD (14:12). He climbed up on hands and feet, and the enemy soldiers went down before the pair (14:13-14). Abraham’s servant had also asked for a sign shown by someone’s words (Genesis 24:14); in both cases God answered. The victory came from God, not from human strength (Psalm 44:3).
- 1 Samuel 14:9-10 (BSB)“If they say, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stay where we are and will not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we will go up, because this will be our sign that the LORD has delivered them into our hands.””Jonathan sets the sign: if the Philistines tell them to wait, they stay; if they invite them up, they go.
- 1 Samuel 14:12 (BSB)“So the men of the outpost called out to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come on up, and we will teach you a lesson!” “Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.””The outpost’s mocking challenge matches the sign, and Jonathan credits the LORD.
- 1 Samuel 13:6 (BSB)“Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns.”Israel’s men had hidden in caves, thickets, rocks and cisterns, which the Philistines mock.
- Genesis 24:14 (BSB)“Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.””Abraham’s servant also asked God for a sign marked by what someone would say.
- Psalm 44:3 (BSB)“For it was not by their sword that they took the land; their arm did not bring them victory. It was by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.”Victory belongs to God’s power, not the strength of His people’s arm.
Theological
What condition did Jonathan set as his token that God would give the outpost into their hands?
Answer: If the Philistines called on them to come up
Jonathan sets a verbal sign: a call to wait means stay, while an invitation to come up means God has given the enemy to them (14:9-10). The garrison’s taunt, mocking the Hebrews for emerging from their holes (cf. 13:6), supplies exactly that invitation (14:11-12), and Jonathan immediately ascribes the coming victory to the LORD (14:12). The pair scale the cliff and the Philistines fall before them (14:13-14). Like Abraham’s servant (Genesis 24:14), Jonathan seeks guidance through an appointed sign, and God answers. The outcome is credited to God’s arm, not Israel’s (Psalm 44:3).
- 1 Samuel 14:9-10 (BSB)“If they say, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stay where we are and will not go up to them. But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we will go up, because this will be our sign that the LORD has delivered them into our hands.””Jonathan sets the sign: if the Philistines tell them to wait, they stay; if they invite them up, they go.
- 1 Samuel 14:12 (BSB)“So the men of the outpost called out to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come on up, and we will teach you a lesson!” “Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.””The outpost’s mocking challenge matches the sign, and Jonathan credits the LORD.
- 1 Samuel 13:6 (BSB)“Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns.”Israel’s men had hidden in caves, thickets, rocks and cisterns, which the Philistines mock.
- Genesis 24:14 (BSB)“Now may it happen that the girl to whom I say, ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who responds, ‘Drink, and I will water your camels as well’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. By this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.””Abraham’s servant also asked God for a sign marked by what someone would say.
- Psalm 44:3 (BSB)“For it was not by their sword that they took the land; their arm did not bring them victory. It was by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.”Victory belongs to God’s power, not the strength of His people’s arm.
General
True or False: The narrator sums up the day by giving the credit for Israel’s victory to the LORD.
Answer: True
This is true. Despite Jonathan’s courage and Saul’s march, the narrator’s verdict is that the LORD was Israel’s Savior on that day, as the fighting moved past Beth-aven (14:23). The same kind of summary was given after the Red Sea (Exodus 14:30). Scripture teaches that people may prepare for battle, but victory comes from the LORD (Proverbs 21:31), and God often works so that His people cannot claim the credit for themselves (Judges 7:2).
- 1 Samuel 14:23 (BSB)“So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth-aven.”The narrator’s summary of the day credits the deliverance to the LORD.
- Exodus 14:30 (BSB)“That day the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore.”The same verdict was given at the Red Sea: on that day the LORD saved Israel.
- Proverbs 21:31 (BSB)“A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.”Preparations for battle are made, but victory belongs to the LORD.
- Judges 7:2 (BSB)“Then the LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for Me to deliver Midian into their hands, lest Israel glorify themselves over Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’”God works so that Israel cannot boast that its own hand saved it.
Theological
True or False: The narrator attributes the day’s deliverance to the LORD.
Answer: True
This is true. The narrator closes the battle account by naming the LORD as the Savior of Israel that day (14:23), echoing the Exodus verdict at the sea (Exodus 14:30). Human agency is real (Jonathan’s faith, Saul’s pursuit), but the victory belongs to the LORD (Proverbs 21:31), who arranges deliverance so that Israel cannot glory in its own hand (Judges 7:2).
- 1 Samuel 14:23 (BSB)“So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth-aven.”The narrator’s summary of the day credits the deliverance to the LORD.
- Exodus 14:30 (BSB)“That day the LORD saved Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore.”The same verdict was given at the Red Sea: on that day the LORD saved Israel.
- Proverbs 21:31 (BSB)“A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.”Preparations for battle are made, but victory belongs to the LORD.
- Judges 7:2 (BSB)“Then the LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men for Me to deliver Midian into their hands, lest Israel glorify themselves over Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’”God works so that Israel cannot boast that its own hand saved it.