1 SAMUEL 13, 14. SAUL'S EARLY STRUGGLES WITH THE PHILISTINES. (J), chiefly from the ancient narrative concerning Saul. Editorial notes, or additions from other sources, are 1 Samuel 13:1; 1 Samuel 13:7_ b,_ but as for Saul. Benjamin, 1 Samuel 13:15_ a_; 1 Samuel 13:19; 1 Samuel 14:47.... [ Continue Reading ]
1 SAMUEL 13:23 TO 1 SAMUEL 14:15. The ancient narrative, continuing 1 Samuel 13:18. Saul was at Geba (see on 1 Samuel 13:2), having with him the priest Ahijah, carrying the ephod here not a garment, but some article used in casting the sacred lot (see 1 Samuel 2:28 *, Judges 8:27). A valley lay betw... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Samuel 14:16. The Israelites observe the confusion among the Philistines, and find that Jonathan and his armour-bearer are missing. Saul proposes to obtain an oracle by means of the ephod. (Thus with LXX; the references to the Ark have been introduced by an editor.) But, seeing the growing panic a... [ Continue Reading ]
In order to propitiate Yahweh and secure His continued assistance, Saul had laid a solemn taboo upon the people, forbidding them to take food till nightfall. Then there was honeycomb upon the ground, and the people came to the honeycomb, and behold the bees had gone away, but no one put his hand to... [ Continue Reading ]
The pursuit continued as far as Aijalon. When it stopped, the exhausted people flew upon the cattle and sheep and ate them with the blood, a ritual sin (Genesis 9:4 *, Leviticus 17:10 *), at which Saul was greatly distressed; he was evidently punctilious as to religious observances. He had a great s... [ Continue Reading ]
The next episode strikingly illustrates the primitive religious faith and practice of Israel. Saul proposed to make a night-attack upon the Philistines, and asked the priest to obtain an oracle as to whether Yahweh would approve. The silence of the oracle showed that some sin had roused the Divine d... [ Continue Reading ]
In this section the editor gives a concluding summary concerning Saul as king, before narrating his deposition in the next chapter. In the editor's eyes, Saul ceased to be king _de jure,_ when Samuel anointed David to supersede him. But, according to the older documents, David himself did not take t... [ Continue Reading ]