1 Samuel 14:47-52

Saul's Other Battles and His Family. 1 Samuel 14:47-52

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.

48 And he gathered a host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.
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 first-born Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:

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.

51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

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.

24.

Over what kingdoms did Saul have victory? 1 Samuel 14:47-48

Saul won victories over practically all of the surrounding kingdoms. Those specifically mentioned include Moab, the land just east of the Jordan river; Edom, the kingdom of the descendants of Esau, being the land lying in the south of the Dead Sea, Philistia, the land bordering along the Mediterranean Sea, and extending from the River of Egypt to the Bay of Acre along the west of the land allotted to the twelve tribes; Zobah, the land lying in and around the Lebanon Mountains; and the Amalekites, the land lying in the wilderness to the west of the land of Edom. The people could with propriety sing, Saul has slain his thousands (1 Samuel 18:7).

25.

How many sons did Saul have? 1 Samuel 14:49

Only three sons of Saul are mentioned in this early part of his reignJonathan, Ishui, and Melchi-shua. From later history and references in genalogies, we learn that he also had a son named Ish-baal (Esh-baal in 1 Chronicles 9:39) or Ish-bosheth. It was Ish-bosheth who was made king over Israel with his capital at Mahanaim in Gilead after Saul's death (2 Samuel 2:8). Ishui is called Abinadab in 1 Chronicles 9:39 and in 1 Samuel 31:2. The three older sons of Saul were killed with him in the battle on Mount Gilboa, leaving only Ish-bosheth as a survivor and a claimant of the throne.

26.

How many daughters did Saul have? 1 Samuel 14:49 b

Daughters are not often mentioned in the Bible unless they enter into important events. Of Adam it was written that he begat sons and daughters (Genesis 5:5 b), but only the sonsCain, Abel, and Sethare named. Jacob's daughter, Dinah, was named along with his twelve sons (Genesis 30:21); but probably this was because she occasioned the unhappy experience at Shechem (Genesis 34). Two of Saul's daughters are mentioned. Merab was the older of the two. She should have been given to David as his wife; but when the time for the marriage was fulfilled, Saul gave her to be another man's wife (1 Samuel 18:19). Michal, Saul's younger daughter, loved David, and Saul did give her to be David's wife (1 Samuel 18:27).

27.

Who was Saul's wife? 1 Samuel 14:50

Saul's wife was named Ahinoam. As far as the Scripture narrative describes his marital relations, there is mention of only this one wife. He did have a concubine whose name was Rizpah (2 Samuel 3:7). Ahinoam is identified as the daughter of Ahimaaz, but nothing more is known of her father or the other members of the family. Ahimaaz is a rather common name for a man in Israel, and in later history the name was given to one of the sons of the priests (2 Samuel 17:17). Saul called his wife a perverse and rebellious woman (1 Samuel 20:30), but we do not have any knowledge of why he should call her this except our understanding that Saul was almost insanely jealous and selfish. Probably she was a good woman.

28.

Who was the captain of Saul's army? 1 Samuel 14:50 b

Abner, the son or Ner, was the leader of Saul's army. He was a cousin of Saul, since Kish and Ner were brothers. In 1 Samuel 9:1 Kish is identified as also being the son of Abiel. Ner, the father of Abner, was the son of Abiel (1 Samuel 14:51). The family appears to have been rather closely related to one another, since it was Saul's uncle who made inquiry about the search for the asses of Kish when Saul and his servant returned from their meeting with Samuel (1 Samuel 10:14). Abner remained with Saul throughout his reign and upheld the honor of the family after Saul's death by placing Saul's son on the throne of Israel (2 Samuel 2:8). He entered into negotiations with David in an attempt to put David on the throne of all the tribes; but he was killed by Joab, who thought Abner should have spared Asahel (see 2 Samuel 3:27). David respected Abner and called him a prince and a great man (2 Samuel 3:38).

29.

What was the nature of Saul's reign? 1 Samuel 14:52

Most of Saul's time on the throne was spent in battle. The war against the Philistines was described as being sore; and when he ascended to the throne, he went out to battle against the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11:1-15). His failure to slay the Amalekites had brought about his being rejected as king (1 Samuel 15:1-35). Samuel had warned the Israelites that the king would take their sons to fight in his army (1 Samuel 8:11); and this had come to pass as when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him (1 Samuel 14:52 b).