Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 21 Mar 2021
As I’ve meditated on this passage, I’ve become convinced that the main theme is the breakdown of relationship between Saul and his son Jonathan.
Encouraging godly families is one of the pillars of our church, and the relationship between fathers and sons is so crucial to that.
So I want to examine what went wrong, so that parents and children in the church can recognize these six common problems and resolve them Biblically before they become the kinds of crises that developed in Jonathan and Saul.
v. 24–Rash words spoken by Saul nearly led him to kill his own son. It makes no sense to tell a disadvantaged army to fast, for they are outnumbered to begin with and are only going to get weaker! But the men respected King Saul and didn't eat, even when they saw wild honey oozing out of some beehives in the woods as they ran through.1
Saul attempted to enforce compliance to the fast by means of an oath, the breaking of which would bring a supernatural curse. This mix of superstition and spirituality with military discipline is inappropriate. Army commanders punish with push-ups or laps or demotions or dishonorable discharge, not by threatening them with divine judgment.
Saul also seems to have a distorted reason for the mission of chasing out the Philistines. He says at the end of v.24 that he wants to avenge himself of his enemies, but he is supposed to be God’s regent, fighting against God’s enemies, and leaving vengeance up to God. Later on in 1 Sam 18:25, Saul again expresses that the Philistines are his personal enemies. But God said in the law: “You shall not take vengeance... I am the LORD... [Lev. 19:18] ... take vengeance for the LORD… [Num. 31:3] Vengeance is Mine, and recompense... I will render vengeance to My enemies [Deut. 32:35 & 41]” (NKJV)
This personal vengeance coupled with overreach in authority appears to be representative of Saul’s leadership, the poor leadership under which his son Jonathan lived all his life and grew to despise because of its pettiness and inappropriateness. This is the first breakdown I observe, and it shows forth in....
The chapter begins with Jonathan going AWOL and “not tell[ing] his father.”
Soldiers that take off and do their own thing without permission can mess up everything.
Why didn’t Jonathan tell his father that he was going up against the Philistine watchpost?
Perhaps he was unwilling to submit to authority if his Dad said No.
Or perhaps he feared his father would not respond reasonably.
Anyway, it was while Jonathan was out fighting the Philistine fort that Saul had issued the command to the Israelite army to fast for the rest of the day, so Jonathan wasn’t there to hear the order, so when he saw honey dripping out of a tree, he ate some. No problem.
But when his buddies told him of his father's command, he dishonored his dad by harsh criticism: v.29 “But Jonathan, when he was informed, nevertheless said, “My father has troubled the land: see now how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey!” If the troops could have grabbed snacks here and there like I have done, we could have whupped up on even more Philistines. Even I can see what a bad idea that was of my Dad’s!
Jonathan was right about his father "troubling the land," but wrong to dishonor his father. Here is the second breakdown I observe.
The 5th commandment is “Honor your father and your mother.” Usually that entails obedience to their commands and positive respect for them. When a child speaks of his parents to other people, he should not complain about their unreasonableness, but rather find some good point about them and proactively honor them in word somehow, even if it is a small thing. Occasionally, children might have to disobey parents, but only when they command something directly against the Bible. Likewise, if a parent breaks the laws of God and of civil government through crime or abuse, a child may have to hold parents accountable to their authorities. Parents may retaliate by accusing the child of dishonoring them, but it is not breaking the 5th commandment if done with faithfulness to God and a loving desire for the parents to be made right with God.
Another problem with Jonathan’s response is that he makes too light of an oath. Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 says, “When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?” (NASB)
Now, it probably was the case that Saul took oath-making too lightly as well, but that caused a breakdown in his son’s respect for keeping vows. Jonathan could have said, “Oops, I didn’t realize that. I’m sorry; please forgive me. I will offer a guilt offering for unintentional sin next time I’m at the tabernacle.” But no, he said, in effect, “It’s no big deal. There was nothing wrong with what I did. Dad shouldn’t have made such a rash oath.”
I’ve seen that breakdown in integrity happen with promises made by friends. “It’s no big deal. I didn’t mean it. It was a mistake. I had a right to. Something came up.”
When we take membership vows, that is a very serious thing to which God will hold you accountable. Acting as though you have little commitment to the church after vowing “to support its worship and work,” or just up and leaving without transferring your commitments in an offense God will not dismiss lightly.
The same kind of careful consideration should also be given to marriage vows, baptismal or dedicational vows, and to the vows of deacons and elders.
Returning to our story, the Philistine army is retreating across the center of Israel back to their cities on the Mediterranean coast, and Saul and his armies pursue them until sunset, making it some 15 miles2 from Mikmash to Aijalon, where you’d come out of the hill-country of Benjamin down to the coastal plain. (Which is why Saul suggests they “go down” in v.36 to keep pursuing the Philistines.)
v.32 Saul's command to fast was only in force for that day though, and his soldiers were hungry, so as soon as the sun set, they stopped and ate everything they could get their hands on – even raw, bloody meat! (Perhaps the cattle came from Philistia or perhaps the Philistines had plundered the cattle from Israelite homes in their earlier raiding.)
But God didn't want His people eating blood: Lev. 3:17 “This is a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your places of residence: You shall not eat any fat or any blood! … 17:13 any man from the children of Israel - or from the visitors who are visiting in their midst - who hunts live game or a bird which may be eaten, must therefore pour out its blood and cover it with dirt, because the soul of every body is [represented by] its blood; it is [represented] in its soul… I am Yahweh y'all's God... 19:26 Y'all may not eat [meat] with the blood…” (NAW, cf. Deut. 12:21-24)
So, some of the more conscientious soldiers – perhaps Levites – talked to Saul about it, and Saul acted responsibly:
In v. 33, he calls the attention of his men to their accountability to God and how they had broken their covenant with God by eating blood: “You have transgressed/broken faith/acted treacherously.”
He then personally holds his men accountable for draining the blood out of their future steak dinners properly on a large stone. Saul stands there well into the night, supervising the butchering of the rest of the animals to make sure they do it according to God’s law.
And finally, verse 35 speaks of an “altar,” which implies that Saul also arranged for sacrifices to be made to atone for the guilt of the soldiers who had broken God’s law. (Perhaps these sacrifices were also thanks-offerings to thank God for their victory that day.)
I suspect that the stone itself was the “beginning” of that altar3. Nowhere else in scripture does it mention Saul building any other altars to Yahweh, so I think the Hebrew word haykhayl in verse 35 speaks of “beginning” (but not finishing) to make that altar, not that it was the “first” of many altars.4
Here, Saul sets a good example. Puritan commentator Andrew Willett noted in his commentary over 400 years ago: “[I]f they were so careful even in the tumult and business of battle, to keep a ceremonial precept; how much more careful ought Christian soldiers to be to keep the moral commandments of God, which are much neglected among them.”
But this makes the parallel situation of Saul’s death-wish against Jonathan all the more troubling. In his father’s judicious handling of the army that night, Jonathan saw that his Dad was perfectly capable of a charitable, protective attitude towards his soldiers to keep them right with God, yet Saul would not extend the same graces to his son.
Saul, the Savior of Israel, has been stuck watching men butcher animals all night while the Philistines retreat further and further from striking range, and he eventually can’t take it any longer. He says in v.36, “Let’s go finish what we started, and kill all the rest of those Philistines before it gets any later tonight!”
I think Saul is upholding his responsibility: God called him to deliver Israel and destroy the Caananites in the Promised Land. Striking while the Philistines were in retreat – before they reached their fortified cities on the coast – would have been a strategic way to destroy them. And this verse says that his soldiers were willing to follow him and dedicate the rest of the night to this mission.
But the priest, Ahaiah, voices a call, literally to “draw near” to God first.
The text is not clear as to whether the priest is calling for a quick devotional prayer or whether he’s calling for a delay of an hour or two to offer sacrifices, or whether he’s calling for a halt until they see whether or not God approves of this new mission. The wording could support any of those, but it appears to me that it rocked Saul back on his heels and made him feel like he should stop everything and seek permission and blessing from God first.
I think he knew the right thing to do, but didn’t have the faith to do it, and he became fixated on getting a supernatural sign before going forward.
So in v.37 Saul asked the priest for a word from God as to whether or not he should plunder the Philistines some more ... but no word came immediately.
In fact, if we take the day and night system of the Hebrews literally, no word came from God for the rest of the day, so they’re sitting there in Aijalon twiddling their thumbs all day the next day while the Philistines make it safely home to their fortified cities.
Now, Saul was not a patient man, and this had to have been incredibly frustrating. As his anger builds over being stymied by his own lack of confidence and his own failure to do what he thought best, he began to fixate upon finding a scapegoat to take his anger out on.
Here is another breakdown. This father knows what to do but is afraid to do it, and instead of facing that failure begging God for restoration, he turns the shame and frustration into anger against his son. This, of course, does nothing to increase his son’s respect or trust in return.
Now, individual sin does affect corporate bodies, so it’s important not to hide sin because when it is not dealt with, puzzling harms come to other people that you’re connected to. But I question whether Saul was on the right track with this witch hunt, as it were.
Saul said in v.38, “Bring here all the cornerstones of the nation and let us know and see this day by whom this sin occurred, for he shall surely be put to death - even if it is confirmed in my son Jonathan - if Yahweh the Savior of Israel is alive.”
Now, why did Saul say in v.39, "If it is my son, Jonathan..."? Why single Jonathan out?
The way Saul organized the casting of lots, starting with a cast to determine between Saul and Jonathan and the rest of Israel, suggests to me that he already thought it was Jonathan.
We know from v.17 that Saul knew Jonathan was not present when he gave the command not to eat the day of the battle, so Saul knew Jonathan couldn't have known about the oath.
We also know from v.33 that Saul knew his army had sinned in eating blood,
We also know that Saul knew how to smooth things over with God when a sin became known. He had just done it for his army when they disobeyed God’s command not to eat blood. Just ask God to forgive the sin by offering a sacrifice on the altar, stop disobeying and start obeying God again. The fact that the lots did not identify the army’s clear disobedience to God’s command as an unresolved sin is further proof that it must have been properly atoned for and repented of. Therefore Jonathan’s eating the honey could also be atoned for and repented of.
The army had not violated Saul’s command; they had violated God’s command about food by eating blood. Jonathan, however, had not violated God’s command; he had violated Saul’s command about food by eating honey.5
No inconvenience had been imposed on Saul by the sin of his army against God (except perhaps for him having to supervise the butchering), but inconvenience and public shame had come to Saul because of his son’s criticism and because of the delay that was occurring in finishing off the Philistines.
I think that the difference was that Saul was personally offended at Jonathan, and I think Saul wanted to kill him for it. We see Saul later on with the same murderous intent toward David when David upstages him.
Saul says that the culprit must “surely die” – which I take to mean that there will be no consideration of him paying a ransom for his life to get out of the death sentence. But this is before the sin has even been exposed or put to a trial! That is not due process of justice!
Some commentators like Matthew Henry say that Saul was not trying to kill Jonathan, but even Matthew Henry noted how strangely “triumphant” Saul becomes after Jonathan’s confession and how enthusiastic Saul is about killing him.
Saul has Ahiah the priest cast lots in order to confirm who should take the blame for God not answering him.
By the way, when God doesn’t seem to be answering your prayers, it’s probably your fault, not somebody else’s fault.
And God has given us better ways of discovering sin problems.
He has given us His Holy Spirit to “convict of sin,” so all you need to do is ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your attention any sin that you have overlooked. Then you can ask God to forgive you of that sin on the basis of the blood that Jesus shed for you at Calvary, and your communion with God will be restored.
God also sends other people – like prophets – to call our attention to sin when we’re too thick-headed to figure it out for ourselves.
We don’t need to go casting lots, but that’s what Saul did.
The ESV, NET Bible, and 2011 NIV add additional comments not in the Hebrew text from the oldest-known manuscripts of this verse (which happen to be in Greek and Latin) about how the Urim and Thumim were used in casting lots:
The white “Urim” stone was supposed to fall out of the priest’s pouch if Saul or Jonathan were at fault,
and the black “Thumim” stone was supposed to fall out if the army was at fault.
The KJV & NAS simply translate the Hebrew word “Thumim” meaning “perfect.”
Interestingly enough, God caused the lots to point the blame at Jonathan, so Jonathan confessed to the only hidden fault he can think of: he had eaten a little honey off the tip of his spear, not knowing that his Dad had forbidden anyone to eat anything that day.
Now, most of the commentators I read6 maintained that Jonathan ended his confession with a period, “Behold I must die.” That is the interpretation of the KJV, ESV, and NASB, but I favor the NIV’s interpretation here, which ends Jonathan’s confession with a question mark, “Must I die [for this]?” The New International Commentary on the Old Testament written by David Tsumura offered in proof for this that Saul would not have argued back in the next verse that Jonathan must indeed die if Jonathan’s words had not challenged the justice of this verdict of death.
God does take oaths seriously, so they are not to be violated lightly, but God’s word makes provision for when we make stupid promises: According to Leviticus 5, a sin offering could make amends for a thoughtless oath, and Leviticus 27 gives standards by which a man could be ransomed by money after being sentenced to death (although there were some particularly-heinous crimes where ransom payments were not allowed in the law so that the worst criminals had to die). 7
But Jonathan’s was not a capital offense. Nobody had died over Jonathan's honey; in fact, Jonathan's fighting the day before had saved the lives of all the men there.
The injustice of the situation and the unreasonableness of Saul finally became too much for the rest of the Israelite tribal chiefs gathered at the scene. They intervened and rescued Jonathan from Saul’s madness.
They countered Saul’s oaths binding him to kill Jonathan with oaths of equal strength binding them to keep Jonathan from harm.
And they appealed to Saul that since Jonathan won a great deliverance for Israel, God must be on his side and therefore he couldn’t be considered a criminal.
Although this must have been really hard on Saul’s pride for the nation to give the credit for this victory to Jonathan rather than to himself, he was man-centered enough to follow the will of the people, so when it became clear that they were not going to support putting Jonathan to death, Saul dropped it, although some years later, he tried again to kill Jonathan.
This whole broughaha cost precious time such that the opportunity to crush the Philistine army was lost. The Philistines regrouped in their fortified cities, and Saul went back up to his house on the hill in Gibeah.
All these problems could have been solved by small exercises of self-discipline early on - especially on the part of Saul - not to become angry and speak rashly. Jonathan could probably have come out from under guilt if he had manifested a humble and repentant attitude about his father's counsel, even after unwittingly breaking it. But pride and misdirected anger broke down their relationship.
vs.47-52 offer a sort of Epilogue on Saul’s life, commenting on two things: His continued warfare and his family.
In regards to his continued warfare, he responsibly carried out the role God gave him of delivering Israel from enemies.
The verb that opens v.47 implies that Saul stopped farming and gave himself wholly to the military mission of defending his nation.
He pushed back on
Tsobah to the North
Moabites & Edomites to the South,
Ammonites to the East,
and Philistines to the West (Saul spent the rest of his life fighting against the Philistines, according to v.52)
The campaign against the Amalekites mentioned in v.48 is going to be the subject of the next chapter.
Saul was a great warrior, and he, by God's power, subdued the nations around Israel and set the foundation for Israel's future unity and sovereignty under David and Solomon.
The other subject covered in the epilogue to chapter 14 is Saul’s family, but this exposes more breakdowns between father and son:
Only 1 of Saul’s 2 wives is mentioned, and only 5 of Saul’s 8 children are mentioned.
In 2 Sam. 21:8, we discover that Saul had two sons (Ammoni and Mephiboseth) by a woman named Rizpah – none of whom are mentioned in 1 Samuel.
Then in chapter 31, we discover another son of Saul named Abinadab (whose name means “My father is noble”) but we don’t know who his mom was8.
Jonathan is mentioned, of course, but the fact that others were not mentioned raises questions about Saul’s relationship with them.
Furthermore, consider the meaning of the names Saul gave his sons:
Jonathan means “Yahweh gave” (That’s a wonderful name – it’s kinda like my name!)
The two daughters, likewise, have good meanings to their names: Merab means “increasing,” and Michael (who became one of David’s wives) means “Who is like God?”
But we see some real problems with the names of the later sons: The second son Ishvi means “he resembles [or is equal to] me” (shifting from God to self in orientation). An alternate spelling in some of the oldest manuscripts9 is Ishbaal (“Baal’s man”). Ish-bosheth seems to be an alternate name for the same son in 1 Chronicles (8:33) – that means “man of shame.” Can you imagine calling your own son that?
The third “Melchi-shuah” means “My god is wealth.”
I suspect that a reason for the omission of the names of family members and for the dreadful names of some of Saul’s sons is to further show the estrangement between Saul and his children. He didn’t bother to give them all names that would bless them, and he didn’t even bother to list them all in his history book.
Fathers, don’t play favorites with your children; don’t leave your wife for other women; and don’t leave your children out of your life.
Well, that’s not a happy note to end on, but some scriptures like this one are mostly warnings against certain sins.
Personal vengeance
Overreaching authority
Failure to honor parents
Failure to take vows seriously
Unwillingness to extend to a son the same justice and charity and protection afforded other men
Knowing what God wants you to do but being afraid to do it, and turning the shame and frustration of failure into anger against a son
Blame-shifting
Taking offenses personally, allowing anger to grow until unreasonable and murderous thoughts develop
Overlooking some children, playing favorites with other children, even dedicating children to false gods.
May God lead us not into these temptations, but deliver us from these evils!
m. = married, c. = concubine, r. = raped
Squares = males, Circles = females
All the information comes from the Bible, but the salmon-colored names are in 1 Sam. 14.
FWIW, Merib-baal is the name of Jonathan’s son given in 1 Chron 8 instead of Mephibosheth.
Septuagint |
Brenton |
D-R |
KJV |
NAW |
MT/DSS |
24 καὶ Σαουλ ἠγνόησεν ἄγνοιαν μεγάλην ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καὶ X ἀρᾶται τῷ λαῷ λέγων Ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὃς φάγεται ἄρτον ἕως ἑσπέρας, καὶ ἐκδικήσωB τὸν ἐχθρόν μου· καὶ οὐκ ἐγεύσατο πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἄρτου. |
24
And Saul
committed
a great trespass of ignorance
in that day, and |
24 And the men of Israel were joined together that day: and Saul adjured the people, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat food till evening, till I be revenged of my enemies. So none of the people tasted [any] food. |
24 And the men of Israel were distressedC that day: for Saul had adjuredD 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. |
24 |
24 וְאִישׁ- יִשְׂרָאֵל נִגַּשׂE בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַיֹּאֶל שָׁאוּל אֶת-הָעָם לֵאמֹר אָרוּר הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר- יֹאכַל לֶחֶם עַד- הָעֶרֶב וְנִקַּמְתִּי מֵאֹיְבַי וְלֹא טָעַם כָּל-הָעָם לָחֶם: ס |
25
καὶ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ
|
[,
though all the land was |
25
And all the [common]
|
25 And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground. |
25 |
25 וְכָל-הָאָרֶץ בָּאוּ בַיָּעַר וַיְהִי דְבַשׁ עַל-פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה: |
26
καὶ εἰσῆλθεν
ὁ λαὸς εἰς
τὸν μελισσῶνα,
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐπορεύετο
|
26
And the people went into the place of the bees, and, behold, they
continued
|
26 And when the people came into the forest, behold the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth. For the people feared the oath. |
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. |
26 |
26 וַיָּבֹא הָעָם אֶל-הַיַּעַר וְהִנֵּה הֵלֶךְI דְּבָשׁ וְאֵין-מַשִּׂיג יָדוֹ אֶל-פִּיו כִּי-יָרֵא הָעָם אֶת- הַשְּׁבֻעָה: |
27 καὶ Ιωναθαν οὐκ ἀκηκόει ἐν τῷ ὁρκίζειν τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ τὸν λαόν· καὶ ἐξέτεινεν τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ σκήπτρου [αὐτοῦ]J τοῦ ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔβαψεν αὐτὸ εἰς τὸ κηρίονK τοῦ μέλιτος καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνέβλεψανL οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ. |
27 And Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people; and he reached forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it into the honeycomb, and returned his hand to his mouth, and his eyes recovered their sight. |
27 But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people: and he put forth the end of the rod, which he had in his hand, and dipt it in a honeycomb: and he carried his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened. |
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. |
27 |
27 וְיוֹנָתָן לֹא- שָׁמַע בְּהַשְׁבִּיעַ אָבִיו אֶת-הָעָם וַיִּשְׁלַח אֶת-קְצֵה הַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר בְּיָדוֹ וַיִּטְבֹּל אוֹתָהּ בְּיַעְרַת הַדְּבָשׁ וַיָּשֶׁב יָדוֹ אֶל-פִּיו וַתָּרֹאנָהM עֵינָיו: |
28 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη εἷς ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ εἶπεν Ὁρκίσας ὥρκισεν ὁ πατήρ σου τὸν λαὸν λέγων Ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὃς φάγεται ἄρτον σήμερον, καὶ ἐξελύθη ὁ λαός. |
28 And one of the people answered and said, Thy father solemnly adjured the people, saying, Cursed is the man who shall eat bread to-day. And the people were very faint, |
28 And one of the people answering, said: Thy father hath bound the people with an oath, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat any food this day. (And the people were faint.) |
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. |
28 |
28 וַיַּעַןN אִישׁ מֵהָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר הַשְׁבֵּעַ הִשְׁבִּיעַ אָבִיךָ אֶת-הָעָם לֵאמֹר אָרוּר הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר- יֹאכַל לֶחֶם הַיּוֹם וַיָּעַף הָעָם: |
29
[καὶ
ἔγνω]
Ιωναθαν καὶ
εἶπεν Ἀπήλλαχεν
ὁ πατήρ μου τὴν
γῆν· ἰδὲ δὴ ὅτι
|
29
and
Jonathan knew
it, and said, My father has destroyed the land: see how my eyes
have |
29 And Jonathan said: My father hath troubled the land: you have seen yourselves that my eyes are enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey: |
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. |
29 But Jonathan, when he was informed, nevertheless said, “My father has troubled the land: see now how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey!” |
29 O וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹנָתָן עָכַר אָבִי אֶת-הָאָרֶץP רְאוּ-נָא כִּי-אֹרוּ עֵינַי כִּי טָעַמְתִּי מְעַט דְּבַשׁQ הַזֶּה: |
v.30 Septuagint |
Brenton |
D-R |
KJV |
NAW |
MT/DSS |
30
ἀλλ᾿ ὅτιR
|
30
Surely if the people had this day eaten freely of the spoils of
|
30
How much more if the people had eaten X
of
the prey of |
30
How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the
spoil of |
30 |
30 אַף כִּיS לוּא אָכֹל אָכַל הַיּוֹםT הָעָם מִשְּׁלַל אֹיְבָיו אֲשֶׁר מָצָא כִּי עַתָּה לֹאU-רָבְתָה מַכָּה בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים:V |
31 καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων ἐν Μαχεμας, X X καὶ ἐκοπίασεν ὁ λαὸς σφόδρα. |
31 And on that day he smote some of the Philistines in Machmas X X; and the people were very weary. |
31 So they smote that day the Philistines, from Machmas to Aialon. And the people were wearied exceedingly. |
31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint. |
31 |
31 וַיַּכּוּW בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים מִמִּכְמָשׂX אַיָּלֹנָה וַיָּעַף הָעָם מְאֹד: |
32 καὶ ἐκλίθη ὁ λαὸς εἰς τὰ σκῦλα,Y καὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ λαὸς ποίμνια καὶ βουκόλια καὶ τέκνα βοῶν καὶ ἔσφαξεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἤσθιεν ὁ λαὸς σὺν τῷ αἵματι. |
32 And the people turned to the spoil; and the people took flocks, and herds, and calves, and slew them on the ground, and the people ate with the blood. |
32 And X falling upon the spoil[s], they took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people ate [them] with the blood. |
32 And the people flewZ 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. |
32 |
32 וַיַּעַשׂAA הָעָם אֶל-שָׁלָלAB וַיִּקְחוּAC צֹאן וּבָקָר וּבְנֵי בָקָר וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּAD-אָרְצָה וַיֹּאכַל הָעָם עַל-הַדָּם: |
33 καὶ ἀπηγγέλη τῷ Σαουλ λέγοντες Ἡμάρτηκεν ὁ λαὸς τῷ κυρίῳ φαγὼν σὺν τῷ αἵματι. καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ ἐν ΓεθθεμAE Κυλίσατέ μοι λίθον ἐνταῦθα μέγαν. |
33 And it was reported to Saul, saying, The people have sinned against the Lord, eating with the blood: and Saul said, Out of Getthaim roll a great stone to me hither. |
33 And they told Saul that the people had sinned against the Lord, eating with the blood. And he said: You have transgressed: roll here to me now a great stone. |
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 transgressedAF: roll a great stone unto me this dayAG. |
33 |
33 וַיַּגִּידוּAH לְשָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה הָעָם חֹטִאים לַיהוָה לֶאֱכֹל עַל-הַדָּם וַיֹּאמֶר בְּגַדְתֶּם גֹּלּוּ-אֵלַי הַיּוֹם אֶבֶן גְּדוֹלָה: |
34
καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ
Διασπάρητε ἐν
τῷ λαῷ καὶ εἴπατε
αὐτοῖς προσαγαγεῖν
|
34
And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them
to bring |
34 And Saul said: Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them to bring me every man his ox and X his ram and slay them upon this [stone], and eat, and you shall not sin against the Lord, in eating with the blood. So all the people brought every man his ox with him X till the night: and slew them there. |
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
X
|
34 |
34 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל פֻּצוּAJ בָעָם וַאֲמַרְתֶּם לָהֶם הַגִּישׁוּ אֵלַי אִישׁ שׁוֹרוֹAK וְאִישׁ שְׂיֵהוּ וּשְׁחַטְתֶּם בָּזֶה וַאֲכַלְתֶּם וְלֹא-תֶחֶטְאוּ לַיהוָה לֶאֱכֹל אֶל-הַדָּם וַיַּגִּשׁוּ כָל-הָעָם אִישׁ שׁוֹרוֹ בְיָדוֹ הַלַּיְלָה וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּ-שָׁם: |
35 καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν [ἐκεῖ] Σαουλ θυσιαστήριον τῷ κυρίῳ· τοῦτο ἤρξατο [Σαουλ] οἰκοδομῆσαι θυσιαστήριον τῷ κυρίῳ.
|
35 And Saul built an altar [there] to the Lord: this was the first altar that [Saul] built to the Lord. |
35 And Saul built an altar to the Lord: [and] he then first began to build an altar to the Lord. |
35 And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD. |
35 So Saul built an altar to Yahweh; it was what he began to build as an altar for Yahweh.AL |
35 וַיִּבֶן שָׁאוּל מִזְבֵּחַ לַיהוָה אֹתוֹ הֵחֵל לִבְנוֹת מִזְבֵּחַ לַיהוָה: פ |
v.36 Septuagint |
Brenton |
D-R |
KJV |
NAW |
MT/DSS |
36 Καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ Καταβῶμεν ὀπίσω τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τὴν νύκτα καὶ διαρπάσωμεν ἐν αὐτοῖς, ἕως διαφαύσῃ ἡ ἡμέρα, καὶ μὴ ὑπολίπωμεν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἄνδρα. καὶ εἶπαν Πᾶν τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ποίει. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἱερεύς Προσέλθωμεν ἐνταῦθα πρὸς τὸν θεόν. |
36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines this night, and let us plunder among them till the day break, and let us not leave a man among them. And they said, Do all that is good in thy sight: and the priest said, let us draw nigh hither to God. |
36
And Saul said: Let us |
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 X. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God. |
36 |
36 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל נֵרְדָה אַחֲרֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים לַיְלָה וְנָבֹזָה בָהֶם עַד- אוֹר הַבֹּקֶר וְלֹא- נַשְׁאֵר בָּהֶם אִישׁ וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָּל-הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ עֲשֵׂה ס וַיֹּאמֶר הַכֹּהֵן נִקְרְבָה הֲלֹם אֶל-הָאֱלֹהִים: |
37 καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν Σαουλ τὸν θεόν Εἰ καταβῶ ὀπίσω τῶν ἀλλοφύλων; εἰ παραδώσεις αὐτοὺς εἰς χεῖρα[ς] Ισραηλ; καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ. |
37 And Saul enquired of God, If I go down after the Philistines, wilt thou deliver them into the hand[s] of Israel? And he answered him not in that day. |
37
And Saul consulted
the Lord: Shall I |
37 And Saul asked [counsel]AM 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. |
37 |
37 וַיִּשְׁאַל שָׁאוּל בֵּאלֹהִים הַאֵרֵד אַחֲרֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים הֲתִתְּנֵם בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא עָנָהוּ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא: |
38
καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ
Προσαγάγετε
ἐνταῦθα πάσας
τὰς γωνίαςAN
τοῦ |
38
And Saul said, Bring hither all the chiefs
of |
38
And Saul said: Bring hither all the corners
of the people: and know, and see by
whom
this sin hath
happened
|
38 And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chiefXAO of the people: and knowAP and see whereinAQ this sin hath been this day. |
38 So Saul said, “Bring here all the cornerstones of the nation and let us know and see this day by whom this sin occurred, |
38 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל גֹּשׁוּ הֲלֹם כֹּל פִּנּוֹת הָעָם וּדְעוּ וּרְאוּ בַּמָּה הָיְתָה הַחַטָּאת הַזֹּאת הַיּוֹם: |
39
ὅτι ζῇ κύριος
ὁ
σώσας
τὸν Ισραηλ, ὅτι
ἐὰν |
39 For as the Lord lives who has saved Israel, if [answer] should be against my son Jonathan, he shall surely die. And there was no one that answered out of all the people. |
39 As the Lord liveth, who is the Saviour of Israel, if it was [done] by Jonathan, my son, he shall surely die. In [this] none of X the people gainsayed him. |
39 For, as the LORD liveth, which savethAR 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. |
39 for he shall surely be put to death - even if it is confirmed in my son JonathanAS - if Yahweh the Savior of Israel is alive.” But there was no one who would answer him from all the people. |
39 כִּי חַי-יְהוָה הַמּוֹשִׁיעַ אֶת- יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי אִם- יֶשְׁנוֹ בְּיוֹנָתָן בְּנִי כִּי מוֹת יָמוּת וְאֵין עֹנֵהוּ מִכָּל- הָעָם: |
40
καὶ εἶπεν παντὶ
Ισραηλ Ὑμεῖς
ἔσεσθε εἰς
|
40
And he said to all the [men
ofAT]
Israel, Ye shall be |
40 And he said to all Israel: Be you on one side and I, with Jonathan, my son, will be on the other side. And the people answered Saul: Do what seemeth good in thy eyes. |
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 X thee. |
40 |
40 וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל- כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתֶּם תִּהְיוּ לְעֵבֶר אֶחָד וַאֲנִי וְיוֹנָתָן בְּנִי נִהְיֶה לְעֵבֶר אֶחָד וַיֹּאמְרוּ הָעָם אֶל-שָׁאוּל הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינֶיךָ עֲשֵׂה: ס |
41 καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ X Κύριε ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ, [τί ὅτι οὐκ ἀπεκρίθης τῷ δούλῳ σου σήμερον; εἰ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἢ ἐν Ιωναθαν τῷ υἱῷ μου ἡ ἀδικία, κύριε ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ, δὸς δήλους· καὶ ἐὰν τάδε εἴπῃς Ἐν τῷ λαῷ σου Ισραηλ,] δὸς δὴ ὁσιότητα. καὶ κληροῦται Ιωναθαν καὶ Σαουλ, καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἐξῆλθεν. |
41
And Saul said, |
41 And Saul said to the Lord: O [Lord] God of Israel, [give a sign, by which we may know, what the meaning is, that thou answerest not thy servant to day: If this iniquity be in me, or in my son Jonathan, give a proof: or if this iniquity be in thy people,] give holiness. And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people escaped. |
41 Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lotAV. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped. |
41 Then Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, “{Why is it that You have not answered Your servant today? If the the iniquity is in me or in Jonathan my son, render Urim, and if this should say it’s in Your people,} render Thumim.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, so the people escaped. |
41 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵלAW הָבָה תָמִים וַיִּלָּכֵד יוֹנָתָן וְשָׁאוּל וְהָעָם יָצָאוּ: |
v.42 Septuagint |
Brenton |
D-R |
KJV |
NAW |
MT/DSS |
42 καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ Βάλετε ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Ιωναθαν τοῦ υἱοῦ μου· [ὃν ἂν κατακληρώσηται κύριος, ἀποθανέτω. καὶ εἶπεν ὁ λαὸς πρὸς Σαουλ Οὐκ ἔστιν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο. καὶ κατεκράτησεν Σαουλ τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ βάλλουσιν ἀνὰ μέσον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Ιωναθαν τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ], καὶ κατακληροῦται Ιωναθαν. |
42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan: [whomsoever the Lord shall cause to be taken by lot, let him die: and the people said to Saul, This thing is not [to be done]: and Saul prevailed against the people, and they cast lots between him and Jonathan his son], and Jonathan is taken by lot. |
42 And Saul said: Cast lots between me, and Jonathan, my son. And Jonathan was taken. |
42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. |
42 Then Saul said, “Cast [the lot] between me and between my son JonathanAX,” and Jonathan was selected. |
42 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל הַפִּילוּ בֵּינִי וּבֵין יוֹנָתָן בְּנִי וַיִּלָּכֵד יוֹנָתָן: |
43 καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ πρὸς Ιωναθαν Ἀπάγγειλόν μοι τί πεποίηκας. καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῷ Ιωναθαν καὶ εἶπεν Γευσάμενος ἐγευσάμην ἐν ἄκρῳ τῷ σκήπτρῳ τῷ ἐν τῇ χειρί μου βραχὺ μέλι· ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποθνῄσκω. |
43 And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done: and Jonathan told him, and said, I did indeed taste a little honey, with the end of my staff that was in my hand, [andAY,] lo! I am to die. |
43 And 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, which was in my hand, [and] behold I must die. |
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. |
43 So Saul said to Jonathan, “Relate to me what you did!” And Jonathan related it to him and said, “I just tasted a little honey, using the tip of my staff which was in my hand. Look, must I die?” |
43 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל אֶל-יוֹנָתָן הַגִּידָה לִּי מֶה עָשִׂיתָה וַיַּגֶּד-לוֹ יוֹנָתָן וַיֹּאמֶר טָעֹם טָעַמְתִּי בִּקְצֵה הַמַּטֶּה אֲשֶׁר- בְּיָדִי מְעַט דְּבַשׁ הִנְנִי אָמוּת: |
44
καὶ εἶπεν [αὐτῷ]
Σαουλ Τάδε
ποιήσαι [μοι]
ὁ θεὸς καὶ τάδε
προσθείη, ὅτι
θανάτῳ ἀποθανῇ
|
44
And Saul said [to
him],
God do so [to
me],
and more also, thou shalt surely die |
44 And Saul said: May God do so and so [to me], and add still more: for dying thou shalt die, O Jonathan. |
44 And Saul answered, God do so and more alsoAZ: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan. |
44 |
44 וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל כֹּה-יַעֲשֶׂהBA אֱלֹהִים וְכֹה יוֹסִףBB כִּי-מוֹת תָּמוּת יוֹנָתָן: |
45
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ
λαὸς πρὸς Σαουλ
Εἰ |
45
And the people said to Saul, Shall he that has wrought this great
salvation in Israel be put to death |
45 And the people said to Saul: Shall Jonathan then die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? this must not be: 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 delivered Jonathan, that he should not die. |
45 And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbidBC: 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 rescuedBD Jonathan, that he died not. |
45 |
45
וַיֹּאמֶר
הָעָם אֶל-שָׁאוּל
הֲיוֹנָתָן
יָמוּת אֲשֶׁר
עָשָׂה הַיְשׁוּעָה
הַגְּדוֹלָה
הַזֹּאת בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל
חָלִילָה
חַי-יְהוָה
אִם-יִפֹּל
מִשַּׂעֲרַת
רֹאשׁוֹ
אַרְצָה כִּי-
עִם-אֱלֹהִים
עָשָׂה
הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה
וַיִּפְדּוּ
הָעָם אֶת-יוֹנָתָן
וְלֹא-מֵת: |
46 καὶ ἀνέβη Σαουλ ἀπὸ ὄπισθεν τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι [ἀπ]ῆλθον εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν. |
46 And Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines departed to their place. |
46
And Saul went back, |
46 Then Saul went up from followingBE the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place. |
46 |
46 וַיַּעַל שָׁאוּל מֵאַחֲרֵי פְּלִשְׁתִּים וּפְלִשְׁתִּים הָלְכוּ לִמְקוֹמָם: |
47
Καὶ Σαουλ X
X XBF
[κατακληροῦται
|
47 And Saul received the kingdom, [by lot he inherits the office of ruling] over Israel: and he fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against [the children of] Edom, [and against Baethaeor,] and against the kingX of Suba, and against the Philistines: X whithersoever he turned, he was victorious. |
47 And Saul having his kingdom [established] over Israel, X fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and X Edom, and the kings of Soba, and X the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he overcame. |
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 vexedBG them. |
47 |
47 וְשָׁאוּל לָכַד הַמְּלוּכָה עַל- יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּלָּחֶם סָבִיב בְּכָל- אֹיְבָיו בְּמוֹאָב וּבִבְנֵיBH-עַמּוֹן וּבֶאֱדוֹם וּבְמַלְכֵיBI צוֹבָה וּבַפְּלִשְׁתִּים וּבְכֹל אֲשֶׁר-יִפְנֶה יַרְשִׁיעַBJ: |
v.48 Septuagint |
Brenton |
D-R |
KJV |
NAW |
MT/DSS |
48 καὶ ἐποίησεν δύναμιν καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὸν Αμαληκ καὶ ἐξείλατο τὸν Ισραηλ ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν καταπατούντων αὐτόν. -- |
48 And he wrought valiantly, and smote Amalec, and rescued Israel out of the hand of them that trampled on him. |
48
And |
48
And he |
48 |
48 וַיַּעַשׂ חַיִל וַיַּךְ אֶת-עֲמָלֵק וַיַּצֵּל אֶת- יִשְׂרָאֵל מִיַּד שֹׁסֵהוּ:BM ס |
49
καὶ ἦσαν υἱοὶ
Σαουλ Ιωναθαν
καὶ Ιεσσιου
καὶ Μελχισα·
καὶ ὀνόματα
τῶν δύο θυγατέρων
αὐτοῦ, ὄνομα
τῇ πρωτοτόκῳ
Μεροβ, καὶ ὄνομα
τῇ |
49
And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Jessiu, and Melchisa: and
these were the names of his two daughters, the name of the
first-born Merob, and the name of the |
49 And the sons of Saul, were Jonathan, and Jessui, and Melchisua: and the names of his two daughters, the name of the firstborn was Merob, and the name of the younger Michol. |
49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: |
49 |
49 וַיִּהְיוּ בְּנֵי שָׁאוּל יוֹנָתָן וְיִשְׁוִיBN וּמַלְכִּי-שׁוּעַ וְשֵׁם שְׁתֵּי בְנֹתָיו שֵׁם הַבְּכִירָה מֵרַב וְשֵׁם הַקְּטַנָּה מִיכַל: |
50
καὶ ὄνομα τῇ
γυναικὶ |
50
And the name of |
50
And the name of Saul's wife was Achinoam, the daughter of
Achimaas; and the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the
son of Ner, the |
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. |
50 |
50 וְשֵׁם אֵשֶׁת שָׁאוּל אֲחִינֹעַם בַּת-אֲחִימָעַץBQ וְשֵׁם שַׂר-צְבָאוֹBR אֲבִינֵר בֶּן-נֵר דּוֹד שָׁאוּל: |
51 καὶ Κις πατὴρ Σαουλ καὶ Νηρ πατὴρ Αβεννηρ [υἱὸς ΙαμινBS] υἱοῦ Αβιηλ. -- |
51 And Kis was the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Aben[ez]er, [was son of Jamin,] son of Abiel. |
51 For Cis was the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, was son of Abiel. |
51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. |
51 |
51 וְקִישׁ אֲבִי-שָׁאוּל וְנֵר אֲבִי-אַבְנֵרBT בֶּן-אֲבִיאֵל: ס |
52 καὶ ἦν ὁ πόλεμος κραταιὸς ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας Σαουλ, καὶ ἰδὼν Σαουλ πάντα ἄνδρα δυνατὸν καὶ πάντα [ἄνδρα] υἱὸν δυνάμεως καὶ συνήγαγεν [αὐτοὺς] πρὸς αὐτόν. |
52
And the war was vehement
against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw
any mighty
man, and any valiant
man, then he |
52
And there was a great
war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. For |
52 And there was soreBU war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he tookBV him unto him. |
52 |
52 וַתְּהִי הַמִּלְחָמָה חֲזָקָה עַל-פְּלִשְׁתִּים כֹּל יְמֵי שָׁאוּל וְרָאָה שָׁאוּל כָּל-אִישׁ גִּבּוֹר וְכָל-בֶּן- חַיִל וַיַּאַסְפֵהוּ אֵלָיו: ס |
1“He pretendeth a good ende, to be avenged of his enemies, but he useth two evill meanes, the interdiction of foode, and the binding of it with an oath... he did it of his owne head, without any warrant from God... rashly and unaduisedly…” ~Andrew Willett
2Tsumura (NICOT) estimated it at over 20 miles, Beitzel (Moody Atlas) at over 15 miles, Goldman (Soncino) at 15 miles, John Gill at 12 miles, and Keil & Delitzsch (who must have been thinking of a different location) at 3 miles!
3Commentators who also held forth this position include: Ben Gersom, Abarbinel, Goldman, and K&D.
4K&D, and most English versions, however call it the “first,” even though the Hebrew word is not related to the number one, and the LXX translation is a form of αρχομαι “begin,” not ‘εν “first.”
5"Saul sheweth his hypocrisie, in that he neglecteth God's commandement, which the people had transgressed in eating of blood: but he presseth obedience to his own law even unto death." ~Andrew Willett
6Josephus, Goldman (Soncino), John Gill, Keil & Delitzsch, and Matthew Henry
7Andrew Willett: “[I]t is an offence for a man to breake a vowe, which is not in his power to keepe, in regard of his rashnes, that made such a vow, and so dallying as it were with God, but it is a greater sin to keepe such a vow, to greater mischiefe: as if a man hath vowed not to marrie, if he do marrie, he offendeth, because of his former rashnes; but he sinneth double, if keeping his vow, he falleth thereby into adulterie. Jepthah had done best of all, if he had not made so rash a vow, to [sacrifice] whatsoever came first to meet him... but the vow beeing made, it had beene better for him, not to have kept his vowe, but to have redeemed it according to the law, which appointeth redemption, both for men and women, that are consecrated unto God, Levit. 27:3-4” rather than offending God further with a human sacrifice.
8Unless, as Kimchi, Josephus, Kirkpatrick, Willett, Gill, and K&D propose, he is the same as Ishvi, in which case we don’t know who was the mother of Eshbaal/Ishboseth, the son of Saul mentioned in 1 Chron. 8:33
9Syriac and some LXX, supported by the DSS
AMy
original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright
restrictions have forced me to remove them from the
publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in
footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB,
or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not
in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use
of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square
brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different
from all the other translations, I underline it. When a
version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs
too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far
from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout.
And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I
insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original
word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I
occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between
the various editions and versions when there are more than two
different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea
Scroll containing any part of 1 Sa. 14 is 4Q51Samuela,
which contains fragments of vs. 24-51 (highlighted in purple), and
which has been dated between 50-25 B.C. Where the DSS supports the
LXX with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted
with yellow the LXX
and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that
into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.
BS. timwrhsomai (“punish for myself”)
CNASB, ESV = “were hard-pressed” cf. Gill & K&D who commented that the pressure was from hunger, contra Jewish Rabbis Rashi & Abarbinel who commented that this was speaking of impressment into military service by Saul. But the oldest manuscripts instead say instead, “Saul was thoughtless with great thoughtlesness.”
DNASB/NIV/ESV = “put/bound/laid under oath” When these versions render v.27 & 28 with the same English phrase, it is a different Hebrew word (בְּהַשְׁבִּיעַ ... הַשְׁבֵּעַ הִשְׁבִּיעַ)
EAlthough the Syriac & Vulgate support the MT here, the more-ancient DSS, LXX, and Old Latin manuscripts support a different reading, followed by the NRSV, ESV, and McCarter. All that is legible of the DSS of this part of the verse is a shin followed by an alpha, which doesn’t match any of the MT for this verse, but could be matched with the LXX text as follows: ושאול שגג שגגה גדול.
FYa’ar means “forest” in Hebrew, but the LXX renders it twice, first as a transliteration then as a translation. I don’t know why Brenton rendered it with an “l” ending instead of “r,” but those two letters are of the same liquid class and are frequently interchanged in languages like Mandarin and Lugandan.
GThe difficult word “land” in the original Greek and Hebrew was explained in the Targums to mean “the people,” thus the ESV used “people,” and the Vulgate added “vulgus.” This was not necessarily wrong, because “people” is used as a synonym in the very next verse.
HSymmachus (S) corrected the LXX to kai efanh reon to meli (“and there appeared a flow of honey”).
IMatthew Henry suggested that the Philistines passing by earlier may have broken up the hives, leaving them to ooze.
JCf. synonyms for “rod/staff” in: A. (thV) bakthriaV. S. ( thV) rabdou
KS = thn aporroian (“the flow” - from v. 26)
LAquila corrected to the qere tradition with efwtisqhsan “were enlightened.” See next note.
MThe Masorite scribes offered an alternative word here: וַתָּאֹרְנָה based on אור "light” rather than on ראה "see.” (Tsumura’s suggestion that both spellings could come from the same root is not convincing to me, although the difference is a mere transposition of two subsequent letters.) “Enlighten” is the explanation of the Targums and was carried on in the Syriac and Vulgate and most English versions. This alternate word shows up as a synonym in the next verse, so it is not wrong. Most commentators interpreted this figuratively in terms of remedying “hunger & fatigue” (Goldman), “nourishment & refreshment” (Gill), “invigoration” (K&D), but Tsumura suggested it could be taken literally if Jonathan had hypoglycemia, which literally dims vision when blood sugar is low.
NGoldman: “spoke up”
OAlthough this part of the verse is missing in the DSS manuscript, there is nevertheless extra space which would support the extra word in the LXX.
PTargum explains “land” as the “people” of the land
QThe DSS הדבש confirms the LXX in making “honey” definite, but there is no difference in meaning.
Rאַף כִּי lit. “moreover that/if,” LXX = “instead that,” S = posw mallon (“how much more”), Theodotion = plhn oti (“except that”)
S“aph
chi, signifieth
'yea/because/not/how much more,' and Lu
is utinam,
a term of wishing, not, 'if.'” ~Willett
K&D
“not to mention how much more”
Tsumora (NICOT):
“How much more so”
TThe DSS has the word “the people” immediately following the verb “eating,” followed by an illegible section large enough to contain the rest of the words in the MT in the first half of this verse, including the word “today.” Interestingly, the LXX also places “the people” immediately following the verb “eating,” and after the word “today,” simply transposing the word order, as if the original Hebrew text it followed read “the people today” rather than “today the people,” which would fit perfectly with what we see in the DSS. Since the DSS and LXX predate the MT by almost a thousand years, this word order seems likely to be original, although it does nothing to change the meaning.
UThe DSS does not have the “not,” and it has a different spelling for the next word (with a perfect tense and a masculine subject instead of the MT’s imperfect tense with a feminine subject). The DSS reads רבה המכה with obliterated space on each side that is just enough room for the words “for now” before it and “Philistines” after it. The LXX agrees with the DSS against the MT, so that may be the original. Either way the grammar is not ideal Hebrew. The LXX/DSS variant requires interpreting a perfect verb as an imperfect with comparative force (“would have been greater”), which could explain the insertion of a negative particle in the MT and a change from perfect to imperfect tense in spelling, which required a different word division, pulling the definite article He off of the prefix to makah and using it as a suffix to rabah. This change in the word division would also force macah to no longer be able to be a masculine participle and would force a change of spelling to the verb rabah, changing the he to the visually-similar tav as we see it in the MT - לֹא־רָבְתָה מַכָּה. But as usual, it makes no difference in the meaning of the verse!
V“...the
negative particle in the last clause, lo,
is not to be read here interrogatively: 'had there not beene a
greater slaughter?' but, causally, as giving a reason of his wish:
'I would the people had eaten, because there was no greater
slaughter to day.'” ~Willett
(RV, NAS, Goldman, and Tsumura agree)
However, Rashi, AJV, NIV,
ESV,
KJV,
Gill, and K&D end the verse with a question mark.
WNeither the DSS nor the LXX spell this verb with the extra vav at the end to indicate a plural subject. The DSS spelled it singular correctly, for the subject is either the singular Jonathan (as Brenton interpreted it), who was the speaker in the previous verse, or the subject is the singular “people,” cited later in this verse.
XThe amount of illegible space in the DSS at this point supports the “toward Aijalon” in the MT, which is missing in the LXX, but actually supports even more words not found in either the MT or the LXX (although the extra space in the DSS could just be the equivalent of a paragraph break).
YCf. Symmachus: etraph tou arpazein “put the spoil on the table/menu”
ZNASB = “rushed greedily,” NIV = “pounced”
AAThe MT has “the people acted/did/made,” but Masoretic editors suggested in the qere וַיַּעַט ("the people darted" – a root otherwise used in 1 Sam. 15:19 & 25:14 and nowhere else in the Bible), and that is the meaning picked up in the LXX, Vulgate, and most English versions. Compare with 15:19 which recaps this event using both verbs in the original MT: וַתַּעַט אֶל־הַשָּׁלָל וַתַּעַשׂ הָרַע "but darted upon the spoil and did evil.”
ABQere is definite הַשָּׁלָל, and so is the LXX, but it’s indefinite in the DSS & MT Kethib. The DSS also uses a different (but similar) preposition "upon" (על), while the LXX (εἰς τὰ σκῦλα) supports the preposition "to" (אל) in the MT. There is, however, no real difference in meaning between "to the spoil" vs. "upon spoil."
ACThe LXX repeats the subject here (“the people”), and there is so much extra space between legible sections of this verse in the DSS, that it too must have had more words than the terse reading of the MT.
ADThe Cairo Geniza hebrew manuscript supports the consonantal text of the MT which came a hundred or more years later, but occasionally has vowel differences, which are a matter of editorial interpretation. Here it spells the word wfjv^yw as though the final vav were a pronoun (“and [the people] slaughtered it”) instead of a plural indicator for the verb “they slaughtered”). The Vulgate and the Septuagint, however, interpreted it the way the MT did, yet it wouldn’t make a difference in meaning because almost all the English versions supply “it” to their translation anyway!
AEThe LXX translators mistook this word for a proper noun, which happened every once in a while when they encountered an unusual or unexpected Hebrew word. (This root occurs 38 other times in the OT, but only in Jer. 3:23 in this form.)
AFNASB = “acted treacherously,” NIV =”broken faith”
AGThis is the literal translation of the Hebrew, however, the NIV went with the Vulgate nunc “at once,” and the ESV went with the LXX “here.”
AHContrary to the NIV, it was a plurality of messengers – the same commanded in the next verse to disperse themselves among the people with Saul’s message.
AISyriac also has this omission. Unfortunately, the DSS is too obliterated at this point for comparison.
AJThe DSS spells this word נפצו, which is no different in meaning whether the root is פוץ or נפץ (although the former might connote more reflexivity - “disperse yourselves”). The LXX didn’t go with a reflexive translation, though. The Cairo, however is the same consonantal spelling as the MT, but with different vowels (wxp{).
AKIt’s curious that Saul uses different words for oxen/cattle/calves than the words his messengers used in the previous verse.
ALSaul breaks the pattern of only one man who builds an altar to Yahweh per historical book. Joshua is the only one to build an “altar to the LORD” in the book of Joshua (8:30). Gideon is the only one to build an altar to the LORD in the book of Judges (6:24-26), and Samuel should have been the only one to build an altar to the LORD in 1 Samuel (7:17), but Saul butts in here. David is the only one to build an altar for the LORD in 2 Samuel (24:21-25) and 1 Chronicles (21:18-26). There is, however, no other mention of Saul building any more altars to the LORD, so it seems misleading to translate it his “first.” It appears that the stone he called for was intended to be a sort of altar to the LORD, but it was only a beginning and not a properly-completed action.
AMNASB, ESV = “inquired”
ANCf. synonyms from S = touV megalouV (“great ones”) and Q = to klitoV (“prominent?”)
AOThis word is plural in Hebrew and Greek. It’s translated “leaders” by the NIV & ESV, “princes” by Rashi, “heads” by K&D (following Targums), and tribes” by Abarbinel. It literally means “faces,” but is applied to gemstones and cornerstones of buildings.
AP
“Know” is the root meaning of this Hebrew word. Cf. NASB
= “investigate,” NIV = “find out”
AQ NASB & ESV = “how,” NIV = “what”
ARNASB = delivers,” NIV = “rescues”
ASSingling out Jonathan doesn’t seem to be an accident; Saul seems to suspect him, already knowing his disrespect and his earlier absence, but a death sentence from which there could be no ransom is irrationally-harsh for receiving a delay of less than a day in an answer to prayer! Sadly, these rages become characteristic of Saul.
ATThis addition, although offering no change to the meaning, is in the Vaticanus, but not in the majority text of the LXX.
AUThis repetition of the imperative “give” is in the Vaticanus, the oldest-known manuscript of the LXX, but not in the majority of LXX manuscripts.
AVNIV = “[the] right [answer]” ESV follows LXX & Vulgate with “ [why have you not answered your servant this day? If this guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, O LORD, God of Israel, give Urim. But if this guilt is in your people Israel,] give Thummim." Making for a neat explanation of the use of the Urim & Thummim lot-casting device in the priest’s ephod, but perhaps a little too neat?
AWBoth the LXX and the Vulgate have extra text which is rendered in the NET Bible, the ESV and the 2011 edition of the NIV. Ewald and Thenius and Tsumura supported this extra text in their commentaries, but Keil & Delitzsch argued against it on the basis that 1)לכד & הפיל are nowhere else used of the Urim and Thummim and 2) The Urim & Thummim never gave either/or answers anywhere else, neither of which are decisively compelling. This verse is unavailable in the DSS.
AXThe ancient Septuagint tradition adds a note that the people voiced some reservation about a second cast of the lots, knowing that this would result in a death warrant for either their heroic king or their popular prince, but King Saul persuaded them to do it again.
AYAlthough there is no “and” in the Hebrew or in the majority of LXX texts, it is in the Vulgate and in the oldest-known Greek manuscript, the Vaticanus. It doesn’t make a difference in meaning, though.
AZNIV = “ever so severely”
BAMany Hebrew manuscripts add לי “to me” and it’s also in the Vulgate, Syriac, Septuagint, and Targums.
BBJohn
Gill: “...evils greater than he chose to mention”
Matthew Henry noted that these curses fell back on Saul’s
head when he was later killed in battle.
BCNASB = “Far from it,” NIV = “Never!” NAW = “It would be a disgrace.”
BDESV = “ransomed”
BENASB, NIV, ESV = “pursuing”
BFThe Hebrew phrase “received the kingdom” is missing in the majority LXX edition used here, but it is found in the Vaticanus, which reads ελαχε του βασιλευειν. Since Brenton translated from the Vaticanus, the phrase appears in his English version. The next phrase about receiving the office by inheritance/lot is in both the Vaticanus and Rahlfs’ edition of the LXX, but not in the Hebrew. The DSS becomes legible again after this phrase, so it is not available for comparison.
BGNASB, NIV = “inflicted punishment,” ESV = “routed” The most ancient manuscripts, however read “brought salvation.”
BHThe Cairo Geniza mss omits the preposition “with/against” but the parallel construction implies it at the least.
BIThe MT is plural (“kings”), but the DSS (ובמלך), Syriac, and LXX all read singular.
BJThe DSS is obliterated at this point, but the LXX, Syriac, Old Latin, and Vulgate (followed by Gordon and McCarter) all read as though the Hebrew word were יושיע instead of the Masoretic ירשיע. Luther followed the MT and translated it “inflicted punishment, which K&D, NASB, & NIV followed. Tsumura, however, thought that the original was ישריע (“surge over”) but that, when the lector in the scriptorium said that word, the scribes spelled what they heard wrongly as ירשיע (lit. “did evil to” which was interpreted as “vexed/punished”).
BKNASB,
NIV, ESV “and he acted/fought/did valiantly”
K&D = “he acquired power” [by beating the
Amalekites]
BLNASB, NIV, ESV = “plundered”
BMThe MT spelling of this last word fits the formula of Judges 2:13-16 “They forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them [ביד־שׁסים וישׁסו]; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. Wherever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for calamity, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn to them. And they were greatly distressed. Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them.[ויושׁיעום מיד שׁסיהם]” (NKJV) However, the DSS spells this word סיו[], replacing the MT he with a yod (which would merely change the participle from a singular to a plural form), and the LXX and Vulgate (and most English versions) “just happen” to translate that participle as plural even though it is singular in the MT! But there’s more; the LXX reads “trampled” instead of “plundered,” which leads me to believe that the missing letter at the beginning of the word in the DSS was beth, not shin (So the MT שסהו means “they who trample it” and the DSS בסיו means “he who plunders it”) – not greatly different in meaning, but it demonstrates the integrity of the LXX.
BNThe first letter in this name in the DSS is an aleph, but the rest of the name is obscured. There is too much space for the short name in the MT. It appears to support the name Ishba’al found in the Syriac and in some Greek manuscripts. Could it be that scribes changed the name to make Saul look better?
BOThe DSS supports Saul’s name (as the MT has it) rather than a pronoun (as the LXX has it).
BPThe Vaticanus inserts autou here (which comports with the MT), but it is not in Rahlfs’ edition of the Septuagint (which sides with the DSS).
BQSaul also had a concubine, by whom he had 2 children (2Sa. 21:8). Willett regarded this as “worse” than having 2 wives!
BRThe DSS reads “the host” (הצבא) instead of “his host” – not a significant difference in meaning, though.
BSThis name does not occur in the LXX elsewhere in relation to Abner or Abiel. It is only mentioned in Gen. 36:24; 46:10; Exod. 6:15; Num. 26:12, 28; Jos. 17:7; 1 Sam. 14:51; 2 Ki. 25:14; 1 Chr. 2:27; 4:24.
BTAlthough the DSS is obliterated at this point, there does not appear to be enough space between legible section to support the extra name inserted in the LXX.
BUNASB = “severe,” NIV = “bitter,” ESV = “hard”
BVNASB, ESV = “Attached”