Bible in 365 Days

1 Samuel 13-14

1 Samuel 13

There is some difficulty concerning the opening sentences of this chapter. Some words seem to be omitted, which make it difficult to place the events recorded in their chronological setting. The Authorized Version reads, "Saul reigned one year, and when he had reigned two years. . . ." The Revised Version reads, "Saul was (thirty) years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years over Israel." The American Revision reads, "Saul was (forty) years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years over Israel." Quite evidently at some point in the work of transmission, a word was omitted.

The rest of the chapter, and, indeed, the whole of the following chapter gives us the account of the wars he waged. He first created an army of 3,000 men. The Philistines, who looked on the Hebrews as easy prey, for they were practically without arms, gathered themselves together to attempt to break the power of the chosen people. The enormous strength of the enemy filled the Israelites with fear, and they scattered, hiding themselves in caves and thickets, in rocks, and coverts, and pits.

It was under these circumstances that Saul's self-dependence manifested itself in his offering of sacrifice in the absence, and without the instruction, of Samuel. If such an action does not appear to be very serious, it must be remembered that its peril lay in its manifestation of Saul's insubordination to the will and appointment of God in the smallest matters.

1 Samuel 14

Here we have a picture of Saul, with a part of the army about him, remaining idle in Gibeah. His son Jonathan moved to action by his sense of the degradation of his people, and his conviction of the strength of Jehovah, made a remarkable attack on the foe, which issued first in the slaughter of twenty men. This sudden onrush on the Philistines in so unexpected a way produced panic throughout all their hosts. As a result of this, Saul and the rest of the people who had been in hiding went forth to the rout of the Philistines.

It was in the midst of all this that again Saul's weakness manifested itself in taking a rash oath that no man should stay to take food. This oath resulted in weakening the people, so that they were unable to accomplish so great a victory as they might have done.

The more terrible effect was that it imperiled the life of Jonathan, and caused the people themselves to sin in their hunger.

Perhaps one of the most interesting facts in connection with this story is the action of the people whereby Jonathan was rescued from the peril that threatened him in consequence of his father's rash oath. It would seem as though, in the general consciousness of the true meaning and value of the vow, they had made considerable advance since the days of Jephthah.