1 samuel 14 commentary

1 SAMUEL 14 COMMENTARY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
1 One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his
young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the
Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did
not tell his father.
BARNES, "Now ... - Rather “and,” since this verse is in immediate dependence
upon the preceding. When Jonathan saw the garrison come out again and again, in
defiance “of the armies of the living God,” at length “upon a day” he determined to
attack them.
CLARKE, "Come, and let us go over - This action of Jonathan was totally
contrary to the laws of war; no military operation should be undertaken without the
knowledge and command of the general. But it is likely that he was led to this by a
Divine influence.
The armor-bearer is the origin of what we call esquire, from escu, old French, a
shield; armiger is the Latin, from arma, weapons, and gero, I bear. In the times of
chivalry, the armiger, or esquire, was the servant of the knight who went after him,
and carried his lance, shield, etc. It is now (strange to tell!) a title of honor.
GILL, "Now it came to pass upon a day,.... At a certain time, a little after the
garrison of the Philistines had made the movement, 1Sa_13:23 and it is not to be
taken strictly for the day time; for it is probable it was in the night that the following
proposal was made, and began to be carried into execution; for Josephus (k) says it
was day light when Jonathan and his armourbearer came to the camp of the
Philistines; he had formed his scheme perhaps the night before, and he and his man
set out in the night time, and by break of day came up to the garrison, as after
related:
that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his
armour; as was usual in those times for generals of armies to have such, and so in
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later times; such were Automedon to Achilles, and Achates to Aeneas, as Grotius
observes:
come and let us go over to the Philistine garrison that is on the other
side; that is, go over the valley which lay between Michmash and Gibeah, to the
Philistines, that lay on the other side the valley beyond it; and so was not in it, but at
a pass on the hills, at the bottom of which this valley lay, and could be seen at a
distance, and pointed at with the finger, as Jarchi notes:
but he told not his father; lest he should disapprove of his project, and hinder
him from pursuing it; and had not his spirit been stirred up to this by the Lord, of
which he was fully persuaded, he would have acted not only a rash part, but contrary
to military discipline, in engaging in an enterprise without the knowledge and
direction of his general; unless we can suppose he had all unlimited commission
from his father to attack the enemy, at discretion, at any time, and any where.
HENRY 1-15, "We must here take notice,
I. Of the goodness of God in restraining the Philistines, who had a vast army of
valiant men in the field, from falling upon that little handful of timorous trembling
people that Saul had with him, whom they would easily have swallowed up at once. It
is an invisible power that sets bounds to the malice of the church's enemies, and
suffers them not to do that which we should think there is nothing to hinder them
from.
II. Of the weakness of Saul, who seems here to have been quite at a loss, and
unable to help himself. 1. He pitched his tent under a tree, and had but 600 men with
him, 1Sa_14:2. Where were now the 3000 men he had chosen, and put such a
confidence in? 1Sa_13:2. Those whom he trusted too much to failed him when he
most needed them. He durst not stay in Gibeah, but got into some obscure place, in
the uttermost part of the city, under a pomegranate-tree, under Rimmon (so the
word is), Ha-Rimmon, that Rimmon near Gibeah, in the caves of which those 600
Benjamites that escaped his themselves, Jdg_20:47. Some think that there Saul took
shelter, so mean and abject was his spirit, now that he had fallen under God's
displeasure, every hour expecting the Philistines upon him, and thereby the
accomplishment of Samuel's threatening, 1Sa_13:14. Those can never think
themselves safe that see themselves cast out of God's protection. 2. Now he sent for a
priest, and the ark, a priest from Shiloh, and the ark from Kirjath-jearim, 1Sa_14:3,
1Sa_14:18. Saul had once offended by offering sacrifice himself, 1Sa_13:9. Now he
resolves never to fall into that error again, and therefore sends for a priest, and hopes
to compromise the matter with God Almighty by a particular reformation, as many
do whose hearts are unhumbled and unchanged. Samuel, the Lord's prophet, had
forsaken him, but he thinks he can make up that loss by commanding Ahiah, the
Lord's priest, to attend him, and he will not make him stay for him nor reprove him,
as Samuel had done, but will do just as he bids him, 1Sa_14:18, 1Sa_14:19. Many love
to have such ministers as will be what they would have them to be, and prophesy
smooth things to them; and their caressing them because they are priests, they hope,
will atone for their enmity to those ministers that deal faithfully and plainly with
them. He will also have the ark brought, perhaps to upbraid Samuel, who in the days
of his government, for aught that appears, had not made any public use of it; or in
hopes that this would make up the deficiency of his forces; one would have supposed
that they would never bring the ark into the camp again, since, the last time, it not
only did not save them, but did itself fall into the Philistines' hands. But it is common
for those that have lost the substance of religion to be most fond of the shadows of it,
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as here is a deserted prince courting a deserted priest.
III. Of the bravery and piety of Jonathan, the son of Saul, who was much fitter than
the father to wear the crown. “A sweet imp (says bishop Hall) out of a crab-stock.”
1. He resolved to go incognito - unknown to any one, into the camp of the
Philistines; he did not acquaint his father with his design, for he knew he would
forbid him; nor the people, for he knew they would all discourage him, and, because
he resolved not to heed their objections, he resolved not to hear them, nor ask their
advice, 1Sa_14:1, 1Sa_14:3. Nor had he so great an opinion of the priest as to consult
him, but, being conscious of a divine impulse putting him upon it, he threw himself
into the mouth of danger, in hope of doing service to his country. The way of access
to the enemies' camp is described (1Sa_14:4, 1Sa_14:5) as being peculiarly difficult,
and their natural entrenchments impregnable, yet this does not discourage him; the
strength and sharpness of the rocks do but harden and whet his resolutions. Great
and generous souls are animated by opposition and take a pleasure in breaking
through it.
2. He encouraged his armour-bearer, a young man that attended him, to go along
with him in the daring enterprise, (1Sa_14:6): “Come, and let us put our lives in our
hands, and go over to the enemies' garrison, and try what we can do to put them into
confusion.” See whence he draws his encouragements. (1.) “They are uncircumcised,
and have not the seal of the covenant in their flesh, as we have. Fear not, we shall do
well enough with them, for they are not under the protection of God's covenant as we
are, cannot call him theirs as we can, by the sign of circumcision.” If such as are
enemies to us are also strangers to God, we need not fear them. (2.) “God is able to
make us two victorious over their unnumbered regiments. There is no restraint in
the Lord, no limitation to the holy One of Israel, but it is all one to him to save by
many or by few.” This is a true easily granted in general, that it is all alike to
Omnipotence what the instruments are by which it works; and yet it is not so easy to
apply it to a particular case; when we are but few and feeble then to believe that God
can not only save us, but save by us, this is an instance of faith, which, wherever it is,
shall obtain a good report. Let this strengthen the weak and encourage the timid: let
it be pleaded with God for the enforcing of our petitions and with ourselves for the
silencing of our fears: It is nothing with God to help, whether with many or with
those that have no power, 2Ch_14:11. (3.) “Who knows but he that can use us for his
glory will do it? It may be the Lord will work for us, work with us, work a sign or
miracle for us.” So the Chaldee. We may encourage ourselves with hope that God will
appear for us, though we have not ground on which to build an assurance. An active
faith will venture far in God's cause upon an it may be. Jonathan's armour-bearer, or
esquire, as if he had learned to carry, not his arms only, but his heart, promised to
stand by him and to follow him withersoever he went, 1Sa_14:7. We have reason to
think that Jonathan felt a divine impulse and impression putting him upon this bold
adventure, in which he was encouraged by his servant's concurrence, otherwise the
danger was so great which he ran upon that he would have tempted God rather than
trusted him. And perhaps he had an actual regard to that word of Joshua (Jos_
23:10), One man of you shall chase a thousand, borrowed from Moses, Deu_32:30.
3. How bold soever his resolution was, he resolved to follow Providence in the
execution of it, which, he believed, would guide him with its eye (Psa_32:8), and
which therefore he would carefully attend and take hints of direction from. See how
he put himself upon Providence, and resolved to be determined by it. “Come” (says
he to his confidant), “we will discover ourselves to the enemy, as those that are not
afraid to look them in the face (1Sa_14:8), and then, if they be so cautious as to bid us
stand, we will advance no further, taking it for an intimation of Providence that God
would have us act defensively, and we will prepare as well as we can to give them a
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warm reception (1Sa_14:9); but if they be so presumptuous as to challenge us, and
the first sentinel we meet with bid us march on, we will push forward, and make as
brisk an onset, assuredly gathering thence that it is the will of God we should act
offensively, and then not doubting but he will stand by us,” 1Sa_14:10. And upon this
issue he puts it, firmly believing, as we all should, (1.) That God has the governing of
the hearts and tongues of all men, even of those that know him not, nor have any
regard to him, and serves his own purposes by them, though they mean not so,
neither do their hearts think so. Jonathan knew God could discover his mind to him
if he pleased, and would do it, since he depended upon him, as surely by the mouth of
a Philistine as by the mouth of a priest. (2.) That God will, some way or other, direct
the steps of those that acknowledge him in all their ways, and seek unto him for
direction, with full purpose of heart to follow it. Sometimes we find most comfort in
that which is least our own doing, and into which we have been led by the
unexpected, but well observed, turns of Providence.
4. Providence gave him the sign he expected, and he answered the signal. He and
his armour-bearer did not surprise the Philistines when they were asleep, but
discovered themselves to them by day-light, 1Sa_14:11. The guards of the Philistines,
(1.) Disdained them, upbraided them with the cowardice of many of their people, and
looked upon them to be of the regiment of sneakers: Behold, the Hebrews come forth
out of their holes. If some of Christ's soldiers play the coward, others that play the
man may perhaps be upbraided with it. (2.) They defied them (1Sa_14:12): Come,
and we will show you a thing, as if they came like children to gaze about them; but
meaning, as Goliath (1Sa_17:44), that they would give them as meat to the fowls of
the air. They bantered them, not doubting but to make a prey of them. This greatly
emboldened Jonathan. With it he encouraged his servant; he had spoken with
uncertainty (1Sa_14:6): It may be the Lord will work for us; but now he speaks with
assurance (1Sa_14:12): The Lord has delivered them, not into our hands (he sought
not his own glory), but into the hand of Israel, for he aimed at nothing but the
advantage of the public. His faith being thus strengthened, no difficulty can stand
before him; he climbs up the rock upon all four (1Sa_14:13), though he has nothing
to cover him, nor any but his own servant to second him, nor any human probability
of any thing but death before him.
5. The wonderful success of this daring enterprise. The Philistines, instead of
falling upon Jonathan, to slay him, or take him prisoner, fell before him (1Sa_14:13)
unaccountably, upon the first blows he gave. They fell, that is, (1.) They were many of
them slain by him and his armour-bearer, 1Sa_14:14. Twenty Philistines fell
presently. It was not so much the name of Jonathan that made them yield so tamely
(though some think that this had become terrible to them, since he smote one of
their garrisons, 1Sa_13:3), but it was God's right hand and his arm that got him this
victory. (2.) The rest were put to flight, and fell foul upon one another (1Sa_14:15):
There was trembling in the host. There was no visible cause for fear; they were so
numerous, bold, and advantageously posted; the Israelites had fled before them; not
an enemy made head against them, but one gentleman and his man; and yet they
shook like an aspen-leaf. The consternation was general: they all trembled; even the
spoilers, those that had been most bold and forward, shared in the common fright,
the joints of their loins were loosed, and their knees smote one against another, and
yet none of them could tell why or wherefore. It is called a trembling of God (so the
original phrase is), signifying not only, as we render it, a very great trembling, which
they could not resist nor reason themselves clear of, but that it was supernatural, and
came immediately from the hand of God. He that made the heart knows how to make
it tremble. To complete the confusion, even the earth quaked, and made them ready
to fear that it would sink under them. Those that will not fear the eternal God, he can
make afraid of a shadow. See Pro_21:1; Isa_33:14.
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JAMISON, "1Sa_14:1-14. Jonathan miraculously smites the Philistines’ garrison.
the Philistines’ garrison — “the standing camp” (1Sa_13:23, Margin) “in the
passage of Michmash” (1Sa_13:16), now Wady Es-Suweinit. “It begins in the
neighborhood of Betin (Beth-el) and El-Bireh (Beetroth), and as it breaks through
the ridge below these places, its sides form precipitous walls. On the right, about a
quarter of an acre below, it again breaks off, and passes between high perpendicular
precipices” [Robinson].
COFFMAN, "SUMMARY OF SAUL'S REIGN; HIS ADDITIONAL SINS
It will be remembered from our study of the Book of Numbers that the history of
Israel's wilderness sojourn, covering a period of about forty years, was extremely
abbreviated, with only a few events of that whole period being recorded. We
have another example of this same Biblical phenomenon in this chapter, where
all of Saul's wars during his forty-year reign are covered in a single short
paragraph.
There is a reason for this in both cases. In that of Israel's wanderings, God had
rejected that generation, forbidding their entry into Canaan; and for that
reason, practically no importance whatever could be attached to whatever they
did during the intervening time. For that reason, little was recorded. Even the
things which were written about that period, "were written for our examples" (1
Corinthians 10:11 ASV), "as a warning ... for our instruction" (RSV), and "for
our learning" (Romans 15:4).
Exactly the same thing is true here. The previous chapter revealed that God had
rejected Saul's continuing dynasty; and whatever Saul did afterward was of little
or no importance whatever, except that in a brief record of his mistakes, the
instruction of future generations might be accomplished.
What a commentary lies in these facts for all mankind! Once the destiny of a life
has been set by one's decisive behavior, and once the trajectory of his life has
been determined, if his life moves firmly in a direction against the will of God,
nothing whatever that he may do afterward is of any importance, except in the
event of his ultimate repentance and the reversal of his conduct.
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As noted above, Saul's wars were very slightly recorded, but there is an
exception in the victory against the Philistines revealed in this chapter. Why?
The answer lies in the shameful and sinful behavior of Saul which prevented the
victory from being complete and which led to a perpetual war with the
Philistines all of Saul's life, ending finally in his death on Mount Gilboa.
Philbeck enumerates Saul's sins as: "(1) Entering the battle of Michmash
without awaiting divine counsel (1 Samuel 14:19); (2) invoking an egotistical and
pagan curse which deprived his army of the necessary food to support their
victorious pursuit of the Philistines; (3) causing his army, through fatigue and
hunger, to eat meat improperly bled (a violation of God's law); and (4)
condemning his son Jonathan to death."[1] The people had sense enough to
overrule that last stupid and unjustifiable sin of their king.
It is the record of these sins in the extent that they might instruct all generations
of men that justifies the extensive report of events in this chapter.
JONATHAN'S DECISION TO ATTACK
"One day Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor,
"Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side," But he did not
tell his father. Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah under the
pomegranate tree which is at Migron; the people who were with him were about
six hundred men, and Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, son of
Phinehas, son of Eli the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the
people did not know that Jonathan had gone. In the pass by which Jonathan
sought to go over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on one side
and a rocky crag on the other side; the name of the one was Bozez, and the name
of the other was Seneh. The one crag rose on the north in front of Michmash,
and the other on the south in front of Geba."
"He did not tell his father" (1 Samuel 14:1). He probably knew that his father
would never approve of such a fool-hardy attempt.
"Let us go over to the Philistine garrison" (1 Samuel 14:1). The author
interrupted these words of Jonathan to describe the overall situation and scene
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of the event to be related. Jonathan's words are resumed in 1 Samuel 14:6.
"Under the pomegranate tree" (1 Samuel 14:2). "The Hebrew word for
pomegranate is Rimmon; but there is no doubt that the tree is meant and not the
rock Rimmon (Judges 20:45,47)."[2] This position of Saul and his men, just
north of Gibeah, "Was about an hour's march from Geba, where Jonathan
was."[3]
"Abijah ... Abimelech" (1 Samuel 14:3). "Both of these names apply to the same
person, namely, the great-grandson of Eli";[4] and, as Barnes noted, "This
fragment of a genealogy is a very valuable help in the chronology."[5] However,
nothing very exciting is the result of it. Barnes made the deduction from it that,
"about fifty years had elapsed"[6] since the capture of the ark of the covenant by
the Philistines; and Willis from the same passage made the deduction that only
"about thirty years"[7] had passed, and from this concluding that Saul's reign
was "about twenty years." To this writer, it appears that the estimate of "fifty
years" is more likely to be correct, because it fits the tradition of Saul's forty-
year reign.
"A rocky crag ... a rocky crag ... Bozez ... Seneh" (1 Samuel 14:4). "The southern
cliff was Seneh, which means acacia, so named from the trees in the vicinity; and
the northern cliff was Bozez, meaning shining."[8]
The naming of such landmarks has continued throughout history. The two peaks
on opposite sides of the Saginaw river are called Eternity and Trinity.
ELLICOTT, " (1) Now it came to pass.—As if in strong contrast to Saul—who at
Gilgal openly made light of the supernatural assistance promised by Samuel,
showing plainly by his conduct on that memorable occasion that he hardly
believed in the part the invisible King had laken in the history of the people—the
action of Jonathan at Michmash, which led to the rout of the Philistine army, is
related with some detail. Jonathan was the typical warrior of that wild and
adventurous age—recklessly brave, chivalrous, and generous, possessing
evidently vast strength and unusual skill in all warlike exercises. He was
animated with an intense faith in the willingness and power of the Eternal to
help Israel. This mighty faith in the ever-presence of the God who chose Israel,
was the mainspring of the victorious power of all the great Hebrew heroes—of
men like Joshua and Gideon, Barak and Samson. David, the greatest of them all,
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we shall see, possessed this sublime spirit of faith in a pre-eminent degree. But
King Saul utterly lacked it; hence his rejection.
The young prince’s heart burned within him at the degradation which the
Philistine occupation brought upon the people. His father was too prudent to
engage in battle with his own feeble and disorganised forces, so Jonathan
determined, with the help of the Divine Friend of Israel, to strike a blow at these
insolent foes. Under any other circumstances—without the consciousness of
supernatural help—to attempt such a feat of arms would have been madness;
but Jonathan had an inward conviction that an unseen Arm would hold a shield
before him. It is noticeable that he never communicated his desperate purpose to
his father, Saul.
HAWKER, "The history of Israel under the reign of Saul, brightens up a little in
this Chapter. Jonathan, the son of Saul, prompted, it should seem, by a Divine
impulse, goes forth with his armour-bearer only, to a garrison of the Philistines.
He is made successful: - the host of Israel, when informed of it, follows after; and
a great slaughter is obtained over the Philistines. In the close of this Chapter, we
have a short relation of Saul's family.
1 Samuel 14:1
(1) ¶ Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the
young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines'
garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.
There appears so much of God's mercy, manifested in what we read in this
chapter, that I beg the Reader, more particularly to regard it, When the Lord
works without means, and sometimes contrary to means, this becomes a more
striking display of his Almighty hand. Let the Reader, before he enters upon the
events recorded in this chapter, observe the dangerous state of Israel. There were
with Saul, but six hundred men, and they trembling with fear: whereas, the host
of the Philistines consisted of thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand
horsemen, and people as the sand of the sea shore for multitude. How was it, that
this great host had not swallowed up the handful of Saul's army? Was it not,
because the Lord restrained them? Can it be referred unto any other cause?
Though Israel merited nothing from God, but his displeasure, yet the Lord will
not forsake his people, for his great Name's sake. This Samuel had said, and this
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the Church had found, in all ages. Compare 1 Samuel 12:22, with Psalms
106:7-8. And cannot the Reader find similar proofs in his own history? Oh! it is
sweet, it is precious, when we discover the aboundings of grace, over the
aboundings of sin. There is a blessed nevertheless, in all the histories of God's
people.
BENSON, "1 Samuel 14:3. And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub — The high-priest,
who was here to attend upon the ark, which had been brought hither, 1 Samuel
14:18. The son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh — These last words manifestly
belong not to Ahiah, but to Eli, who was high-priest while the tabernacle was at
Shiloh. Wearing an ephod — Or rather, the ephod; that is, the high-priest’s
ephod, comprehending the breast-plate with the Urim and Thummim, which
were inseparable from it. These Ahiah, being high-priest, now wore. Saul, being
now in great distress, probably had sent for Ahiah, that he might consult God for
him, as there should be occasion.
CONSTABLE, "Jonathan's success at Michmash 14:1-23
Armed with trust in God and courage, Jonathan ventured out to destroy Israel's
enemy in obedience to God's command to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan
(cf. 1 Samuel 9:16). He would have made a good king of Israel. Saul remained in
Gibeah, evidently on the defensive. His comfortable position under a fruit tree
(cf. 1 Samuel 22:6; Judges 4:5) in secure Gibeah, surrounded by his soldiers,
contrasts with Jonathan's vulnerable and difficult position with only the support
of his armor bearer. Jonathan was launching out in faith to obey God, but Saul
was resting comfortably and failing to do God's will.
The reference to priestly activity at Shiloh (1 Samuel 14:3) shows that the nation
still regarded Shiloh as a cultic site (i.e., a site where the people practiced formal
worship).
"Saul is accompanied by Ahijah, a member of the rejected priestly house of Eli
(1 Samuel 14:3), and this first mention of an Elide after the disasters which befell
Eli's family in chap. 4 triggers the response 'rejected by Yhwh.' Lest the point be
missed, it is reinforced by the odd and needless genealogical reference to
Ichabod, Ahijah's uncle, picking up on 1 Samuel 4:21-22, and reminding the
reader that 'the glory has departed.' His own royal glory gone, where else would
we expect Saul to be than with a relative of 'Glory gone'? The axes which here
intersect, the rejection of Saul and the rejection of the Elide priesthood, will do
so again in 1 Samuel 22:11-19, when Saul will bloodily fulfill the prophecy of 1
Samuel 2:31-33, wreaking Yhwh's will on the Elides." [Note: David Jobling,
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"Saul's Fall and Jonathan's Rise: Tradition and Redaction in 1 Samuel 14:1-46,"
Journal of Biblical Literature 95:3 (1976):368-69.]
Bozez (1 Samuel 14:4, lit. shining) was the south-facing cliff near the Philistine
camp at Michmash, perhaps so named because it reflected the sun that shone on
it from the south. Seneh (lit. thorny) faced north and was closer to Geba.
Jonathan's route was an extremely difficult one. This fact accounts for his being
able to surprise the Philistines.
In contrast to Saul, Jonathan had a true perception of God's role as the leader
and deliverer of His people (1 Samuel 14:6). He viewed the Philistines as
unbelievers under divine judgment whom God wanted exterminated (cf. Genesis
17). He believed that God would work for His people in response to faith, as He
had done repeatedly in Israel's history. He also had learned that superior
numbers were not necessary for God to give victory in battle (cf. 1 Samuel 17:47;
Judges 7:4; Judges 7:7).
"Other parallels with the story of Gideon commend themselves as well: the hero
accompanied by only one servant (1 Samuel 14:7; cf. Judges 7:10-11); the sign (1
Samuel 14:9-10; cf. Judges 7:13-15); the panic (1 Samuel 14:15; cf. Judges 7:21);
the confusion, causing the enemy soldiers to turn on 'each other with their
swords' (1 Samuel 14:20; cf. Judges 7:22); reinforcements from the 'hill country
of Ephraim' (1 Samuel 14:22; cf. Judges 7:24); and the pursuit (1 Samuel 14:22;
cf. Judges 7:23 ...)." [Note: Youngblood, p. 661.]
Perhaps Jonathan chose his sign arbitrarily simply to determine how the Lord
wanted him to proceed. Some commentators have felt he did not.
"If the Philistines said, 'Wait till we come,' they would show some courage; but if
they said, 'Come up to us,' it would be a sign that they were cowardly ..." [Note:
Keil and Delitzsch, p. 138.]
Half a furrow of land (1 Samuel 14:14) was half a parcel of land that a yolk of
oxen could plow in one day. Evidently God assisted Jonathan by sending a mild
earthquake to unnerve the Philistines further (1 Samuel 14:15; cf. Deuteronomy
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7:23).
When Saul should have been acting, he was waiting, and when he should have
been waiting, he was acting (1 Samuel 14:18-19). He may have viewed the ark as
a talisman that he planned to use to secure God's help. Or he may have used the
Urim and Thummim. [Note: Merrill, "1 Samuel," p. 214.] As Saul watched, the
multitude of Philistine soldiers that covered the area began to dissipate. He
evidently concluded that he did not need to seek the Lord's guidance or blessing
(cf. 1 Samuel 13:12).
God caused the Philistines to fight one another (1 Samuel 14:20; cf. Judges 7:22;
2 Chronicles 20:23). Some Israelite deserters or mercenaries who were fighting
for the Philistines even changed their allegiance and took sides with Jonathan.
The tide of battle had turned. Beth-aven stood near Michmash, but the exact site
is uncertain.
LANGE, ". “On a day” (‫יּוֹם‬ַ‫,)ה‬ on the definite day on which the following
occurred. The words: And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer: Let us go over to
the Philistines’ garrison, are repeated in 1 Samuel 14:6 for the continuation of
the narrative which they introduce. What lies between [ 1 Samuel 5-14:2 ] is a
statement of the existing special circumstances and local relations. This detailed
narration shows that it is taken from the account of an eye-witness. The
“garrison” of the Philistines is the advanced post mentioned in 1 Samuel 13:23.
On the other side.[FN1]
The interjacent statements introduce us into the details of the whole situation: 1)
Jonathan says nothing to his father of his purpose, because he would have
forbidden it as too dangerous; the undertaking is set on foot secretly, in the hope
of surprising the enemy in sleep or unprepared2) Saul ( 1 Samuel 14:2) is
encamped at the extremity of Gibeah. This is mentioned to show that Jonathan
could unknown to him make such a blow. Gibeah ( 1 Samuel 14:16) is the city
Gibeah in Benjamin, whither also Samuel had gone from Gilgal ( 1 Samuel
13:15) back of Geba towards the south, yet with its extremity ( 1 Samuel 14:16)
not so far from the pass of the southward-trending Wady, that the movements in
the ranks of the Philistines opposite could not be thence observed. Under the
pomegranate-tree which is in Migron. By “rimmon” we must here understand
not the name of a place, but, on account of the Art, the well-known pomegranate.
According to Judges 20:45 a rock near Gibeah bore the name “Rock of the
pomegranate” [Rimmon]; and was well adapted for a fortified position. It is a
11

natural supposition that the same place is meant here, named after the well-
known pomegranate. Luther here renders Migron incorrectly suburb.
Linguistically it can only signify a place, which, however, from the local relations
cannot be the Migron of Isaiah 10:28, north of Michmash, whose name seems to
be found in the ruins of Magrun, eight minutes from Beitin. Rob. II:340 [see Am.
ed. I, 463, Stanley’s Sin. and Pal. 202]. Rather this place lay south of the pass of
Michmash on the northern extremity of Gibeah-Benjamin (Saul), and was
marked by the well-known pomegranate. From the context it appears that
Gibeah-Benjamin[FN2] extended far along on the heights which stretched out
(south of Geba) north-east towards the pass of Michmash, and ended in a rock
on which the pomegranate stood, and on whose declivity lay the place Migron.
The word means perhaps “precipice” (Then.) which is linguistically better than
“threshing-floor” (Rosenm. Alterth. II, 2, 171). That two contiguous places
should bear this name Isaiah, on account of the nature of the ground, as little
surprising (Winer) as the frequent occurrence of the names Ramah and Gibeah
(Geba).—3) Saul’s following consisted of about six hundred men and Ahiah the
high-priest. We must render: And Ahiah—bare the ephod.[FN3] The words
“priest of Jehovah in Shiloh” belong not to Ahiah (Sept, Luth.), but to Eli.
Wearing the ephod was a sign of the high-priestly office. Probably Ahiah was
with Saul at Gilgal, and ministered in the offering there made by him. The name
Ahiah [“Jehovah is brother” or “brother of Jehovah”] is identical with
Ahimelech [“brother of the king”] under which this great-grandson of Eli, the
sole survivor, ( 1 Samuel 2:33) of the house of Eli, appears ( 1 Samuel 21:2; 1
Samuel 22:9; 1 Samuel 22:11; 1 Samuel 22:20; 1 Samuel 30:7, e. a.). As to
whether of the two names was the original, Ewald remarks that they may have
been used without much distinction (since melech “king” might refer to God) as
in Elimelech (in Ruth) and Elijah (Gesch. II:585, Rem3).—The people with Saul
also knew nothing of Jonathan’s purpose. This statement connects itself
naturally with the remark on Saul’s following.—4) Exact description of the
ground which Jonathan had to traverse in his bold secret enterprise, 1 Samuel
14:4-5. According to Robinson’s remarks the plural “passes” is to be explained
of the several passages which were made possible by the side-valleys. It is not
probable that the plural refers to a long passage over the mountain (Then.).
Further the word “between” is intelligible only on the supposition of several
passes. Between these passes lay opposite one another two rocky crags or
projections, formed by the side-wadys opening right and left into the deep,
precipitous Wady Esther -Suweinit. Robinson went from Jeba (Geba) through
that Wady across to Michmash. In this passage (from south to north) he had on
the left two hills with steep rocky sides. “Behind each,” says Hebrews, “runs up a
smaller Wady, so as almost to isolate them. One is on the side towards Jeba and
the other towards Mukhmas” (II:329 [Am. ed. I:441]). To this observation of
Robinson answers exactly the description in 1 Samuel 14:5, according to which
the one rock-ledge, Bozez, was a column[FN4] on the north, the other Seneh, on
12

the south, opposite Geba.
PETT, "YHWH Commences The Work Of Deliverance Through Jonathan (1
Samuel 14:1-14).
Jonathan, Saul’s son, and a man of great faith, clearly found it a hard and trying
experience to watch the marauders going about their oppressive work, while he,
and Saul and his men, moved around the mountains keeping out of the way, and
his restless spirit longed to do something more positive. Surely, he thought,
YHWH would want them to act in some way to help His downtrodden people?
Thus the sight of the small unit of Philistines who were watching out for them
from the crags seems especially to have irked him, and in the end he decided that
here at least was something that he could do something about on his own (this
indiscipline in itself suggests that he was still only a young man with a young
man’s faith in himself and disregard for discipline).
So he called his ‘armourbearer’ and explained to him his purpose. His intention
was to attack the detachment of Philistines who were stationed in the hills
watching for any sign of Saul’s men. His armourbearer, who was no doubt
unswervingly loyal to him, fell in line with him. He informed him that he was
willing to go with him wherever he went, and was willing to follow him in
whatever he attempted to do. The final result of Jonathan’s faith would be that
the nest of Philistines were rooted out and mainly killed, something which would
then result in panic in the Philistine camp.
It should be noted that this chapter presents us with a deliberate contrast
between Jonathan, the man whose firm faith in YHWH brings about the victory,
and who eschews folly, and a Saul who, without Samuel’s help, appears to be lost
and not sure what to do. First he waits under the pomegranate tree, and then he
dithers in his camp talking to the Priest. And when he finally does belatedly act
he commits a gross folly. So Jonathan is seen as positive and unhesitating, firm in
his faith and confident in YHWH, while Saul is seen as equivocating, as
attaching to himself the new High Priest from the failed house that had
previously caused the glory to depart from Israel, as making foolish oaths, and
initially as not feeling that he can go forward without a talisman like the Ark,
until he is finally forced to do so by the circumstances. While deeply religious,
for he consults the High Priest, makes unthinking oaths and deprecates the
eating of blood, his is revealed as a religion tied to symbols rather than to
obedience. His lack of closeness to YHWH, already reflected at Gilgal, continues
13

to be revealed. It is made very apparent by this that he no longer has Samuel
with him, and that he lacks ‘the Spirit of YHWH’.
1 Samuel 14:1
‘Now it fell on a certain day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man
who bore his armour, “Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that
is on that side over there.” But he did not tell his father.’
Jonathan now calls on his armourbearer to accompany him in an assault on the
Philistines. An ‘armourbearer’ (literally ‘bearer of stuff’) was not strictly just
there in order to carry weapons. It was more a position of trust and honour.
Such a man was basically a faithful servant, in this case also a soldier and
probably a seasoned veteran, who carried out his superior’s wishes in any way
that he desired. In many cases he might have nothing to do with armour, or even
go to the battlefield. He could be a household servant with special attachment.
But, as we have suggested, in this case he was probably a seasoned soldier who
was allocated to Jonathan in order to act as his right hand man, and stay with
him when danger was around, with a special responsibility to watch his back.
They were comrades-in-arms.
That is why Jonathan called on him to join him in a secret foray against the
Philistine contingent who were watching out for them from the crags. He did not
want his father to know, presumably because he knew that his father would
forbid it. And the worst that could happen was that the two of them might die
together.
K&D, "Jonathan's heroic act. - With strong faith and confidence in the might of the
Lord, that He could give the victory even through the hands of very few, Jonathan resolved to
attack the outpost of the Philistines at the pass of Mukhmas, accompanied by his armour-
bearer alone, and the Lord crowned his enterprise with a marvellous victory.
1Sa_14:1-2
Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, “We will go over to the post of the Philistines, that is
over there.” To these words, which introduce the occurrences that followed, there are
attached from ‫יו‬ ִ‫ב‬ ָ‫א‬ְ‫וּל‬ to 1Sa_14:5 a series of sentences introduced to explain the
situation, and the thread of the narrative is resumed in 1Sa_14:6 by a repetition of
Jonathan's words. It is first of all observed that Jonathan did not disclose his
14

intentions to his father, who would hardly have approved of so daring an enterprise.
Then follows a description of the place where Saul was stationed with the six
hundred men, viz., “at the end of Gibeah (i.e., the extreme northern end), under the
pomegranate-tree (Rimmon) which is by Migron.” Rimmon is not the rock Rimmon
(Jdg_20:45), which was on the north-east of Michmash, but is an appellative noun,
signifying a pomegranate-tree. Migron is a locality with which we are not
acquainted, upon the north side of Gibeah, and a different place from the Migron
which was on the north or north-west of Michmash (Isa_10:28). Gibeah (Tuleil el
Phul) was an hour and a quarter from Geba, and from the pass which led across to
Michmash. Consequently, when Saul was encamped with his six hundred men on the
north of Gibeah, he may have been hardly an hour's journey from Geba.
PULPIT, "JONATHAN SMITES THE PHILISTINE GAR-BISON (1Sa_14:1-15).
1Sa_14:1
Now it came to pass upon a day. Literally, "And there was a day, and Jonathan,"
etc.; or, as we should say, And it happened one day that Jonathan. The phrase means
that Jonathan’s brave feat took place not many days after the garrison had occupied
the cliff, probably only two or three, but without definitely stating how many. He
told not his father. Not only because Saul would have forbidden so rash an
enterprise, but because secrecy was essential to any chance of success: probably too
the purpose came upon him as an inspiration from above.
SBC, "These were evil days for the people of Israel. But it was in these dark days that
Jonathan shone so famous. It is yet true that difficulties prove our mettle, and that
the greater the hardship or peril, the more is the victory worth telling. We learn from
this chapter—
I. That the presence of the enemy should rouse our courage. Jonathan could not
allow the Philistines to be even at Michmash, strong as it was, without ever striking a
blow. Is there not need for more chivalry among the soldiers of Christ?
II. It was Jonathan who conceived the plan of attacking the Philistines, which leads
us to say that princes should set the example. It is a shame when a private has to lead
a forlorn hope, and yet too often in Church history we find the poor and ignorant
more full of zeal for God than the rich and learned.
III. Earnest leaders should not lack brave followers. We are not told the name of the
young man who was Jonathan’s armour-bearer, but he was worthy of the situation.
The best of leaders is all the better for the knowledge that his followers will not fail
him. Let those of us whose place is not to lead yet help our Commander by acting, so
that whenever He looks at us He will see our faces say, "I am with Thee according to
Thine heart."
IV. Jonathan knew that God can win by a minority. If, in fighting the Lord’s battles,
we wait till we can outnumber the foe, we shall never do exploits. Joshua and Caleb
were outvoted, but they said, "Let us go up and possess it." The fewer there are, the
more room for Omnipotence. The units of Christian workers are the thin edge of the
wedge.
V. At the battle of Michmash, we have been taught that God helps those who help
themselves. God works by means, and delights in co-operating with His people. Do
not wait till the enemy has fled, but turn the battle by your bravery, even if it be by a
single hand.
15

T. Champness, New Coins from Old Gold, p. 255.
BI 1-23, "Come, and let us go over to the Philistine garrison.
Jonathan’s exploit at Michmash
It is evident that, Saul had no thought at this time of making an attack on the
Philistines. How could he, wish soldiers so poorly armed and so little to encourage
them? Samuel does not appear to have been with him. But, in his company was a
priest, Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, grandson of Eli, perhaps the same as Ahimelech,
afterwards introduced. Saul still adhered to the forms of religion; but he had too
much resemblance to the Church of Sardis—“Thou hast a name that thou livest, and
art dead.” The position of the army of Israel with reference to the Philistines seems to
have been very similar to what it was afterwards when Goliath defied the army of the
living God. The Israelites could only look on, in helpless inactivity. But just as the
youthful spirit of David was afterwards roused in these circumstances to exertion, so
on the present occasion was the youthful spirit of Jonathan. It was not the first time
that he had attacked the garrison of the Philistines. (1Sa_13:3.)
But what he did on the former occasion seems to have been under more equal
conditions than the seemingly desperate enterprise to which be betook himself now.
A project of unprecedented daring came into his mind. He took counsel with no one
about it. A single confidant and companion was all that he thought of—his armour
bearer, or aide-de-camp. And even him he did not so much consult as attach.
“Come,” said he, “and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may
be that the Lord will work for us; for there is no restraint by the Lord to save by many
or by few.” No words are needed to show the daring character of this project. The one
point of view in which there was the faintest possibility of success was that the Lord
God might favour the enterprise. The God of their fathers might work for them, and
if He did so there was no restraint with Him to work by many or by few. Had He not
worked by Ehud alone to deliver their fathers from the Moabites? Had he not worked
by Shamgar alone, when with his ox goad he slew six hundred Philistines? Had he
not worked by Samson alone in all his wonderful exploits? Might he not work that
day by Jonathan and his armour bearer, and, after all, only produce a new chapter in
that history which had already shown so many wonderful interpositions? Jonathan’s
mind was possessed by the idea. After all, if he failed, he could but lose his life. It is in
this working of faith that must be regarded as the most characteristic feature of the
attempt of Jonathan. He showed himself one of the noble heroes of faith, not
unworthy to be enrolled in the glorious record of the eleventh chapter of the
Hebrews. What encouragement is here for every Christian worker! Don’t despond
when you seem to fail in your first and most direct endeavour. But Jonathan’s faith in
God was called to manifest itself in a way very different from that in which the faith
of most young persons has to be exercised now. Faith led Jonathan to seize sword
and spear, and hurry out to an enterprise in which he could only succeed by risking
his own life and destroying the lives of others. We are thus brought face to face with a
strange but fascinating development of the religious spirit—military faith. The
subject has received a new and wonderful illustration in our day in the character and
career of that great Christian hero, General Gordon. No one imagines that without
his faith Gordon would have been what he was or could have done what he did. It
gave him a conviction that he was an instrument in God’s hands, and that when he
was moved to undertake anything as being God’s will, he would be carried through all
difficulties, enabled to surmount all opposition, and to carry the point in face of the
most tremendous odds. And to a great extent the result verified the belief. One is
almost disposed to envy Jonathan, with his whole powers of mind and body knit up
16

to the pitch of firmest and most dauntless resolution, under the inspiration that
moved him to this apparently desperate enterprise. All the world would have rushed
to stop him, insanely throwing away his life, without the faintest chance of escape.
But a voice spoke firmly in his bosom—I am not throwing away my life. And
Jonathan did not want certain tokens of encouragement. It was something that his
armour bearer neither flinched nor remonstrated. Whether in the way of friendly
banter or otherwise, the garrison, on perceiving them, invited them to come up, and
they would “show them a thing.” Greatly encouraged by the sign, they clambered up
on hands and feet till they gained the top of the rock. Then, when nothing of the kind
was expected, they fell on the garrison and began to kill. So sudden and unexpected
an onslaught threw the garrison into a panic. And thus the faith of Jonathan had a
glorious reward. The inspiration of faith vindicated itself, and the noble self-devotion
that had plunged into this otherwise desperate enterprise, because there was no
restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few, led thus to a triumph more speedy
and more complete than even Jonathan could have ventured to dream of.
1. This incident is full of lessons for modern times.
1. First, it shows what wide and important results may come from individual
conviction. Did not the Reformation begin through the steadfastness of Luther,
the miner’s son of Eisleben, to the voice that spoke out so loudly to himself? Did
not Carey lay the foundation of the modern mission in India, because he could
not get rid of that verse of Scripture. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the
Gospel to every creature?” Did not Livingstone persevere in the most dangerous,
the most desperate enterprise of our time, because he could not quench the voice
that called him to open up Africa or perish? Learn, everyone, from this, never to
be faithless to any conviction given to you, though, as far as you know, it is given
to you alone.
2. This narrative shows what large results may flow from individual effort. Think
how many children have been rescued by Dr. Barnardo, how many have been
emigrated by Miss Macpherson, how many souls have been impressed by Mr.
Moody, how many orphans have been eared for by Mr. Muller, how many
stricken ones have been relieved in the institutions of John Bost.
3. Lastly, we may learn from this narrative that the true secret of all spiritual
success lies in our seeking to be instruments in God’s hands, and in our lending
ourselves to Him, to do in us and by us whatever is good in His sight. It was not
Jonathan’s project that was to be carried out; it was the Lord’s cause that was to
be advanced. Jonathan had no personal ends in this matter. He was willing to
give up his life, if the Lord should require it. It is a like consecration in all
spiritual service that brings most blessing and success. “He that loveth his life
shall lose it, and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.”
(W. G. Blaikie, D. D.)
The battle of Michmash
These were evil days for the people of Israel. But it was in these dark days that
Jonathan shone so famous. It is yet true that difficulties prove our mettle, and that
the greater the hardship or peril, the more is the victory worth telling.
I. The presence of the enemy should rouse our courage. Is there not need for more
chivalry among the soldiers of Christ? How sin lords it over us, even in England.
Intemperance, lust, cruelty, ignorance, are the enemies of our ]and; and they do
almost as they like; they are slaying our people, starving our children, dishonouring
17

our women. Think, for instance, of the history of one gin palace Where are our
Jonathans? If we could not tolerate the presence of an invading foe how can we bear
to see the arrogance and cruelty of the enemies of Jesus Christ in this so-called
Christian land? It was Jonathan who conceived the plan of attacking the Philistines;
which leads us to say—princes should set the example. Officers, to the front. Have
you wealth?—use it as becomes a prince of God. Have you learning?—use it to slay
ignorance. How the example of Lord Shaftesbury has animated weaker men, and
made them feel like the armour bearer of Jonathan
II. It is true that earnest leaders should not lack brave followers. We are not told the
name of the young man who was Jonathan’s armour bearer, but he was worthy of the
situation. Listen to him: “Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with
thee according to thy heart.” As if he had said, “Look at me; do I look like flinching?
If thou art first, I will be second! I am ready to follow thy lead: thou canst not go
where I will not be close behind.” If Jesus Christ could only have a Church like that
armour bearer, how soon the victory would be ours! And it is yet true that the best of
leaders is all the better for the knowledge that his followers will not fail him. Let
those of us whose place is not to lead, yet help our commander by acting, so that
whenever he looks at us he will see our faces say, “I am with thee according to thy
heart.”
III. Jonathan knew that God can win by a minority. He said to his companion,
“There is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.” He remembered that
God had promised, “One shall chase a thousand, two put ten thousand to flight.” If,
in fighting the Lord’s battles, we wait till we outnumber the foe, we shall never “do
exploits.” Joshua and Caleb were outvoted, but they said, “Let us go up at once and
possess it.” The twelve apostles did not wait, but, in the teeth of the Sanhedrim,
preached “Jesus and the resurrection.” At one time John Wesley was almost the only
clergyman who dared the rotten eggs of the Philistines of his day, and now he and his
brother have a monument in Westminster Abbey!
IV. At the battle of Michmash, we have been taught that God helps them who help
themselves. God worked with the brave men who had gone alone. This “trembling of
God,” as it is called in the margin, struck a panic into the hearts of the Philistines.
This might have happened if Jonathan had not gone up, but most likely not. God
works yet by means, and delights in cooperating with His people. If you want God to
help you, help yourself. Climb up the hill in spite of Philistinic sneers, and when you
are at the top, the earth shall quake. You will not be alone very long. Saul brought his
army after the brave pair had gone alone, and the number of Saul’s people increased
directly, as you read in verses 21, 22. The enslaved Hebrews rose against their
masters, and these also who had hid themselves. “So the Lord saved Israel that day.”
(Thomas Champness.)
The valiant soldier
While the Philistines are making inroads upon Israel—sending out their different
companies—and strengthening themselves in garrisons or strongholds—poor Saul
remains, with his six hundred men, fearful and dispirited, under a pomegranate tree;
a standing proof of what God had told Israel should befall them when they sinned
against Him—their enemies the head, and they the tail. But God never will leave
Himself without a little faithful remnant, be it ever so small, so despised, or so
invisible. Haven’t you sometimes seen a tree of which the fruit has been gathered,
with just two or three left on in some part that has been overlooked, or in the very
uppermost bough, where they could not well be reached? Now, God compares the
18

very few of His people, whom He reserves, to this: “Two or three berries in the top of
the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof.” (Isa_
17:6). When we look at this we need to ask, with intense earnestness, “Lord, make me
one of those few.” Jonathan, bold as a lion, strong in the Lord, and in the power of
His might, says to his armour bearer, “Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’
garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his lather.” No, he had learned not
to confer with flesh and blood, when flesh and blood made him a coward in the cause
of his God. When you see plainly what is your duty, however difficult, go forward.
There will be many evil counsellors, who can talk much of the trials and difficulties,
and make other hearts faint like their own: but, you recollect, the Lord does not like
such soldiers; He would not let them stay in His army, for He well knew how catching
fear is, and what sad work it makes in the camp of Israel. There is a Counsellor from
whose lips you may ever hear, “Fear not.” “Incline your ear, and come unto Him.” We
see the children of this world urging each other forward—overcoming endless
difficulties—and accomplishing immense designs—while, too often, if God’s children
have any great work which they would fain do for Him, a thousand difficulties, and
ten thousand fears are started, and while they are debating the enemy is gaming
ground. Oh, for one such view of our precious Master as Jonathan had! Did we thus
see Him all difficulties would vanish. (Helen Plumptre.)
Room for services in the church
In the fourteenth chapter we see on the part of Jonathan what may be described as a
disorderly courage. Disorderly courage has often been crowned with successes, and
has therefore presented a strong temptation to ill-controlled natures. Free lances
have unquestionably done good service in many a man, physical and moral. At the
same time there ought to be a great central authority in all well-conducted
operations. Room should always be left for genius, and for those sudden impulses of
the soul which it is sometimes impossible to distinguish from inspiration: but taking
the rank and file, and looking upon the Church as a whole, it will he found that a
quiet exercise of discipline and a steady pursuit of paths of order will answer best in
the great issue. In the Church, let us repeat, room should be found for all sorts of
men: for the great king and the young soldier, for the flashing genius and the slow
moving mind. (J. Parker, D. D.)
2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah
under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him
were about six hundred men,
19

BARNES, "Under a pomegranate - Compare 1Sa_22:6; Jdg_4:5. Saul was at
the northern extremity of Gibeah, about an hour’s march from Geba, where Jonathan
was.
Migron, if the reading is correct, must be a different place from the Migron of Isa_
10:28.
CLARKE, "Under a pomegranate tree - Under Rimmon, which not only
signifies a pomegranate tree, but also a strong rock, in which six hundred Benjamites
took shelter, Jdg_20:45. Probably it was in this very rock that Saul and his six
hundred men now lay hidden.
GILL, "And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah,.... Not daring to go
out against the Philistines, but remained in the furthest part of Gibeah, at the
greatest distance from the camp of the Philistines, in the strongest part of the city, or
deeply entrenched in the outer, part of it in the field:
under a pomegranate tree; where were his headquarters; his tent or pavilion was
erected under a large spreading pomegranate, which protected him from the heat of
the sun: or
under Rimmon; the rock Rimmon; under the shelter of that, and in the caverns of
it; where a like number of Benjaminites he now had with him formerly hid
themselves, Jdg_20:47.
which is in Migron; a part of Gibeah, or rather of the field of Gibeah, so called; for
near it it certainly was; and is also mentioned along with Michmash, and as lying in
the way of the march of Sennacherib king of Assyria, to Jerusalem, Isa_10:28.
and the people that were with him were about six hundred men; which is
observed to show that no addition was made to his little army; it was the same it was
when he came thither, the people did not flock to his assistance, being in fear of the
army of the Philistines, which was so powerful; see 1Sa_13:15.
JAMISON, "Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah — Hebrew,
“Geba”; entrenched, along with Samuel and Ahiah the high priest, on the top of one
of the conical or spherical hills which abound in the Benjamite territory, and
favorable for an encampment, called Migron (“a precipice”).
WHEDON, " 2. The uttermost part of Gibeah — The outskirts of the city, or, as
Keil supposes; the extreme northern end.
Migron — This place must have been in the immediate vicinity of Gibeah, but its
exact position is unknown. The Migron of Isaiah 10:28 seems to have been north
of the Wady es-Suweinit, and, if so, must have been a different place from this.
20

HAWKER, "(2) And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a
pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about
six hundred men; (3) And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of
Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the
people knew not that Jonathan was gone.
Though Saul was thus reduced to the lowest state, and his fears were now visible, in
taking shelter under a tree, instead of facing the enemy, yet we find no humblings of
soul. He doth not send for Samuel, but Ahiah. He will not indeed again invade the
priest's office, but calls for the priest of the Lord, and the Ark: but alas! there is no
saving change made upon him. Though he hath the Ark of the divine presence with
him, yet he finds no strength nor confidence in the presence of the Lord. Alas!
outward services of worship without inward grace, only tend to keep the heart from
God, and do not lead to God.
PETT, "1 Samuel 14:2-3 a
‘And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate-tree which is
in Migron, and the people who were with him were about six hundred men, and
Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the
priest of YHWH in Shiloh, wearing an ephod.’
Meanwhile Saul with his men had moved from Geba to a precipice (migron) on the
borders of the land around Gibeah, where there was a prominent and well known
pomegranate tree. With them also was Ahijah, who was presumably the High Priest
(he was wearing the ephod), having now reached the age at which he could serve.
“Ahi-yah” could be another name for ‘Ahi-melech’, with Yah and Melech (king)
interchangeable, or Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21:1; 1 Samuel 22:9) may have been his
brother or son. We are reminded that he was the son of Ahitub who was Ichabod’s
elder brother, and, as we know, Ichabod (1 Samuel 4:21) was the son of Phinehas,
who was the son of Eli. Eli had been the priest of YHWH in Shiloh. Thus Ahijah was
of Eli’s line and was not in YHWH’s favour, as the reference to Ichabod (‘the glory
has departed’) emphasises. It is probable that Ahitub had either died comparatively
young, or was for some reason disqualified from the High Priesthood as a result of
some defect, which would explain why Samuel had had to act as High Priest until
Ahijah came of age. Now, however, Ahijah had taken up his position (he was wearing
the ephod, a special sleeveless jacket worn by the High Priest - compare 1 Samuel
21

2:28 - although the term here probably indicates the wearing of all the special
garments of the High Priest) and was presumably with Saul in order to provide him
with divine guidance. Had Ahitub still been alive he would have been around
Samuel’s age. The phrase ‘The priest of YHWH in Shiloh’ probably refers to Eli.
Shiloh has probably by this time dropped out of the picture as a Sanctuary. Ahijah is
mentioned again in 1 Samuel 14:18.
The mention of Ahijah here is significant, and especially his connection with
Ichabod - ‘the glory has departed’ (see 1 Samuel 4:21-22). The prophetic wisdom and
inspiration of Samuel has been replaced by the ritualistic activities of an uninspired
Priest from a rejected line. Saul still had enough of his religion in him to want
YHWH’s guidance, but he had lost the source of his true contact with YHWH and
was now making do with very much second best. This comes out all through the
passage in his hankering after the Ark of God (1 Samuel 14:18), in his foolish oath
made on his own behalf (1 Samuel 14:24), in the near execution of Jonathan (1
Samuel 14:44-45) because the Priest could get no answer from YHWH, and in the
inability to take advantage of the situation to defeat the Philistines once and for all (1
Samuel 14:46).
1 Samuel 14:3 b
‘And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.’
Meanwhile Jonathan was on his way, and no one knew that he had gone. He had
simply slipped away unnoticed. He had not wanted anyone to prevent him from going.
PULPIT, "1Sa_14:2
Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah. I.e. the part nearest Geba.
Under, not a, but the pomegranate tree, the well known tree at Migron. Saul
evidently shared to the full in the love of trees common among the Israelites (see
1Sa_22:6). The Hebrew word for pomegranate is Rimmon, but there is no doubt that
the tree is here meant, and not the rock Rimmon (Jdg_20:45, Jdg_20:47), so called
probably from a fancied resemblance to the fruit. Migron, said to mean a cliff was
apparently a common name for localities in this mountainous district, as in Isa_
10:28 we read of one lying to the north of Michmash, whereas this is to the south.
22

3 among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing
an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother
Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the
Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that
Jonathan had left.
BARNES, "Whether “Ahiah” or “Ahijah” is the same person as “Ahimelech the
son of Ahitub” (see the marginal reference), or whether Ahimelech was the brother or
son of Ahijah, and his successor in the priesthood, it is impossible to say certainly.
Most probably “Ahijah” and “Ahimilech” are variations of the same name; the latter
element in each alone being different, ‫מלך‬ melek (king) being substituted for the
divine name ‫יה‬ yâhh. Compare “Eliakim” and “Jehoiakim” 2Ki_23:34, “Eliab” and
“Eliel” 1Ch_6:27, 1Ch_6:34.
This fragment of a genealogy is a very valuable help to the chronology. The
grandson of Phinehas, the son of Eli, was now High Priest; and Samuel, who was
probably a few years older than Ahitub the son of Phinehas, was now an old man. All
this indicates a period of about 50 years or upward from the taking of the ark by the
Philistines.
The Lord’s priest in Shiloh - But as Eli was so emphatically known and
described in 1 Sam. 1–4, as God’s Priest at Shiloh, and as there is every reason to
believe that Shiloh was no longer the seat of the ark in Saul’s time (see 1 Sam. 22;
1Ch_13:3-5), it is better to refer these words to Eli, and not to Ahijah, to whom the
next words, “wearing an ephod,” apply. (See 1Sa_2:28; Jdg_1:1 note.)
CLARKE, "Ahiah, the son of Ahitub - Phinehas, son of Eli the high priests
had two sons, Ahitub and I-chabod; the latter was born when the ark was taken, and
his mother died immediately after. Ahiah is also called Ahimelech, 1Sa_22:9.
Wearing an ephod - That is, performing the functions of the high priest. This
man does not appear to have been with Saul when he offered the sacrifices, 1Sa_13:9,
etc.
GILL, "And Ahiah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother,.... Ichabod was the
23

child that Phinehas's wife bore prematurely on hearing the news of the ark being
taken and of the death of her husband and father-in-law, which name she gave him
on that account, and died; see 1Sa_4:19, he, it seems, had an elder brother, called
Ahitub, who died young, and this Ahiah was the son of him; for not he, but Ahitub,
was Ichabod's brother:
the son of Phinehas; so Ichabod was:
the son of Eli; so Phinehas was:
the Lord's priest in Shiloh; this refers not to Ahiah for he was not now priest in
Shiloh, which was destroyed: and besides, he was now in the camp of Saul; but to Eli,
who when living exercised the priest's office in Shiloh:
wearing an ephod; as Ahiah now did; not such as common priests wore, but the
ephod the high priest wore, which had the breastplate of judgment, the Urim and
Thummim, in it, by which inquiry was made, 1Sa_14:37. The meaning of all this is,
that the high priest is now with Saul, and the ark also, which and the high priest
might be sent for on this occasion, 1Sa_14:18.
and the people knew not that Jonathan was gone; or they would have gone
with him, namely, the military men that were particularly with him; he and Saul were
in two different parts of Gibeah, with distinct bodies of men; whether the thousand
that Jonathan first had with him all continued is not certain; it seems probable they
did not; it can hardly be thought he should have more with him than were with Saul;
see 1Sa_14:2, though from 1Sa_14:17 they seem now to have been together.
K&D, "1Sa_14:3
Along with Saul and his six hundred men, there was also Ahiah, the son of Ahitub,
the (elder) brother of Ichabod, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest at
Shiloh, and therefore a great-grandson of Eli, wearing the ephod, i.e., in the high
priest's robes. Ahiah is generally supposed to be the same person as Ahimelech, the
son of Ahitub (1Sa_22:9.), in which case Ahiah (‫ָה‬‫יּ‬ ִ‫ֲח‬‫א‬, brother, i.e., friend of Jehovah)
would be only another form of the name Ahimelech (i.e., brother or friend of the
King, viz., Jehovah). This is very probable, although Ahimelech might have been
Ahaiah's brother, who succeeded him in the office of high priest on account of his
having died without sons, since there is an interval of at least ten years between the
events related in this chapter and those referred to in 1 Samuel 22. Ahimelech was
afterwards slain by Saul along with the priests of Nob (1Sa_22:9.); the only one who
escaped being his son Abiathar, who fled to David and, according to 1Sa_30:7, was
invested with the ephod. It follows, therefore, that Ahiah (or Ahimelech) must have
had a son at least ten years old at the time of the war referred to here, viz., the
Abiathar mentioned in 1Sa_30:7, and must have been thirty or thirty-five years old
himself, since Saul had reigned at least twenty-two years, and Abiathar had become
high priest a few years before the death of Saul. These assumptions may be very
easily reconciled with the passage before us. As Eli was ninety-eight years old when
he died, his son Phinehas, who had been killed in battle a short time before, might
have been sixty or sixty-five years old, and have left a son of forty years of age,
namely Ahitub. Forty years later, therefore, i.e., at the beginning of Saul's reign,
Ahitub's son Ahiah (Ahimelech) might have been about fifty years old; and at the
death of Ahimelech, which took place ten or twelve years after that, his son Abiathar
might have been as much as thirty years of age, and have succeeded his father in the
24

office of high priest. But Abiathar cannot have been older than this when his father
died, since he was high priest during the whole of David's forty years' reign, until
Solomon deposed him soon after he ascended the throne (1Ki_2:26.). Compare with
this the remarks on 2Sa_8:17. Jonathan had also refrained from telling the people
anything about his intentions, so that they did not know that he had gone.
PULPIT, "1Sa_14:3
Ahiah, the son of Ahitub. (See on 1Sa_13:9.) It is interesting to find the house of
Eli recovering at last from its disaster, and one of its members duly ministering in his
office before the king. It has been debated whether he was the same person as
Ahimelech, mentioned in 1Sa_21:1, etc; the supposition being grounded on the fact
that Ahiah is never spoken of again. But he may have died; and with regard to the
argument drawn from the similarity of the names, we must notice that names
compounded with Ah (or Ach), brother, were common in Eli’s family, while
compounds with Ab, father, were most in use among Saul’s relatives. Ahiah or Ahijah
means Jah is brother; his father is Ahitub, the brother is good; why should he not
call another son Ahimelech, the brother is king? Jehovah’s priest in Shiloh. This
refers to Eli, the regular rule in Hebrew being that all such statements belong, not to
the son, but to the father. Wearing an ephod. Literally, ephod bearing. The ephod,
as we have seen on 1Sa_2:18, was the usual ministerial garment; but what is meant
here is not an ordinary ephod of linen, but that described in Le 1Sa_8:7, 1Sa_8:8,
wherein was the breastplate, by which Jehovah’s will was made known to his people,
until prophecy took its place. All this, the former part of the verse, must be regarded
as a parenthesis.
WHEDON, " 3. Ahiah — Here we meet again with the descendants of Eli. See
note on
1 Samuel 2:33. It is generally supposed, and quite probable, that Ahiah is only a
different name for Ahimelech, mentioned 1 Samuel 22:9; still, it is possible that
Ahimelech may have been his brother, and successor in the office of high priest.
The presence of the priest with Saul is here mentioned in anticipation of what is
to be stated in 1 Samuel 14:18-19; 1 Samuel 14:36-37.
ELLICOTT, " (3) Ahiah, the son of Ahitub.—The Chronicles, rehearsing these
facts, show us what a terrible impression the last events in Eli’s reign as high
priest had made in Israel. The destruction of Shiloh, the death of the high priest,
the fall of Phinehas and his brother in battle, the melancholy circumstances of
the birth of I-chabod, were still fresh in the memory of the people. Well might
Jonathan be ready to sacrifice himself if he could deal an effectual blow upon
these hereditary enemies of his country. Of this high priest Ahiah we never hear
again in these Books of Samuel. He is generally supposed to be the same as the
high priest Ahimelech, who was subsequently murdered by Doeg, by the
direction of Saul, with the priests at Nob (1 Samuel 22:9, &c.). The name Ahiah
signifies “brother,” or “friend of the Eternal”; Ahimelech, “brother of the king,”
25

may be another form of the same name.
Wearing an ephod.—The ephod here alluded to is not the ordinary priestly
vestment of white linen, but that official garment worn alone by the high priest,
in which was the breast-plate of gems with the mysterious Urim and Thummim,
by which inquiry used to be made of the Lord.
4 On each side of the pass that Jonathan
intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost
was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other
Seneh.
BARNES, "(The southern cliff was called “Seneh,” or “the acacia,” and the same
name still applies to the modern valley, dotted by acacias. The northern cliff was
named “Bozez” or “Shining.” The valley runs nearly due east, and the northern cliff is
of ruddy and tawny tint, crowned with gleaming white chalk, and in the full glare of
the sun almost all the day. (Conder.))
CLARKE, "The name of the one was Bozez - Slippery; and the name of the
other Seneh, treading down. - Targum.
GILL, "And between the passages by which Jonathan sought to go over
unto the Philistines' garrison,.... One of which is called the passage of
Michmash, 1Sa_13:23 and was that by which they went from Gibeah to Michmash;
the other, which might be called the passage of Gibeah, was that by which they went
from Michmash to Gibeah, and in effect was but one; and this was seized by the
garrison of the Philistines, on that part of it which was towards Michmash; so that
there was no way of access to the camp of the Philistines, which Jonathan therefore
proposed to go over to and destroy, but his difficulties were very great:
there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other
26

side; not that there was on each side of the passage or passages to the right and left a
cragged rock, between which men passed as they went from place to place; for the
position of them in the next verse shows the contrary; but there was "the tooth of a
rock" (l), as it is in the original text; or a promontory or prominence on the one side
towards Michmash, which stood out like a tooth; and another promontory or
prominence on that towards Gibeah; so that both must be gone over to get to the
camp, the only passage being guarded by the garrison; and indeed it seems to me
there was but one rock, and two precipices at the opposite parts of it, and which
stood between the passages, which precipices must be climbed over:
and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh;
which, according to the Targum, the one signifies "lubrication", being smooth and
slippery, and the other "treading", being more trodden and beaten: but Hillerus (m)
derives both from clay, which seems not so agreeable to a rock; though in another
place (n) he makes the former to have its name from whiteness, which is the colour of
some rocks and clifts; and one should think the latter rather has its name from
bushes, brambles, and thorns, that might grow upon it.
JAMISON, "between the passages — that is, the deep and great ravine of
Suweinit.
Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison — a distance of
about three miles running between two jagged points; Hebrew, “teeth of the cliff.”
there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other
side ... Bozez — (“shining”) from the aspect of the chalky rock.
Seneh — (“the thorn”) probably from a solitary acacia on its top. They are the only
rocks of the kind in this vicinity; and the top of the crag towards Michmash was
occupied as the post of the Philistines. The two camps were in sight of each other;
and it was up the steep rocky sides of this isolated eminence that Jonathan and his
armorbearer (1Sa_14:6) made their adventurous approach. This enterprise is one of
the most gallant that history or romance records. The action, viewed in itself, was
rash and contrary to all established rules of military discipline, which do not permit
soldiers to fight or to undertake any enterprise that may involve important
consequences without the order of the generals.
WHEDON, "4. Bozez and… Seneh — These rocks were in the valley that lay
between Geba and Michmash. The statements of this verse and the next are well
explained by Robinson, (Bib. Res., vol. i, p. 441:) “In the valley, just at the left of
where we crossed, are two hills of a conical, or, rather, a spherical form, having
steep, rocky sides, with small wadies running up behind each, so as almost to
isolate them. One is on the side towards Jeba, and the other towards Mukhmas.
These would seem to be the two rocks mentioned in connexion with Jonathan’s
adventure: they are not, indeed, so ‘sharp’ as the language of Scripture would
seem to imply, but they are the only rocks of the kind in this vicinity. The
northern one is connected towards the west with an eminence still more distinctly
isolated.”
K&D, "1Sa_14:4-5
27

In 1Sa_14:4, 1Sa_14:5, the locality is more minutely described. Between the passes,
through which Jonathan endeavoured to cross over to go up to the post of the
Philistines, there was a sharp rock on this side, and also one upon the other. One of
these was called Bozez, the other Seneh; one (formed) a pillar (‫צוּק‬ָ‫,)מ‬ i.e., a steep
height towards the north opposite to Michmash, the other towards the south
opposite to Geba. The expression “between the passes” may be explained from the
remark of Robinson quoted above, viz., that at the point where he passed the Wady
Suweinit, side wadys enter it from the south-west and north-west. These side wadys
supply so many different crossings. Between them, however, on the north and south
walls of the deep valley, were the jagged rocks Bozez and Seneh, which rose up like
pillars to a great height. These were probably the “hills” which Robinson saw to the
left of the pass by which he crossed: “Two hills of a conical or rather spherical form,
having steep rocky sides, with small wadys running up behind so as almost to isolate
them. One is on the side towards Jeba, and the other towards Mukhmas” (Pal. ii. p.
116).
HAWKER, "Verses 4-6
(4) And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the
Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on
the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other
Seneh. (5) The forefront of the one was situate northward over against
Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah. (6) And Jonathan said
to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the
garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for
there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
This is the first introduction we have, in the sacred history of Jonathan, the son
of Saul; and a most pleasing one it is. There can be no doubt, but that his mind
was under gracious influences, from the strong confidence he expressed in the
sovereignty of the Lord. He knew enough of Jehovah, and that in a covenant way
it appears, from the line he draws between Israel and the uncircumcised
Philistines, to know that few or many, are of no avail with him. Reader! what a
lesson is this, to you and me? Had Jonathan such confidence in God, and shall
our faith be less? I beg the Reader to remark with me, the grounds of this well
formed faith of Jonathan's, namely, the divine glory. He had heard, no doubt, of
the Lord's former interferences, in Israel's distresses. Now, saith Jonathan, this
is the time for God to work. The glory must be wholly his, if he save us. Oh!
Reader! may the Holy Ghost give you and me to profit from this view of faith, in
one who never possessed the advantages for the exercise of it, which you and I
do. We have seen Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, accomplishing
redemption: and his promise, like himself, is unchangeable. He saith; If we have
faith as a grain of mustard seed, we might say to the sycamore tree, Be thou
28

plucked up by the root, and it should obey you. Luke 17:6. Lord I would say,
increase our faith!
BENSON, "1 Samuel 14:4. Between the passages — Two passages, both which
Jonathan must cross, to go to the Philistines, and between which the following
rocks lay; but the words may be rendered, in the middle of the passage; the
plural number being put for the singular. There was a sharp rock — Which is
not to be understood, as if in this passage one rock was on the right hand, and
the other on the left; for so he might have gone between both, and there was no
need of climbing up to them. But the meaning is, that the tooth (or prominence)
of one rock (as it is in the Hebrew) was on the one side; that is, northward,
looking toward Michmash, (the garrison of the Philistines,) and the tooth of the
other rock was on the other side; that is, southward, looking toward Gibeah,
(where Saul’s camp lay,) and Jonathan was forced to climb over these two rocks,
because the common ways from one town to the other were obstructed.
PETT, "1 Samuel 14:4-5
‘And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’
garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other
side, and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. The
one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south
in front of Geba.’
The actual scenery of the road that Jonathan took to reach the Philistines is
described. It presents us with a picture of mountain grandeur. As he proceeded
along the mountain passes with his companion he saw a rocky crag on each side
rising up like a tooth. One was called Bozez which means ‘shining’. This was
because the sun shone directly on it causing its white chalk to blaze with light.
The other was named Seneh which means ‘acacia’, probably because of its acacia
trees, which are still to be found in the associated valley.
PULPIT, "1Sa_14:4-5
In 1Sa_14:4, 1Sa_14:5, the locality is more minutely described. Between the passes,
through which Jonathan endeavoured to cross over to go up to the post of the
Philistines, there was a sharp rock on this side, and also one upon the other. One of
these was called Bozez, the other Seneh; one (formed) a pillar (‫צוּק‬ָ‫,)מ‬ i.e., a steep
height towards the north opposite to Michmash, the other towards the south
opposite to Geba. The expression “between the passes” may be explained from the
remark of Robinson quoted above, viz., that at the point where he passed the Wady
Suweinit, side wadys enter it from the south-west and north-west. These side wadys
supply so many different crossings. Between them, however, on the north and south
walls of the deep valley, were the jagged rocks Bozez and Seneh, which rose up like
pillars to a great height. These were probably the “hills” which Robinson saw to the
left of the pass by which he crossed: “Two hills of a conical or rather spherical form,
29

having steep rocky sides, with small wadys running up behind so as almost to isolate
them. One is on the side towards Jeba, and the other towards Mukhmas” (Pal. ii. p.
116).
5 One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash,
the other to the south toward Geba.
GILL, "The forefront of the one was situate northward, over against
Michmash,.... The northern precipice of this rock was towards Michmash, where
the Philistines lay encamped, and where was the passage of Michmash the garrison
went into and possessed:
and the other southward, over against Gibeah; the southern precipice faced
Gibeah, and both precipices were to be got over before he could get to the garrison,
these lying between the two passages; the one at one end, called the passage of
Michmash, the other at the other, which might be called the passage of Gibeah.
PULPIT, "1Sa_14:5
Was situate, etc. The word thus translated is that rendered pillar in 1Sa_2:8, and
the verse should possibly be translated, "And the one tooth (or crag) was a rocky
mass on the north over against Michmash, and the other was on the south over
against Geba" (not Gibeah, as the A.V.; see 1Sa_13:16). But the word is omitted in the
versions, and may be an interpolation.
6 Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer,
“Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those
uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in
30

our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from
saving, whether by many or by few.”
BARNES, "It is remarkable that the epithet “uncircumcised,” used as a term of
reproach, is confined almost exclusively to the Philistines. (Compare 1Sa_17:26, 1Sa_
17:36; Jdg_14:3; Jdg_15:18, etc.) This is probably an indication of the long
oppression of the Israelites by the Philistines and of their frequent wars.
CLARKE, "Let us go over - Moved, doubtless, by a Divine impulse.
There is no restraint to the Lord - This is a fine sentiment; and where there is
a promise of defense and support, the weakest, in the face of the strongest enemy,
may rely on it with the utmost confidence.
GILL, "And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour,.... A
second time, as Abarbinel thinks; the young man giving no answer to him the first
time, perhaps through fear, he repeats it, and enlarges upon it for his
encouragement:
come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised; as
these Philistines were, whereas several of the other nations, though Heathen, were
circumcised; as the Edomites, Arabians, and others; and this Jonathan observes to
the young man, in hope that they being such the Lord would deliver them into their
hand:
it may be that the Lord will work for us; a sign, as the Targum, a miracle, as
indeed he did; and of which Jonathan was persuaded in his own mind, though he did
not choose to express himself in a confident way; not knowing in what manner, and
whether at this time the Lord would appear, and work salvation and deliverance; and
yet had a strong impulse upon his mind it would be wrought, and therefore was
encouraged to try this expedient:
for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few; he is not
limited to numbers, and can easily work salvation by a few as by many. It is no
difficult thing to him to save by few, nor can anything hinder him, let the difficulties
be what they will, when he has determined to deliver his people.
JAMISON, "it may be that the Lord will work for us — This expression did
not imply a doubt; it signified simply that the object he aimed at was not in his own
power - but it depended upon God - and that he expected success neither from his
own strength nor his own merit.
31

COFFMAN, "JONATHAN'S VICTORY AGAINST THE PHILISTINES
"And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go
over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work
for us; for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few." And
his armor-bearer said to him, "Do all that your mind inclines to; behold, I am
with you, as is your mind, so is mine." Then said Jonathan, "Behold, we will
cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. If they say to us,
`Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place, and we will not
go up to them. But if they say, `Come up to us,' then we will go up; for the Lord
has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us." So both of them
showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said,
"Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hid themselves."
And the men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor-bearer, "Come up to
us, and we will show you a thing." And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer,
"Come up after me, for the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel." Then
Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer after him. And
they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed them after him. and that
first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, was of about twenty
men within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land. And there was a
panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and even
the raiders trembled; the earth quaked; and it became a very great panic."
"Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few" (1 Samuel 14:6).
The remarkable faith of Jonathan is evident throughout this chapter. Some have
supposed that he might have been inspired by the Spirit of God which is not at
all unlikely.
If they say, `Come up to us,' then we will go up (1 Samuel 14:8). Keil explained
this sign as indicating cowardice on the part of the garrison;[9] but it seems to
this writer that the sign might have been altogether an arbitrary one revealed to
Jonathan by the Lord. The garrison might have thought the two men were
defectors to their side, or that it was beneath the dignity of the whole garrison to
go after only two opponents.
"Hebrews are coming out of holes where they have hid themselves" (1 Samuel
14:11). H. P. Smith wrote that, "This expression does not necessarily presuppose
the account in 1 Samuel 13:6";[10] but, of course, that is exactly what it does
32

presuppose.
"And they fell before Jonathan" (1 Samuel 14:13). The amazing success of this
attack was due to "its utter surprise."[11] Another similar historical victory
achieved by scaling what was thought to be an impossible place of ascent is that
of General James Wolfe who scaled the bluff along the St. Lawrence river below
Quebec on the night of Sept. 13,1759, and on the following morning surprised
and defeated the Marquis de Montcalm; and the continent of North America
went over to the British![12] However, in Jonathan's victory, the surprise was
only the human side of it; there was also a timely earthquake (1 Samuel 14:15)
that completely finished all resistance by the Philistines.
"As it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land" (1 Samuel 14:14). Keil
calculated this measurement to be about the same as "a rod,"[13] which is the
equivalent of five and one half yards, sixteen and one half feet, or 5.02 meters.
"The earth quaked" (1 Samuel 14:15). Some scholars have supposed this 'quake'
to have been a reference to the earth-shaking stampede of the Philistines, but we
believe the opinion of scholars such as H. P. Smith and John Willis is correct.
"God intervened in Israel's behalf by causing an earthquake."[14]
ELLICOTT, " (6) And Jonathan said.—This companion in arms answered to
the esquire of the knight of the middle ages. Gideon, Joab, David, and others of
the famous Israelite warriors, were constantly accompanied in a similar manner
by an armour-bearer.
Come, and let us go over.—Although in this history of the great deed of
Jonathan there is no mention of the “Spirit of the Lord” having come upon him,
as in the case of Gideon (Judges 6:34), Othniel (Judges 3:10), Samson, and
others—who, in order to enable them to accomplish a particular act, were
temporarily endowed with superhuman strength and courage and wisdom—
there is no shadow of doubt but that in this case the “Spirit of the Lord”
descended on the heroic son of Saul. All the circumstances connected with this
event, which had so marked an influence on the fortunes of Israel, are evidently
supernatural. The brave though desperate thought which suggested the attack,
the courage and strength needful to carry it out, the strange panic which seized
the Philistine garrison, the utter dismay which spread over the whole of the
Philistine forces, and which caused them to fly in utter confusion before the
33

small bands of Israelites, all belong to the same class of incidents so common in
the earlier Hebrew story, when it is clear that the Glorious Arm of the Eternal
helped them in a way it helped no other peoples.
The term “uncircumcised” is commonly applied to the Philistines, and to other of
the enemies of Israel. It is used as a special term of reproach. The enmity
between Philistia and Israel lasted over a long period, and was very bitter.
It may be that the Lord will work for us.—These words explain the apparent
recklessness of Jonathan’s attempt. It was Another who would fight the armed
garrison on those tall peaks opposite, and bring him safely back to his people
again.
For there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.—“O Divine
power of faith, which makes a man more than men. The question is not what
Jonathan can do, but what God can do, whose power is not in the means, but in
Himself. There is no restraint in the Lord to save by many or by few. O
admirable faith in Jonathan, whom neither the steepness of the rocks nor
multitude of enemies can dissuade from such an assault.”—Bishop Hall.
BENSON, "1 Samuel 14:6. The garrison of these uncircumcised — So he calls
them, to strengthen his faith by this consideration, that his enemies were enemies
to God; whereas he was circumcised, and therefore in covenant with God, who
was both able and engaged to assist his people. It may be — He speaks
doubtfully; for though he felt himself stirred up by God to this exploit, and was
assured that God would deliver his people, yet he was not certain that he would
do it at this time, and in this way. That the Lord will work — Great and
wonderful things. There is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or few —
From this it appears that Jonathan had a true faith in the power of God, being
fully persuaded that he could do every thing, and needed not the help or co-
operation of natural causes.
COKE, ". Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour— We are to
consider this whole exploit as undertaken and carried on by the immediate
impulse of God. Josephus supposes that Jonathan went away in the night. Do all
that is in thine heart, in the next verse, signifies, whatever thou devisest and
approvest. And I am with thee, according to thy heart, means, in every thing in
which thou canst desire or command my concurrence. See Chandler's Review, p.
34

87 and the note on 1 Samuel 14:14 of the foregoing chapter.
LANGE, "1 Samuel 14:6. Continuation of the narrative, with resumption of
Jonathan’s words to his armor-bearer [ 1 Samuel 14:1], but with the difference
that the Philistines are here not called by their own name, but “uncircumcised.”
This expression marks the difference between them and Israel as covenant-
people, which forms the basis for the following utterance of Jonathan. Ewald’s
characterization of Jonathan’s feeling as “a mixture of youthful impatience and
lofty courage” (III:48) does not fully explain the inner side of this deed. Its
natural basis is youthful heroic spirit and impetuous desire of achievement; but
it receives high ethical value and significance from its religious root in
Jonathan’s God-fearing and God-trusting heart, whose feeling is expressed in the
word: Perhaps Jehovah will work for us, for there is no restraint to Jehovah to
save by many or by few.—Over against the “uncircumcised” Jonathan is clearly
conscious: 1) that his people is the chosen one, belonging to the Lord, with whom
the Lord has made a covenant, and2) that the Lord cannot deny His almighty
help to this people as their covenant-God. This word of Jonathan expresses the
genuine theocratic disposition of the liveliest consciousness of God and the
firmest trust in God, whence alone could come a true deliverance of the people
from their oppressive burden. The “perhaps” indicates not a doubt, but the
humility which was coupled with Jonathan’s heroic spirit; he is far from
tempting God. The humble and modest hope which is expressed in the word:
“perhaps the Lord will work for us” is straightway grounded on the truth: there
is no restraint to the Lord, that Isaiah, he is at liberty to save by many or by few;
that Isaiah, the Lord’s help is not dependent on the extent or the degree of the
means by which it is realized; his helping power is not conditioned, but absolute.
The same thought in Psalm 147:10-11; 2 Chronicles 14:11; 1 Maccabees 3:18-19.
PETT, "1 Samuel 14:6
‘And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armour, “Come, and let us
go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised people. It may be that YHWH will
work for us, for there is no restraint to YHWH to save by many or by few.” ’
As they progressed Jonathan explained his intentions. They would continue to
make their way towards the Philistine outpost, trusting in YHWH to work for
them. For as he pointed out, YHWH was able to save by many or by few
(compare Judges 7:4; Judges 7:7). Jonathan is thus seen as a man of great faith,
which was why he could not see how YHWH could possibly let the
‘uncircumcised Philistines’ triumph in the end. The Philistines were looked down
on by their neighbours because unlike most people in Canaan they were
35

uncircumcised. They were thus often derogatorily known as ‘the uncircumcised
Philistines’.
We note that Jonathan had learned the lesson that had been forgotten by a
failing Saul, that ‘YHWH could save by many or by few’. Jonathan knew that
what mattered was not the number in the army, but that YHWH was working
for them. If that were the case were irrelevant. Had Saul remembered that
lesson, a lesson especially brought home by the story of Gideon (Judges 7:6-7 -
Saul had twice as many men as Gideon, also divided into three companies) he
would never have offered the sacrifices before Samuel came.
K&D, "1Sa_14:6
And Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, “Come, we will go over to the post of
these uncircumcised; it may be that Jehovah will work for us; for (there is) no
hindrance for Jehovah to work salvation by many or few.” Jonathan's resolution
arose from the strong conviction that Israel was the nation of God, and possessed in
Jehovah an omnipotent God, who would not refuse His help to His people in their
conflict with the foes of His kingdom, if they would only put their whole trust in Him.
PULPIT, "1Sa_14:6
Uncircumcised. An epithet of dislike almost confined to the Philistines. But
underneath the whole speech of Jonathan lies the conviction of the covenant relation
of Israel to Jehovah, of which circumcision was the outward sign. Notice also
Jonathan’s humble reliance upon God. It may be that Jehovah will work for us,
etc.
7 “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-
bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart
and soul.”
CLARKE, "Behold, I am with thee - I shall accompany thee whithersoever
36

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