Samuel 14 is quite lengthy, featuring the Hebrew’s battling – and dispersing – the Philistines.
Though technically a military victory, it was no knock-out. Let us summarize the chapter before
turning to Abravanel, where we will focus on one aspect of the military campaign.
“And the men of Israel were distressed that day; but Saul adjured the people,
saying: Cursed be the man that eats any food until it be evening, and I be
avenged on mine enemies. So, none of the people tasted food.“
King Saul, to be fair, had limited resources with which to fight Philistine overlords. Short on
manpower, lacking arms, he cobbled together something resembling a fighting force. The
chapter highlights the royal commander’s challenge. That is, Saul watched the Hebrews, en
masse, run and take cover from ruthless Philistines. But that was only the half of it. Besides
being badly outnumbered, the Hebrews had been unable to procure arms. That is due to the
Philistine strict ban on Hebrews possessing metal implements – on penalty of death.
Not all was doom and gloom for King Saul’s dwindling and unequipped men. On the one hand,
God had seen His nation’s plight. However, on the other hand, He had also remembered the
king’s earlier insouciance to Him and to Samuel, the prophet. God’s favor, therefore, would be
limited and skip a generation. It attached to Saul’s son Jonathan who became a conduit of
divine providence.
Jonathan’s mettle needs to be understood. “And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his
armor: 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.” The
king’s son uttered immortal words of faith and belief: God saves the Hebrews against all odds.
In our context, Jonathan referred to two men (himself and his armor-bearer) audaciously
attacking a large and protected Philistine garrison. Abravanel states that, indeed, Jonathan had
been divinely inspired.
The king’s son was electrified; his aide-de-camp sensed it. “And his armor-bearer said unto him:
Do all that is in your heart; turn you, behold I am with you according to your heart.” In a word,
Jonathan was pumped.
He designed a test to feel out the fighting spirit of the Philistine garrison. Discerning weakness,
courtesy of the Creator, Jonathan and aide stormed a Philistine outpost, slaying twenty men.
King Saul, not far away from where Jonathan staged his attack, had not been apprised, let alone
approved, of his son’s gambit. Moreover, Saul hadn’t even known that Jonathan slipped away
from the main camp.
“And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor-bearer after him;
and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor-bearer slew them after him.” A chaotic Philistine
camp crumbled and fled. They believed that Jonathan and his aide stood at the vanguard of a
wave of Jewish masses. Maybe, Abravanel adds, panic resulted from an earthquake. Shaking
and rumbling ground gave Philistines an impression that God fought for the Jews. Be that as it
may, two men sent Philistines packing.
Saul heard the commotion, eventually learning that his son Jonathan triggered it. “Then said
Saul unto the people that were with him: Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when
they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there.” Seizing
advantage, King Saul joined in. “And Saul and all the people that were with him were gathered
together, and came to the battle; and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and
there was a very great discomfiture.”
Next, the king sought guidance from Above. “And Saul asked counsel of God: Shall I go down
after the Philistines? will You deliver them into the hand of Israel? But He answered him not
that day.” Generally, a Jewish leader could depend on the Urim and Thummim for help. Not this
time. “But He answered him not that day.” Abravanel explains God’s silent treatment, in a
manner of speaking. It resulted from Saul’s earlier disrespect for the Maker and Samuel, by
failing to diligently heed the prophet’s words.
The Urim and Thummim went aphonic, allowing the Philistines a temporary reprieve. “Then
Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.” Saul’s
determination to rid the Hebrews of foreign threat, though, had not abated. “And there was
bitter war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any
valiant man, he took him unto him.”
Saul and his plucky company hammered away at enemy forces, earning the respect of his
nation. “So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side,
against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of
Zobah, and against the Philistines. And whithersoever he turned himself, he put them to the
worse.”