1Sa 14:23 | KD | STEP | “ Thus the Lord helped Israel that day, and the conflict went out beyond Bethaven .” Bethaven was on the east of Michmash, and, according to , the Philistines fled westwards from Michmash to Ajalon. But if we bear in mind that the camp of the Philistines was on the eastern side of Michmash before Bethaven, according to , and that the Israelites forced their way into it from the south, we shall see that the battle might easily have spread out beyond Bethaven, and that eventually the main body of the enemy might have fled as far as Ajalon, and have been pursued to that point by the victorious Israelites. Saul’s precipitate haste . - 1Sa 14:24. The men of Israel were pressed (i.e., fatigued) on that day , sc., through the military service and fighting. Then Saul adjured the people, saying, “ Cursed be the man that eateth bread until the evening, and (till) I have avenged myself upon mine enemies .” יאל, fut. apoc . of יאלה for יאלה, from אלה, to swear, Hiphil to adjure or require an oath of a person. The people took the oath by saying “ amen ” to what Saul had uttered. This command of Saul did not proceed from a proper attitude towards the Lord, but was an act of false zeal, in which Saul had more regard to himself and his own kingly power than to the cause of the kingdom of Jehovah, as we may see at once from the expression וגו נקּמתּי, “till I have avenged myself upon mine enemies.” It was a despotic measure which not only failed to accomplish its object (see , ), but brought Saul into the unfortunate position of being unable to carry out the oath (see ). All the people kept the command. “ They tasted no bread .” ולא־טעם is not to be connected with ונקּמתּי as an apodosis.

‏ 1 Samuel 14:23

“Thus the Lord helped Israel that day, and the conflict went out beyond Bethaven.” Bethaven was on the east of Michmash, and, according to 1Sa 14:31, the Philistines fled westwards from Michmash to Ajalon. But if we bear in mind that the camp of the Philistines was on the eastern side of Michmash before Bethaven, according to 1Sa 13:5, and that the Israelites forced their way into it from the south, we shall see that the battle might easily have spread out beyond Bethaven, and that eventually the main body of the enemy might have fled as far as Ajalon, and have been pursued to that point by the victorious Israelites.Saul’s precipitate haste. - 1Sa 14:24. The men of Israel were pressed (i.e., fatigued) on that day, sc., through the military service and fighting. Then Saul adjured the people, saying, “Cursed be the man that eateth bread until the evening, and (till) I have avenged myself upon mine enemies.” יאל, fut. apoc. of יאלה for יאלה, from אלה, to swear, Hiphil to adjure or require an oath of a person. The people took the oath by saying “amen” to what Saul had uttered. This command of Saul did not proceed from a proper attitude towards the Lord, but was an act of false zeal, in which Saul had more regard to himself and his own kingly power than to the cause of the kingdom of Jehovah, as we may see at once from the expression וגו נקּמתּי, “till I have avenged myself upon mine enemies.” It was a despotic measure which not only failed to accomplish its object (see 1Sa 14:30, 1Sa 14:31), but brought Saul into the unfortunate position of being unable to carry out the oath (see 1Sa 14:45). All the people kept the command. “They tasted no bread.” ולא־טעם is not to be connected with ונקּמתּי as an apodosis.