1Sa 14:1-15 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Sam 14:1-52: 14:1-52 Saul’s behavior in this chapter further justifies his dismissal as king (13:8-14 ; see also ch 15 ). Saul was alienated from both Samuel and his heroic son Jonathan. Chapter 14 anticipates the significant role that Jonathan played in the transition from Saul’s kingship to David’s. Summary for 1Sam 14:1-15: 14:1-15 Jonathan again fought in his father’s battles (see also 13:2-4 ; ch 31 ). 14:1 armor bearer: See study note on 16:21. • Jonathan did not tell his father because he knew that Saul would not grant permission for the dangerous plan. But he also knew that Saul wanted no one—not even his own son

Summary for 1Sam 14:1-52: 14:1-52 ^a Saul’s behavior in this chapter further justifies his dismissal as king (13:8-14 ^b; see also ch 15 ^c). Saul was alienated from both Samuel and his heroic son Jonathan. Chapter 14 ^d anticipates the significant role that Jonathan played in the transition from Saul’s kingship to David’s.
Summary for 1Sam 14:1-15: 14:1-15 ^e Jonathan again fought in his father’s battles (see also 13:2-4 ^f; ch 31 ^g). 14:1 ^h armor bearer: See study note on 16:21.

• Jonathan did not tell his father because he knew that Saul would not grant permission for the dangerous plan. But he also knew that Saul wanted no one—not even his own son—to upstage him.
14:2 ⁱ camped: Saul’s inactivity contrasts with Jonathan’s initiative (see also 22:6 ^j).
14:3 ^k Ahijah the priest was an adviser who could give Saul divine guidance through the ephod (14:18-19 ^l; see also 2:18 ^m and corresponding study note; 23:9-10 ⁿ).

• son of Eli: Saul, the rejected king (13:13-14 ^o), kept in his company a priest from the rejected priesthood (2:27-36 ^p).

• Ichabod: See 4:21 ^q.
Summary for 1Sam 14:4-5: 14:4-5 ^r The Philistines had already secured this area (13:23 ^s), so Jonathan and his armor bearer had to move carefully.
14:6 ^t pagans (literally uncircumcised): A disdainful term for enemies of Israel (see also 17:36 ^u; 31:4 ^v).

• Perhaps: Jonathan had no guarantee of survival, but he was certain that God could grant them victory despite the odds. Victory was in God’s hands; Jonathan offered himself as an instrument God could use.

• many warriors or only a few: Jonathan knew what Gideon had learned many years earlier (see Judg 7:2-8 ^w).
14:11 ^x Hebrews: See study note on 13:3.

• crawling out of their holes: See 13:6 ^y.
14:15 ^z panic broke out: This parallel with the Gideon story depicts Jonathan as a judge-like figure (cp. Judg 7:19-22 ^aa). God had not anointed or expressly gifted Jonathan to be leader, yet God used him to rescue his people.

• raiding parties: See study note on 1 Sam 13:17-18.