Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 14

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 taken 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, we will 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 disorganized 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.

Under a pomegranate tree. —The love of Saul for trees, which was so common among the children of Israel, has been noticed. (See again 1 Samuel 22:0, 1 Samuel 14:6. The king is spoken of as under the tamarisk of Ramali; Deborah is specially mentioned as judging Israel under the palm-tree in Beth-el.)

Ahiah, the son of Ahitub. —The Chronicles, recounting 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, and the melancholy circumstances of the birth of Ichabod, were still fresh in the memory of the people. Jonathan might well have been ready to sacrifice himself if he could deal an effective blow against these hereditary enemies of his country.

We never hear again of this high priest Ahiah in these Books of Samuel. He is generally supposed to be the same as the high priest Ahimelech, who was later murdered by Doeg, by Saul's direction, with the priests at Nob (1 Samuel 22:9 and following). The name Ahiah signifies “brother” or “friend of the Eternal”; Ahimelech, “brother of the king,” may be another form of the same name.

Wearing an ephod. —The ephod alluded to here is not the ordinary priestly vestment of white linen, but that official garment worn only by the high priest, which contained the breastplate of gems with the mysterious Urim and Thummim, by which the Lord was consulted.

Bozez ... Seneh. —These names are of extreme antiquity. Their meaning is disputed. Possibly Bozez signifies “shining,” and Seneh “the acacia.” These rocks have been identified by modern travellers.

And Jonathan said. — This companion in arms corresponded to the esquire of the knight of the Middle Ages. Gideon, Joab, David, and other 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, courage, and wisdom—there is no shadow of a doubt 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 that suggested the attack, the courage and strength necessary to carry it out, the strange panic that seized the Philistine garrison, and the utter dismay that spread over the whole of the Philistine forces, causing them to flee in utter confusion before the small bands of Israelites—all these belong to the same class of incidents so common in earlier Hebrew story. In such instances, 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 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 the multitude of enemies can dissuade from such an assault.” — Bishop Hall.