The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 165
SECT. CLXV.
THE body of the Philiſtines Army remaining in the Plains about Michmaſh, it ſeems a party of them went and took a paſſage near to them, which was the paſſage from Michmaſh towards Gibeah, and kept it againſt the Iſraelites. Jonathan the Son of Saul being moved by a ſpecial inſtinct of the Spirit of God, and endued not only with Heroick gifts of valour and fortitude, but alſo with an extraordinary ſtrong faith in Gods promiſes, that if his people obeyed him, One of them ſhould chaſe a thouſand of their enemies, and two of them put ten thouſand to flight, Deut. 32.30. He had a deſign in his head to ſet upon that Court of Guard of the Philiſtines which kept the Michmaſh-paſſage, but he acquaints not his Father with it, who in likelihood would have diſſwaded him from undertaking ſo dangerous and deſperate an enterprize. Saul was now encamped with his ſix hundred men in ſome field, or plain near unto Gibeah, called Migron, where having fortified himſelf, he obſerv'd the motions of the enemy. Abiah (a)God threatned Eli that his children ſhould die in the ſlower of their age. See 1 Sam. 2.21, 23.(the Son of Ahitub the eldeſt Son of Phinehas) being now High-Prieſt came thither with the Ephod, and Ark for the peoples better encouragement. Jonathan now acquaints his Armour-bearer with his deſign; Come (ſays he) let thou and I go and ſurprize that Court of Guard which the uncircumciſed *For being aliens and not in Covenant with God, they are not under his protection▪ and we being His people, and in Covenant with him, have his promiſe that he will give us victory over his and our enemies; yea a ſpecial promiſe that Saul ſhall ſave us out of the hand of the Philiſtines, Ch. 9.16.Philiſtines keep near Michmaſh; come let us try, it may be the Lord will work for us; for there is no reſtraint to him to ſave by many or by few. His Armour-bearer replied, Do all that is in thine heart; that is, all that ſeemeth good unto thee; turn thee and go whither thou wilt, I am with thee according to thy heart, that is, as willing and ready to follow thee in this enterprize as thy own ſoul can deſire. Now there was it ſeems a craggy paſſage between Gibeah and Michmaſh, and he that went through that paſſage (which had two Rocks in the way) muſt go over both of them one after another; Jonathan now with his Armour-bearer reſolving to make this attempt, he humbly deſires a ſign from God to confirm his faith, that he would bleſs and aſſiſt him in this dangerous enterprize, as Abrahams ſervant in a like caſe did, Gen. 24.13. And undoubtedly by the guidance of Gods Spirit he pitched upon this particular ſign, viz. That if the Philiſtines when they firſt diſcovered themſelves to them ſhould ſay, Tarry till we come unto you, that ſhould be to them a ſign of their great courage and boldneſs, and then they ſhould not go up to them. But if they ſhould ſay come up unto us, it ſhould be a ſign of their fearfulneſs, and then they ſhould go up, for the Lord would deliver them into their hands. Having obtained this ſign, Jonathan and his Armour-bearer preſent themſelves before the fort of the Philiſtines, who ſeeing them, ſayed in a ſcoffing manner, behold the Hebrews come out of the holes where they had hid themſelves; then they call'd to them, and ſaid, Come up to us and we will ſhew you a thing; implying that they durſt not come up, or if they did they would pay them for their pains, or teach them more wit than thus to hazard themſelves. Jonathan ſeeing that God had now anſwered his deſire in giving him this ſign of victory, he and his Armour-bearer fetching a little compaſs about to another place (as Joſephus tells us, which was not guarded by any Souldiers, the Philiſtines thinking it ſufficiently defended by nature) they clambred up on all four, hands and feet, and ſo got into the Fort, and God ſtriking the Philiſtines with a great terrour, Jonathan ſlew ſuch as he firſt met with, and his Armour-bearer having gotten a Spear or Sword from ſome that fell, did alſo ſlay others that he met with; and they two in a ſmall compaſs of ground not bigger than half an acre, ſl…w about twenty men. The Army of the Philiſtines upon this take the Alarm, and both they and the Garriſon, and the Spoilers that went out to ſpoil were all ſmitten with ſuch a mighty terrour from the Lord, and with ſuch a dreadful fear, and ſuch giddineſs and diſtemper of brain, (God alſo at the ſame time ſending a terrible earthquake which encreaſed the aſtoniſhment) that they fell upon and ſlew one another, miſtaking their friends and fellows for their enemies. Sauls Scouts perceiving a great hubbub in the Army of the Philiſtines, and that by mutual ſlaughters they deſtroyed one another, they acquaint Saul therewith, who thinking this might happen by ſome part of his Army skirmiſhing with them; he ordered his Souldiers ſhould be numbred to ſee who were wanting, and they found only Jonathan and his Armour-bearer abſent; Saul then calls to Ahiah the High-Prieſt preſently to put on the Ephod to enquire of the Lord what was the cauſe of that tumult in the Camp of the Philiſtines, and what he ſhould do on this occaſion: But he underſtanding again by his Spies that the Tumult went on and encreaſed, he bad the High-Prieſt ſtay his hand (a)By the many ſad effects that accompanied the following victory we may ſee how much God was diſpleaſed with this prophane contempt of his Ordinance, and not ſtaying to inquire of the Lord by the Ephod., for there was no time for them now to ſtand conſulting, and enquiring of the Lord, for the preſent opportunity ſuggeſted to them what they ſhould do, namely all join together, and fall upon the Philiſtines (being thus diſordered) with all their might; which accordingly they did. And when they came to the Philiſtines Camp, they found that every mans Sword was againſt his fellow, not being able through fear and amazement to diſcern friends from enemies, [ſee Judg. 7.22. 2 Chron. 20.23.] ſo that there was a great ſlaughter among them. And the Iſraelites who had formerly been taken Captives, and were now ſlaves and bondmen to the Philiſtines, and forced to follow their Camp, and attend upon their Carriages, joined now with their brethren againſt them. Alſo the Iſraelites that had hid themſelves in Mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philiſtines fled, they alſo came out of their holes and purſued after them; ſo that there were divers ſorts of men which joined in this Battel to work their deſtruction; the Philiſtines themſelves who ſlaughtered one another, Saul's Army, the Iſraelites that were Captives among the Philiſtines, and the Iſraelites who for fear of the Philiſtines Army had hid themſelves in Caves and Rocks. Thus the Lord ſaved Iſrael that day. And the purſuit after the Philiſtines went on to Beth-haven in the North of Benjamin. Saul being hot upon the purſuit, though the people were greatly diſtreſſed with hunger and faintneſs, yet raſhly charged them under the penalty of a dreadful curſe, and of being devoted as an accurſed thing that they ſhould not eat any food till night, that ſo they might not be hindred from purſuing their enemies. But this charge of Sauls was raſh and inconſiderate, and though it had a ſhew of zeal and good intent, yet it was in many reſpects ſinful and wicked: For, 1. it ſavoured ſomething of pride, and too eager appetite to have the glory of the victory only aſcribed to himſelf, and his policy and conduct, which more duly belonged to his Son. 2ly, He did it of his own head, without any warrant from God. 3ly, Though he pretended a good end, yet he uſed ill means, viz. the interdicting and forbidding of food to the people, though never ſo faint, and needing to eat. 4ly, He charged them under the penalty of preſent death, v. 43. which it was unlawful for him to inflict (though a King) without juſt cauſe. 5ly, Hereby he weakned and diſabled the people, and ſo hindred them from obtaining a much more glorious victory, v. 30. 6ly, He was hereby an occaſion of the peoples ſin, who afterwards being ready to die with hunger, did out of greedineſs eat the fleſh with the blood, v. 32. However the people being thus ſeverely charged by Saul, and that under a curſe, and the penalty of preſent death, none of them taſted any food, but purſued the enemy. At laſt they came to a Wood that lay between Michmaſh and Aijalon, that had ſuch p…nty of Honey that they found it upon the ground, either in hollow Trees out of which it ran upon the ground, or elſe in clefts of Rocks, or elſe the Bees made their neſts in the very hollow places of the earth. But though they found ſuch plenty of Honey there, yet none of them for fear of the curſe durſt put his hand to take any of it and to carry it to his mouth; but Jonathan not being with his Father in the Camp when he thus adjured the people, and ſo knowing nothing of it, and being through hunger and wearineſs ready to faint, he put forth the end of his Javelin or Spear that he carried in his hand, and dipt it in the wild honey that lay before him, and did eat of it, whereby his ſpirits were much revived and refreſhed, and his eyes that were dim before with faſting and faintneſs, and emptineſs and want of ſpirits, were now enlightened, and grew clear again. One of the Souldiers ſeeing him thus eat, told*V. 28. In the Hebrew phraſe a man is ſaid to anſwer when his ſpeech relateth to a thing before done as well as to a thing before ſpoken. See Numb. 11.28. him of the charge that his Father had given the people, which till then they had obſerved, but now were grown ſo weary and faint that they could not any longer purſue the enemy. Jonathan hearing this, ſaid, My Father hath cauſed a great inconvenience to the whole land of Iſrael this day, by impoſing upon you this ſevere charge, ſeeing hereby he hindreth you from obtaining a full and compleat victory. For if I my ſelf by taſting a little honey am ſo much refreſhed that I am enabled to go on chearfully as your Leader in the purſuit, how much more if all the Souldiers had been permitted to eat freely of the enemies ſpoils as they happened to light upon them, would they have been enabled thereby to have purſued and ſlaughtered more of their enemies? However the Iſraelites ſmote the Philiſtines that day from Michmaſh to Aijalon in the Tribe of Dan, not far from their own Country. But night being come, and the time of the prohibition expir'd, being with long faſting extream hungry, they greedily flew upon the ſpoil and cattel of the enemy, and ſlew them on the ground, and dreſſed them, and eat them, not ſtaying till they could be throughly cleanſed of the blood, which was contrary to the Law, Deut. 12.16. And thus though they ſtrictly obſerved the Kings command for fear of preſent death, yet they obſerved not Gods command, though the violation of it brought them under the penalty of a greater puniſhment. Some acquainted Saul herewith telling him that the people ſinned againſt the Lord in eating the fleſh before the blood was well drain'd out of it. Saul ſeverely chargeth their ſin upon them, but without any acknowledgment of his own, which was the cauſe of theirs: Ye have ſinned this day (ſays he) in thus eating the blood. Roll me a great ſtone that thereon in my ſight the people may kill their Beaſts, and that I my ſelf may ſee the blood fully drained out of the Cattel which they kill. Then Saul began†V. 35. Aedificavit Saul Altare, i. e. Caepit aedificare, & cum caepiſſet extruere altare domino, dixit Saul, deſcendamus ad Philiſteos, &c. videtur hoc innuere Saulem opus tantum-modo incaepiſſe & poſtea negligenter deſtitiſſe quomodo antea fecit quando Deum conſuleret. to build an Altar to the Lord that he might offer thereon Gratulatory Sacrifices for that glorious victory which God had newly given them; but it ſeems he did not finiſh it. Saul and the people having now refreſhed themſelves, he exhorts them vigorouſly to proſecute the Philiſtines, Let us go (ſays he) after the Philiſtines by night and ſpoil them unto the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. The people ſeemed very willing to it, but the High-Prieſt ſaid before we undertake ſuch a weighty buſineſs let us firſt ask counſel of God by Ʋrim and Thummim, and crave his direction in it, Saul agreed hereunto, and was willing to ask counſel of God by the High-Prieſt; but the Lord anſwered him not (a)Silentium Dei eo ſpectabat ut innocentia Jonathae, & praepoſtera Saulis inhumanitas, & nimia durities in lucem protraheretur.that day, which ſhewed that he was highly diſpleaſed (ſee Ch. 28.6.) but not with Jonathan for eating a little honey, but with Saul for the raſh charge which he in his arrogance and tyranny had impoſed upon the people, having no warrant from God to do it. It is evident that the Lords refuſing to anſwer Saul tended to his, that it might be diſcovered that Jonathan had indeed offended againſt the command of his Father (though ignorantly) but that Saul had by that raſh unadviſed charge and curſe hindred the proſecution of the victory, cauſed Iſrael to ſin, and now brought his own Son under the danger of being accurſed and put to death. Saul concluding that God was angry, becauſe when he enquired of him by the Prieſt, he would not anſwer him, he therefore preſently commanded all the heads of the Tribes and Families to draw near unto him, that by caſting lots it might be diſcovered who it was that had thus offended God among them; for though himſelf had greatly ſinned in that raſh and unadviſed Oath he had made, and the curſe he had impoſed upon the people, yet he concludes that the violation of his command muſt needs be the great offence which cauſed the Lord to be ſilent, and therefore for the finding out this he would have them caſt lots, and ſolemnly proteſts who ever was found guilty, (yea though it were Jonathan his Son) he ſhould not be ſpared; but not a man among them would accuſe Jonathan: Then he ſaid to the people, Be ye on the one ſide, and I and Jonathan will be on the other, and he prayed unto the Lord to give forth a perfect lot, that is, a lot which might clear the innocent, and fall upon the guilty. The lot being caſt, Saul and Jonathan were taken, then the lot was caſt between Saul and Jonathan, and Jonathan was taken; Jonathan was truly innocent and faultleſs, but not in Saul's ſenſe, and therefore why is he taken by the lot that was innocent? Many reaſons are rendred for it: 1. To puniſh Saul's raſh Oath, who thereby brought his deareſt Son into extream danger. [See the caſe of Jephtha, Judg. 11.30, 31, 35.] 2ly, To diſcover Saul's hypocriſie, who ſeemed very ſcrupulous and conſcientious in keeping a raſh and wicked Oath, yet made not conſcience of killing his innocent Son. 3ly, To juſtifie Jonathan, and that he might be declar'd innocent. Jonathan being taken, Saul asks him what he had done? Jonathan tells him he had taſted a little honey with the end of his rod or javelin; and he ſaw he muſt die for it, though he was wholly ignorant of the Kings ſevere prohibition. Saul replies, God do ſo to me and more alſo if I ſpare thee; a ſtran…e zeal this was in Saul, and an evidence that the Spirit of God had left him; he will not now in purſuance of his raſh Oath ſpare a brave, …riant and moſt worthy Son, and yet a little while after contrary to Gods expreſs co…tr…d ſpareth the wicked King Agag, Ch. 15.8. The people hearing this his ra… reſolution concerning his Son, what (ſay they) ſhall Jonathan die who hath wrought this great Salvation in Iſrael? Shall he die that is innocent, and hath committed no offence that deſerveth death? Shall he die that is ſo brave a Prince, and worthy of all honour and reward, ſeeing the Lord by him hath given a great and miraculous deliverance to his people when they were in a forlorn and deſperate condition? As the Lord liveth there ſhall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he hath wrought with God, (that is, under God, and by his help and aſſiſtance) a great deliverance for us. So the people reſcued Jonathan that he was not put to death. Thus Saul ceaſed from purſuing the Philiſtines any further at preſent, and ſo the reſt of them got back to their own Country. However Saul being by this glorious victory better confirm'd and ſetled in the Royal Throne, he took upon him the managing of all the affairs of the Kingdom, and eſpecially ſhewed himſelf very valiant and active in fighting againſt all the enemies of it, particularly againſt Moab and the children of Ammon, bordering on the Eaſt of Canaan, againſt Edom bordering on the South, againſt the Kings of Zobah on the North, and againſt the Philiſtines on the Weſt; and though he did not wholly vanquiſh and ſubdue them, becauſed God had reſerved that work and the glory of it for David, yet he ſore vexed them, and much weakened them, ſo that they did not with that courage and ſucceſs fight againſt Iſrael as before they had done. And all this came to paſs through Gods free mercy to his people, giving good ſucceſs to Saul in his Wars (though a wicked man) for their ſakes. And beſides the forementioned ſucceſſes, Saul gathered a great hoſt, and ſmote the Amalekites, as appeareth in the following Chapter, and here is ſpoken of by way of anticipation, that his warlike exploits might be ſummed up together. In the next place Saul's Sons are mentioned that followed their Father in the War, and like valiant Souldiers lived and died with him, as Jonathan, Iſhui (who is called Abinadab, Ch. 31.2.) and Melchiſhua. Iſhbeſheth is not here named though now above twenty years of age, [ſee 2 Sam. 2:10.] poſſibly becauſe he followed not his Father in the Wars. Neither are his Children by Rizpah here mentioned, becauſe ſhe was not his Wife, but only his Concubine. The Daughters he had by his Wife (whoſe name was Ahinoam) were Merab and Michal. The Captain of his hoſt was Abner, his Couſin-german, Son to his Uncle Ner. And when he ſaw any ſtrong or valiant man he took him into his ſervice.
1 Sam. Ch. 14. whole Chapter.