1 Samuel 14:35-52
We must keep a watch on what we say and particularly the promises which we may make. We saw yesterday the unfortunate consequences of the oath which Saul had made without thinking. It had weakened his army so that it was useless, preventing them finishing off their pursuit of their enemies, and it caused the people to transgress the commandment about the blood. One last consequence, but one which does not, any more than the others, open the poor king’s eyes, is the condemnation of the only man of faith — the valiant Jonathan. He is now in danger of death, not by the Philistine sword, but by what his own father has done. Behind all this, we can see the work of Satan himself. He tries by this means to get rid of the man of God. However, the LORD does not allow it and uses the people to deliver Jonathan. This incident is similar to the one which follows the defeat of Ai (Joshua 7). But here all the faults are on the part of Saul, whose folly and blind pride are obvious to all. And far from henceforth counting on the LORD, who had given him the victory, the king continues to rely on the flesh, recruiting strong and valiant men for his personal bodyguard.