1 Samuel 14:18 Commentary and Bible Study

Saul was at first unsure how to act. He calls for the ark of God to make enquiries via the priest. Samuel comments that the ark was at that time back with the children of Israel, referring to the disastrous loss to the Philistines recorded in chapters 4, 5, and 6. The priest prepares to make enquiries of the Lord, presumably using the Urim and Thummim, but when Saul hears an increasing noise of disorder and confusion in the Philistine camp, he prematurely ends the enquiry, and tells the priest. ‘Withdraw thine hand’. He doesn’t need to enquire of God any longer, as the right course now seems obvious to him. You see the carnality of Saul’s thinking, just like an earthly general: enough of that; be done with that – seeking a word from the Lord – let's get on with what needs to be done. It was presumptuous of him and the passage draws our attention to this. He did not really believe in seeking the guidance of the Lord, but he went through the motions until he thought he knew by his own common sense what to do, without getting any answer from God. Matthew Henry comments, ‘Many will consult God over their safety that would never consult him about their duty.’‘And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.’ The Israelites pursued their fleeing enemies, but the Philistines aided them by attacking each other and destroying themselves. If there were mercenaries among them, – and verse 21 tells us some Hebrews were initially fighting on their side – one can understand why in their panic they might be attacking each other. How would one know who was friend and who was foe?