Saul’s Rash Oath | 1 Samuel 14:24-52

Intro

What is an Oath?

An oath is a formal and solemn promise, often made before a higher authority (such as a court of law, a governing body, or a deity), in which a person commits to telling the truth or carrying out a duty faithfully.

Depending on the context, an oath can serve different purposes:

1. Legal context – An oath is a binding declaration to tell the truth under penalty of perjury (e.g., sworn testimony in court).

2. Official context – A public official may swear an oath of office to faithfully perform their duties.

3. Personal or religious context – An oath can be a solemn pledge invoking a deity or sacred object as witness.

What Oaths have we taken?

Have you or heard anyone say as God as my witness or if you do this so help me God.

Normally things said in anger.

What about using absolutes? Words like Never or Always. Some examples are

I will Never be like my parents.

You Always do this. They are always like this.

When we use absolutes or oaths we are in a way telling God how to operate or limiting how he works in our life.

When i say I Will Never be like my parents i am telling God you can have my life except this area of being a parent. Then when I struggle in this area and then cry out to God and are saying that why aren’t you helping me and it was because I told him to stay away from it that i got it. Pride.

Matthew 5:33–37 (NKJV)

Oaths

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

James 4:13–15 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.””

V24

The New King James Version (Chapter 14) 24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.

The men of Israel were exhausted. They had been fighting then after fighting they pursued after the Philistines. See Verse 23

1 Samuel 14:22 “Now all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, and they pursued them closely in the battle.”

They were doing all of this on an empty stomach.

This Harsh Oath was said after Jonathan’s attack and before Saul entered the battle

The Word in the Hebrew is Transliteration: ’ārar

• Phonetic Spelling: aw-rar’

• Part of Speech: Verb

Occurs 63 times across 52 verses in the Old Testament.

• Used in several key passages where divine or prophetic curses are pronounced:

• God cursing the serpent in Genesis 3:14 “And Yahweh God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, Cursed are you more than any of the cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, And dust you will eat All the days of your life;” .

• Used in contexts of anger, judgment, and condemnation

What does the Bible say about Vengeance

• Romans 12:17-19 (NKJV):
“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

• Deuteronomy 32:35 (NKJV):
“Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.”

• Hebrews 10:30 (NKJV):
“For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’”

• Psalm 94:1 (NKJV):
“O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs— O God, to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth!”

• Ezekiel 25:17 (NKJV):
“I will execute great vengeance on them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I lay My vengeance upon them.”

So in this 1 Oath Saul failed the people physically (By telling the men not to eat) and Spiritually by taking Gods rightful place.

V25

25 Now all the people of the land came to a forest; and there was honey on the ground. 26 And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

The Scene

Remeber that they are in the Promised Land

Exodus 3:8

8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey

Numbers 13:27 “Thus they recounted to him and said, “We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit.”

The People feared the Oath

This group of soldiers saw the honey dripping right in front of their eyes. Yet Saul’s foolish oath prevented them from receiving what God put right in front of them.

Saul’s leadership was fear driven.

In 1 Samuel 13, faced with an impending battle and seeing his troops scattering, Saul grew fearful and impatient. He performed the burnt offering himself, a duty reserved for the prophet Samuel, acting out of anxiety to maintain control. This disobedience led to Samuel’s rebuke and foretold the downfall of Saul’s kingdom.

V27

27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his countenance brightened.

First thing first Jonathan didn’t hear it.

Now would have Jonathan been able to accomplish what him and his armor bearer done if they had followed Saul’s commmand?

and all jokes aside snickers got it right “you aren’t you when you are hungry”. but really God got it right first. We see it here Jonathan’s countenance brightened.

We see it with Elijah

The New King James Version Chapter 19

And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the LORD came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.

Jezebel Threatens Elijah’s Life

Elijah Runs Scared

Elijah Begs for his Life

How does God respond?

Cake and water!

You are not you when you are hungry.

That is the Physical how do we eat Spiritually?

Reading God’s Word, Praying, Worshiping the Lord.

Are you eating Spiritually? or are you malnourished like the men of Israel?

V29

29 But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”

King Saul, in his misguided attempt to exert spiritual authority, had indeed caused trouble in the land by issuing a pseudo-spiritual command to fast. Consequently, the people, who should have been strong and resilient, were left feeling faint and weakened on a day when they should have been at their peak. Their weakened state and distraction hindered their ability to achieve victory.

V31-35

31 Now they had driven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint. 32 And the people rushed on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood!” So he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone to me this day.” 34 Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, ‘Bring me here every man’s ox and every man’s sheep, slaughter them here, and eat; and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.’ ” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night, and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the LORD. This was the first altar that he built to the LORD.

So they are physically exhausted and they finally see food. and what do they do? They eat.

Deuteronomy 12:23-25 Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life; you may not eat the life with the meat. You shall not eat it; you shall pour it on the earth like water. You shall not eat it, that it may go well with you and your children after you, when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord.

Leviticus 17

Bloodshed Punishment: Anyone who kills an animal and doesn’t bring it to the tabernacle for offering will be cut off from the people.

Sacrifice Location: Sacrifices should be brought atto the priest the tabernacle of meeting, not offered in the open field.

Blood Consumption Prohibition: Eating blood is forbidden for both Israelites and strangers, as the life of the flesh in the blood and it is used for atonement.

Prohibition of Blood Consumption: Israelites and foreigners are forbidden from consuming the blood of any animal or bird, as it is considered the life force.

Consequence of Blood Consumption: Anyone who consumes blood will be cut off from the community.

Ritual for Consuming Carrion: Those who consume animals that died naturally by beasts must or were killed wash their clothes and bathe, remaining unclean until evening.

On this day of battle, because of Saul’s foolish command, the people were so hungry they broke this command. Their obedience to Saul’s foolish command led them to disobey God’s clearly declared command. This is always the result of legalism.

We often believe that legalistic rules can prevent people from committing sins. However, the opposite is true. Legalistic rules actually lead us into sin because they either provoke our rebellion or foster legalistic pride.

You have dealt treacherously: Saul blamed the people for what was really his own fault. He should have never made such a foolish commandment, and his commandment provoked the people into sin.

Slaughter them here, and eat; and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood:

Saul Tries to be the hero here and Sets up a big stone so that they can cook the meat and not be in sin and then also make an offering to the Lord.

V36-39

36 Now Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light; and let us not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” Then the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37 So Saul asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But He did not answer him that day. 38 And Saul said, “Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today. 39 For as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not a man among all the people answered him.

Saul fed the people then wanted to continue the fight.

Saul sought counsel from God, and it was a good decision. We shouldn’t assume that everything Saul did before the Lord was wrong.

The names Urim and Thummim mean “Lights and Perfections.” We aren’t sure what they were or how they were used. Many authors think they were a pair of stones, one light and another dark, and each stone indicated a “yes” or “no” from God. The high priest would ask God a question, reach into the breastplate, and pull out either a “yes” or a “no.”

Here we go Saul Making another Oath

His actions demonstrate how certain Saul was of his righteousness. He was so convinced that he even pronounced another oath.

Of course, if Saul had known that Jonathan was the one who had violated his oath, he would never have made this statement. However, he was so consumed by his desire to be “right” that he foolishly added this unnecessary vow to his previous foolish commandment.

Saul was skilled at making religious oaths and promises. However, this did not make them meaningful because he lacked a genuine desire for God and was unable to keep the oaths he made.

Now when we are talking Physical health Obviously i am not the poster child for physical fitness. But when we see ourselves putting on an extra few pounds what do we do. we say I have to go to the Gym or I need to try this new fad diet everyone is losing weight on it. then we end up getting legalistic with what we eat or how much we go to the gym. So we stick to this diet and strict gym regiment and what happens. burn out or we don’t see results right now.. We slip up on our diet or we miss one day at the gym then that turns to 2 and then that turns to months and we are in the same place we were worse than when we started.

So Spiritually it is the same when we are not Eating of the Spirit we will find ourselves malnourished. Tossed to and fro Ephesians 4:14 “so that we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming,”

V40-44

Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.” Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, “Give a perfect lot.” So Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped. And Saul said, “Cast lots between my son Jonathan and me.” So Jonathan was taken. Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, and said, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!” Saul answered, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

Saul, determined to identify the wrongdoer, devised a method of casting lots. He divided the people into two groups and then randomly selected one group using a dice roll or similar method. This process was repeated until they narrowed down the selected group until they found the culprit. Saul’s initial intention was to ensure that everyone knew that he and his son Jonathan were innocent, so that was the first division. However, Saul was astounded when the lot unexpectedly revealed that he and Jonathan were the guilty group!

“Perfect lot” in the Hebrew is very close to the word for Thummim. They probably used the Urim and Thummim as the way to cast the lot.

Saul was shaken. He pronounced a death sentence on whoever ate in violation of his stubborn vow. Instead of admitting that the commandment and death sentence were foolish, Saul hardened his foolishness and declared that Jonathan should die.

Saul was willing to kill his son rather than to humbly admit that he was really at fault. Saul started out as a humble man (1 Samuel 10:21 “Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matrite family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken; but they looked for him, and he could not be found.” ), but his once impressive humility was overtaken by pride.

V45-46

45 But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die. 46 Then Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

Happily, the people finally stood up to Saul’s foolishness. They simply would not allow Jonathan to be executed. They knew that Jonathan worked with the LORD that day, not against the LORD.

There are at least three reasons why it was right to spare Jonathan, even though he broke the oath. First, the oath itself and the penalty on the oath-breaker were simply bad and foolish laws and should not have been enforced. Second, Jonathan broke the oath in ignorance. Finally, God’s approval was evident from His great blessing on Jonathan (he has worked with God this day).

Jonathan’s bold faith in God had much more to do with the victory on that day than Saul’s foolish oath.

And the Philistines went to their own place: The implication in this phrase is that the victory might have been greater if not for Saul’s foolish oath.

V47-52

1 Samuel 14:47–52 (NKJV)

Saul’s Continuing Wars

47 So Saul established his sovereignty over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the people of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he harassed them. 48 And he gathered an army and attacked the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them. 49 The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Jishui, and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. 50 The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.52 Now there was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself.

So Saul established his sovereignty over Israel: This last passage in the chapter is all about Saul’s strength, and Saul was strong. He established his sovereignty over Israel. He fought many successful wars. He had a large and influential family. The strength of Saul’s army grew (when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself). Saul’s strength was broad over many areas.

Saul’s strength was broad but shallow. Because Saul was not a man after God’s own heart and because his own relationship with God was more about image than substance, his kingdom cannot last.

Application

Do we have have any Oaths or Absolutes that we are holding on to?

For me as i was studying this passage and looking into oaths and absolutes I have always struggled with my physical weight. I have tried to lose weight and had mini successes but all failed and i Never understood why it wasn’t clicking for me. it was a very much a Romans 7:15-20 Situation.

Romans 7:15–20 “For what I am working out, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want, I agree with the Law, that it is good. So now, no longer am I the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the working out of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me.” But as I was reading it was brought to my attention as a young kid i would look at my brothers who don’t struggle with weight. and i vividly remember saying I will never be fit physically. So in that moment I basically told God you cant have this part of my life.

Ask God to search us

The New King James Version Psalm 139

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 26:2 “Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.”

Lamentations 3:40 “Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord;”

2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”

Galatians 6:4 “But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.”

Psalm 19:12 “Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.”

and when we find them we need to let go.

Psalm 51:7 “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Titus 3:5 “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,”

Psalm 119:9 “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.”

Jeremiah 33:8–9 “I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.’”