Audio Download

1 Samuel 14:24–52 Saul’s Oath 

[Study Aired April 13, 2026]

The study for today focuses on Saul’s oath which troubled the people of Israel.  It looks at Jonathan’s error through ignorance and Saul’s determination to put him to death, in spite of him being his son. However, the people of Israel rescued him. The study ends with Saul’s battle with the neighboring tribes and an account of his family.

Saul’s Rash Vow

1Sa 14:24  And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. 

As indicated in the previous study, Saul and the men of Israel with him represent the church system of this world or Babylon. According to Brown-Driver-Briggs (BDB), the men of Israel being distressed that day means being under a taskmaster, ruler, oppressor or tyrant. This oppressor or tyrant is the devil who empowers our flesh. 

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon [the devil] which gave power unto the beast [Our flesh]: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 

Here in verse 24, we are given the reason why the men of Israel were under distress. It was because they had been commanded not to eat food until the evening when Saul, their king, had avenged his enemies. Not to eat food spiritually means that the men of Israel represent us during our time in the church system of this world or Babylon, where we are not given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. 

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 
Mat 13:15  For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 

Our brothers and sisters in Babylon’s inability to understand the word of the Lord is because their leadership, represented by Saul, has put a curse on them not to eat any food. That is to say that the leadership of Babylon are not given to know the truth of the Lord’s word, and therefore what they give (the false doctrines) prevents them from knowing the truth. 

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 
2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

This curse will continue until the evening, when Saul has avenged his enemies. The evening refers to the lake of fire age of judgment, when our brothers and sisters in Babylon will come to know the truth. That is the time when their flesh or carnal mind (the enemy) is destroyed or avenged.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

1Sa 14:25  And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground. 
1Sa 14:26  And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath. 

These verses are to show us that initially, the church system of this world or Babylon was endowed with the fundamental truth of the Lord’s word, represented here as honey. However, because of false doctrines spewed by their leaders, signified by Saul’s command for the people not to eat, even the basic truths of His word were perverted, such that we could not assess the milk and honey of the Lord’s word in Babylon.

Exo 3:17  And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.  

Isa 9:15  The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. 
Isa 9:16  For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. 

Eze 16:13  Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.
Eze 16:15  But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. 
Eze 16:16  And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.
Eze 16:17  Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them, 

1Sa 14:27  But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 
1Sa 14:28  Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint. 
1Sa 14:29  Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 
1Sa 14:30  How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? 

As we have indicated in the previous study, Jonathan represents the Lord’s elect during our time in the church system of this world. The fact that Jonathan did not hear his father’s oath and proceeded to eat of the honey implies that as the Lord’s elect, the Lord in His mercy, caused us to eat of the honey of His word, even while we were in Babylon, which caused our eyes to be enlightened (verse 27). 

In verse 28, one of the people told Jonathan about how his father has cursed anyone who eats any food that day, and therefore caused the people to be faint. This is to let us know that it was in Babylon that we become aware that the leaders in the church system are the cause of our inability to know the truth of His word. 

In verses 29 and 30, Jonathan’s assessment of his father’s error is summed up by his word that his father has troubled the land and that their inability to achieve a greater slaughter of the Philistines was because of the lack of the foundational truth of the Lord’s word. In other words, it is in Babylon that we come to realize that our leaders have failed us and as a result, we cannot worship the Lord acceptably while we continue in Babylon. This is all in preparation for our exit from Babylon at the appointed time. 

2Pe 2:17  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 
2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 
2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22  But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Psa 137:1  By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 
Psa 137:2  We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. 
Psa 137:3  For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. 
Psa 137:4  How shall we sing the LORD’S song in a strange land? 

1Sa 14:31  And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint. 
1Sa 14:32  And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood. 
1Sa 14:33  Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day. 

The smiting of the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon by the people of Israel in verse 31 is to let us know that while we were in the churches of this world, we were given some victories over our flesh. For example, we were delivered from some of the attributes of the flesh such as fornication, adultery, hatred, wrath, envying, etc.  

Gal 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 
Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 
Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.   

The people taking sheep, oxen and calves, killing them and eating them with the blood in verse 32, was forbidden by the Lord.  The reason why the Israelites were forbidden under the law of Moses to eat meat with blood is because blood was used as atonement for sin, and therefore, blood was seen as a sacred thing. God wanted to ensure that the blood of the sacrifices was always considered precious.    

Deu 12:15  Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart. 
Deu 12:16  Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water. 

If we willfully continue to sin, then it means that we have treated the blood of Christ as an unholy thing. That is the spiritual meaning of eating meat with blood. Therefore, the people eating meat with blood in it shows us that during our time in Babylon, we continued to sin, even though we were enriched in Him. As a result, we were actually trampling on the blood of Christ.   

Heb 10:26  For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, 
Heb 10:27  But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 
Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 

Verse 33 shows us that the leaders of the church system of this world are aware of the sins of the people of the church system of this world, but their method of addressing sin is wrong, as we shall see Saul’s way of dealing with the sins of the people. 

1Sa 14:34  And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there. 
1Sa 14:35  And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD. 
1Sa 14:36  And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God. 

Saul’s dealings with the people that sinned was not in accordance with what the Lord enjoins us to do. We are to rebuke those who sin publicly that others may be afraid. However, he only asked the people to come and slay their oxen and sheep before him so that they do not sin. Spiritually, what Saul is saying  was that the gathering of the church system of this world, automatically causes people to stop sinning.   

1Ti 5:20  Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
1Ti 5:21  I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.  

In verses 35 and 36, Saul built an altar to the Lord, and based on this, he wanted to go after the Philistines and destroy them, but the priest reminded him to draw near to the Lord first. The leaders of the church system of this world, represented by Saul, are only interested in works (building churches) and think that in doing this, their flesh will just die. That is to say that in Babylon, the people think that the works of their hands will save them from their flesh. However, the priest reminding Saul to draw near to the Lord is to show us that what is important is our relationship with Christ as we draw near to Him. It is not about the works of our hands. Jesus warned us about those who think that the works of their hands can guarantee the kingdom of heaven as follows: 

Mat 7:21  Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 
Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

1Sa 14:37  And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day. 
1Sa 14:38  And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day. 
1Sa 14:39  For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him. 

Saul not being answered by the Lord in verse 37, shows us our situation when we were in the churches of this world. We did not hear from the Lord. As we shall see in the latter part of the Book of Samuel, Saul enquired of the Lord because of the Philistines, but did not receive an answer from the Lord. 

1Sa 28:5  And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled. 
1Sa 28:6  And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 

In our desperation, we vent our anger on the Lord’s elect signified by Saul vowing to kill Jonathan in verse 39. We, the Lord’s elect, are spiritually dead to our brothers and sisters in Babylon, just like the two witnesses, whose dead bodies were in the streets of Jerusalem or Sodom and Egypt. 

Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.  

1Sa 14:40  Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee. 
1Sa 14:41  Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped. 
1Sa 14:42  And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. 
1Sa 14:43  Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.
1Sa 14:44  And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.
1Sa 14:45  And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not. 

As shown in these verses, lots were cast which determined that Jonathan was guilty of eating while Saul had given a command for them not to eat until he has avenged his enemies. In this case, Saul’s command is the command or the word of the Lord. We know that the outcome of a lot is always of the Lord. 

Pro 16:33  The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. (ESV)

As we have shown earlier, Jonathan is a symbol of the Lord’s elect. During our time as the Lord’s elect in Babylon, we were guilty of not knowing the word of the Lord, and therefore we should have been put to death. As shown in verse 45, the people rescued Jonathan from death at the hands of Saul. In the same way, the Lord rescued or showed mercy to us, His elect, from Babylon at the expense of our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world. 

Rom 11:30  For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 
Rom 11:31  so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 
Rom 11:32  For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. 

1Sa 14:46  Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place. 

Saul, who represents the church system of this world, stopped pursuing  the Philistines and went to his own place. That is to show us that when we were in Babylon, we were not engaged in a war with our flesh. It also implies that we did not consider ourselves as being able to win the war with our flesh.

Rev 13:4  And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?”  

Saul Fights Israel’s Enemies

1Sa 14:47  So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.
1Sa 14:48  And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them. 

These verses show us our struggle with the flesh during our time in the churches of this world. We had some victories over our flesh in certain areas of our lives, as indicated in verse 48 where Saul and his host smote the Amalekites. However, the flesh, symbolized by all the enemies surrounding Israel (Moab, Ammon, Edom, kings of Zobah, the Philistines and the Amalekites) was still a formidable opposition during our walk in Babylon.

Rom 7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 
Rom 7:15  For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 
Rom 7:16  Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 
Rom 7:17  So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 
Rom 7:18  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 
Rom 7:24  Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 
Rom 7:25  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. (ESV)

1Sa 14:49  Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: 
1Sa 14:50  And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 
1Sa 14:51  And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 
1Sa 14:52  And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him. 

These verses focuses on Saul’s family and the enmity between Saul and the Philistines. Saul had three sons – Jonathan, which means ‘Jehovah has given’, Ishui – ‘He resembles me’ and Melchishua – ‘My king is salvation.’ What this implies is that to be like Christ, who was given by God as our salvation, we must go through the process of spiritual maturity which is through the Lord’s judgment. The two daughters of Saul – Merab (increase) and Michal (who is like God) show us the two church systems. We have the church system of this world which is given to increase in this age and the other church system which represents the church of the Lord’s elect, which is making us become like Christ.

Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 
Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.  

It is in the church of the Lord’s elect, represented by Saul’s wife, Ahinoam, which means ‘my brother is delight’, that we come to enjoy the delightfulness of our brothers and sisters through what every joint supplies. 

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

The commander of Israel’s army’s name was Abner which means ‘the father of light’ or ‘enlightening.’ It is through the Lord’s enlightenment that we become enrolled in His army. Kish, who is Saul’s father, means a bow. This implies that our Lord is a warrior. 

Exo 15:3  The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.  

Verse 52 tells us that there was sore war against the Philistines during all the time of Saul as king of Israel. This is to show us that our fight against our flesh is a lifetime struggle. However, unlike Saul, we, as the Lord’s elect, are assured of victory in the final analysis.

1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 
1Co 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 

Amen!