1 Samuel 11-15

Here is Saul's first test as king. It's apparent that he hasn't been into all the royal trappings up until this time, since he was out plowing with the oxen! But now his time has come. The Spirit comes upon him in power. Then he recruits his army by what is essentially intimidation. He cuts his own oxen into pieces then uses the pieces as a scare tactic to anyone who doesn't muster for duty.

It works, though. Saul ambushes the army of Nahash the Ammonite and Jabesh Gilead is saved. The people offer to kill those who had grumbled against Saul when he was first crowned, but Saul refuses and they go with Samuel to Gilgal to renew Saul's kingship. It is also the setting for Samuel's farewell speech, recounted in chapter 12.

Samuel begins by asking if there is any time he has not treated the people well. Why this would be done, I'm not sure, but it seems that Samuel is trying to establish that he acts in the best interest of God, which means the best interest of the people of Israel. Samuel then gives a short history lesson. Interesting point that at 12:12, Samuel noted that Israel asks for a king when they see the threat from the now-defeated Nahash. This isn't mentioned back in chapter 8, but it is likely that Samuel is simply condensing things. After all, Saul was hardly a unanimous king
until the victory over Nahash and the Ammonites.

Samuel cautions both Saul and the people not to turn away from God, and he offers a miracle to back up his words. A thunderstorm is sent in the dry season to demonstrate the sin of the people in asking for a king. Then at 12:23, Samuel tells the people, "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you." This is the only place I can remember in Scripture where it is stated to be a sin not to pray for others (at least in this type of context).

The time notes at the head of chapter 13 seem odd. For Saul to become king at age 30 and to reign 42 years are each disputed numbers. It seems to be the best estimate since the Hebrew omits the "30" and the "40". The numbers seem to be reconciled by Paul's speech at Pisidian Antioch in Acts 13:21, where he claims Saul to have reigned some 40 years. Of course we're not told how much time takes place between Saul's choosing and the victory over Nahash, nor between Samuel's farewell and the attack by Jonathan on the Philistines. For Saul's son to be of fighting age, Saul would have been a young father -- at least by today's standards.

In any case, Jonathan's attack begins, or probably restarts, a war with the Philistines. The first attack is against an outpost at Geba. The Philistines gather for war with an incredible army. So incredible is the Philistine army's appearance that the men of Israel hide wherever they can find a hole.

Enter Samuel. Samuel is supposed to come to Gilgal to offer sacrifices and to seek out the Lord's word on the situation. But Samuel doesn't enter. And Saul gets too anxious. Saul himself offers the sacrifices, fearing time is slipping away. As he finishes the sacrifices, Samuel shows up and rebukes Saul. He also tells him that had Saul not acted impatiently he would have been the established king forever through his family. Instead, the kingdom will be wrestled from him and given to another. Samuel's words seem to already indicate that a choice has been made, which must have been quite a shock to King Saul.

After Samuel left him, Saul began to size up the situation with the battle. Nothing is mentioned about God's specific instructions for this battle, so we might assume that Saul isn't going to get a word. Instead the word comes to Jonathan through the circumstances of chapter 14. Meanwhile Saul realizes that the Israelites are almost entirely without weapons. Somehow the Israelites had all gotten out of the blacksmith business, leaving the business to the Philistines. All sharpening, etc. was done by the enemy! Only Saul and Jonathan had a sword and a spear on the day of the battle! If a victory under those conditions doesn't make you grateful to God, nothing will!

Jonathan and his armor bearer head out to another Philistine outpost while King Saul was on the other side "under a pomegranate tree" oblivious to what his son was up to. An invitation to climb up to the Philistines is seen as God's word that He will give them the battle, so when the Philistines taunt the two men as they walk toward the outpost and invite them up to kill them, the two climb the rope and start killing Philistines. Twenty enemy soldiers fall, but a panic sets in throughout the Philistine camp. God has sent the panic (14:15).

Saul musters the troops to see who is missing and it turns out to be his son and the armor bearer. So the Israelites (without weapons) go to join the battle and find the Philistines in complete confusion, killing one another in their panic. Some who must have traded sides, traded back to fight with the Israelites. Finally the hill people of Ephraim join in the rout. But somewhere along the line Saul got caught up in emotion and ordered that no soldier be allowed to eat until Saul had avenged himself. That vow was having its effects upon the hungry Israelite army.

Word of the vow hadn't made it to Jonathan, and he ate some wild honey in front of the trooops. Upon hearing about the vow, he essentially calls it stupid. The men started to pounce on the plunder after the battle, cutting up animals and eating them raw, which was a violation of the Law. After rebuking the men for doing this, Saul has the meat brought to him. Saul then builds an altar to the Lord for the first time. The author makes it clear that it isn't until now that Saul has done this. Certainly this is a mark against the King.

He wants to send the army down at night to get more plunder from the Philistines, but the priest wants them to inquire of God. When they get no answer, they assume a sin has been committed to block God's blessing as happened back in Joshua 7. Lots are drawn between Saul and Jonathan and the rest of the men and the lot goes to Jonathan. Saul is ready to kill his son for tasting the honey, but the fighting men intervene on Jonathan's behalf. They beg Saul not to kill the hero of the battle. Jonathan is saved.

Saul's reign is marked by military victories against enemies on all sides. The war with the Philistines continued -- active or passive. At the outset of chapter 15, we see Samuel giving Saul a mission from God -- punish the Amalekites for their behavior back during the Exodus. It seems strange for God to seek justice at this time, generations after the offense. Yet God wants everything destroyed. The trouble is that the men want some of the plunder and Saul gives in to them.

Enter Samuel once again. He confronts Saul, asking him why the mission had not been completed. When Saul claims that he has completed it, Samuel utters the classic line, "What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?" Saul has been caught in a lie, although I doubt Saul saw it as much of an offense. In repeating the message he received from God, Samuel tells Saul that he has been rejected as God's king. He would be replaced. For his part, Saul admits his sin and ends up going off with Samuel to worship God.

A smug King Agag of the Amalekites is brought to Samuel and Saul where he is executed by the prophet. Then Samuel left for home, as did Saul. We are told that this was the last time Samuel went to see Saul, although Samuel continued to mourn for the sinful king. The last sentence of chapter 15 puts things into perspective: "And the Lord was grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel." Of course that doesn't mean God is admitting a mistake. It simply means that God was saddened to see what had happened to his people under Saul's rule.