* The account of these events, separated by the parts
relating to the biography of Samuel (1 Sam. xiii. 76-15a,
thought by some to be of a later date), and of the breaking
by Jonathan of the fast enjoined by Saul (1 Sam. xiv. 23-
45), covers 1 Sam. xiii. 3-7a, 156-23, xiv. 1-22, 46. The
details appear to be strictly historical; the number of the
Philistines, however, seems to be exaggerated; “30,000
chariots, and 6000 horsemen, and people as the sand which is
on the sea-shore in multitude “(1 Sam. xiii. 5).
Gilead, the whole house of Joseph—Ephraim and Manasseh—and Benjamin formed its nucleus, and were Saul’s strongest supporters. We do not know how far his influence extended northwards; it probably stopped short at the neighbourhood of Mount Tabor, and the Galileans either refused to submit to his authority, or acknowledged it merely in theory. In the south the clans of Judah and Simeon were not long in rallying round him, and their neighbours the Kenites, with Caleb and Jerahmeel, soon followed their example. These southerners, however, appear to have been somewhat half-hearted in their allegiance to the Benjamite king: it was not enough to have gained their adhesion—a stronger tie was needed to attach them to the rest of the nation. Saul endeavoured to get rid of the line of Canaanite cities which isolated them from Ephraim, but he failed in the effort, we know not from what cause, and his attempt produced no other result than to arouse against him the hatred of the Gibeonite inhabitants.* He did his best to watch over the security of his new subjects, and protected them against the Amalekites, who were constantly harassing them.
* The fact is made known to us by an accidental mention of
it in 2 Sam. xxi. 1-11. The motive which induced Saul to
take arms against the Gibeonites is immediately apparent
when we realise the position occupied by Gideon between
Judah and the tribes of Central Canaan.
Their king, Agag, happening to fall into his hands, he killed him, and destroyed several of their nomad bands, thus inspiring the remainder with a salutary terror.* Subsequent tradition credited him with victories gained over all the enemies of Israel—over Moab, Edom, and even the Aramaeans of Zobah—it endowed him even with the projects and conquests of David. At any rate, the constant incursions of the Philistines could not have left him much time for fighting in the north and east of his domains. Their defeat at Gibeah was by no means a decisive one, and they quickly recovered from the blow; the conflict with them lasted to the end of Saul’s lifetime, and during the whole of this period he never lost an opportunity of increasing his army.**
The monarchy was as yet in a very rudimentary state, without either the pomp or accessories usually associated with royalty in the ancient kingdoms of the East. Saul, as King of Israel, led much the same sort of life as when he was merely a Benjamite chief. He preferred to reside at Gibeah, in the house of his forefathers, with no further resources than those yielded by the domain inherited from his ancestors, together with the spoil taken in battle.***
* The part taken by Samuel in the narrative of Saul’s war
against the Amalekites (1 Sam. xv.) is thought by some
critics to have been introduced with a view of exalting the
prophet’s office at the expense of the king and the
monarchy. They regard 1 Sam. xiv. 48 as being the sole
historic ground of the narrative.
** 1 Sam. xiv. 47. We may admit his successful skirmishes
with Moab, but some writers maintain that the defeat of the
Edomites and Aramaeans is a mere anticipation, and consider
that the passage is only a reflection of 2 Sam. viii. 8, and
reproduces the list of the wars of David, with the exception
of the expedition against Damascus.
*** Gibeah is nowhere expressly mentioned as being the
capital of Saul, but the name Gibeah of Saul which it bore
shows that it must have been the royal residence; the names
of the towns mentioned in the account of Saul’s pursuit of
David—Naioth, Eamah, and Nob—are all near to Gibeah. It
was also at Gibeah that the Gibeonites slew seven of the
sons and grandsons of Saul (2 Sam. xxi. 6-9), no doubt to
bring ignominy on the family of the first king in the very
place in which they had governed.
All that he had, in addition to his former surroundings, were a priesthood attached to the court, and a small army entirely at his own disposal. Ahijah, a descendant of Eli, sacrificed for the king when the latter did not himself officiate; he fulfilled the office of chaplain to him in time of war, and was the mouthpiece of the divine oracles when these were consulted as to the propitious moment for attacking the enemy.
Drawn by Faucher-
Gudin, from the
bronze original
in the Louvre.