Presumption of Saul
563
eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies.”
The victory had already been gained, without Saul’s knowledge or co-
operation, but he hoped to distinguish himself by the utter destruction
of the vanquished army. The command to refrain from food was
prompted by selfish ambition, and it showed the king to be indifferent
to the needs of his people when these conflicted with his desire for
self-exaltation. To confirm his prohibition by a solemn oath showed
Saul to be both rash and profane. The very words of the curse give
evidence that Saul’s zeal was for himself, and not for the honor of God.
He declared his object to be, not “that the Lord may be avenged on
His enemies,” but “that I may be avenged on mine enemies.”
The prohibition resulted in leading the people to transgress the
command of God. They had been engaged in warfare all day, and were
faint for want of food; and as soon as the hours of restriction were
over, they fell upon the spoil and devoured the flesh with the blood,
thus violating the law that forbade the eating of blood.
During the day’s battle Jonathan, who had not heard of the king’s
command, unwittingly offended by eating a little honey as he passed
through a wood. Saul learned of this at evening. He had declared
that the violation of his edict should be punished with death; and
though Jonathan had not been guilty of a willful sin, though God had
miraculously preserved his life and had wrought deliverance through
him, the king declared that the sentence must be executed. To spare
the life of his son would have been an acknowledgment on the part
[625]
of Saul that he had sinned in making so rash a vow. This would have
been humiliating to his pride. “God do so, and more also,” was his
terrible sentence: “thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.”
Saul could not claim the honor of the victory, but he hoped to be
honored for his zeal in maintaining the sacredness of his oath. Even at
the sacrifice of his son, he would impress upon his subjects the fact
that the royal authority must be maintained. At Gilgal, but a short
time before, Saul had presumed to officiate as priest, contrary to the
command of God. When reproved by Samuel, he had stubbornly
justified himself. Now, when his own command was disobeyed—
though the command was unreasonable and had been violated through
ignorance—the king and father sentenced his son to death.
The people refused to allow the sentence to be executed. Braving
the anger of the king, they declared, “Shall Jonathan die, who hath