\\INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 14\\

This chapter gives an account of an adventure of Jonathan and his
armourbearer smiting a garrison of the Philistines, \\#1Sa 14:1-14\\,
which with other circumstances struck terror into the whole army; which
being observed by Saul's spies, he and his men went out against them,
and being joined by others, pursued them, and obtained a complete
victory, \\#1Sa 14:15-23\\, but what sullied the glory of the
day was a rash oath of Saul's, adjuring the people not to eat
any food till evening which Jonathan not hearing of ignorantly broke,
\\#1Sa 14:24-31\\ and which long fasting made the people so ravenous,
that they slew their cattle, and ate them with the blood, contrary to
the law of God, for which they were reproved by Saul, \\#1Sa 14:32-34\\,
upon which he built an altar, and inquired of the Lord whether he
should pursue the Philistines all that night till morning, but had no
answer; which made him conclude sin was committed, and which he
inquired after, declaring that if it was his own son Jonathan that had
committed it he should surely die, \\#1Sa 14:35-39\\, the people
being silent, he cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonathan; who
had it not been for the resolution of the people that rescued him out
of his hands, because of the great salvation he had wrought, must have
died, \\#1Sa 14:40-46\\ and the chapter is cited with an account of
Saul's battles with the neighbouring nations in general, and of his
family, \\#1Sa 14:47-52\\.