1 Samuel 14:29

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.

Ver. 29. My father hath troubled the land.] Iuveniliter hoc dixit Ionathas, saith one. {a} If Saul had done unadvisedly, yet Jonathan should not have reprehended his father’s act so publicly, for fear of a rebellion.

See, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened.] So Hunniades was much refreshed, when, after a fight with the Turks, he supped with a shepherd, who brought him faint and almost famished to his poor cottage, and set before him bread and water, with a few onions. {b}

{a} A. Lapide.

{b} Turk. Hist., p. 310.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14:29 made trouble: Joshua had used this verb in speaking with Achan (Josh 7:25), and Jephthah had used it with his innocent daughter (Judg 11:35). Saul’s foolish oath limited Israel’s victory (1 Sam 14:30) and put his son’s life at risk (see also Josh 6:18; 1 Chr 2:7).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

By making this cruel law.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(29) My father hath troubled the land.—In other words, “My father’s ill-considered vow has done-grave harm to us in Israel. Had he not weakened the people, by hindering them from taking the needful refreshment, our victory would have been far more complete. Utter exhaustion has prevented us from following up our victory.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29. hath troubled] The word applied to Achan in Jos_7:25.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then said Jonathan, my father hath troubled the land,.... The people of the land, as the Targum, the soldiers in his army; afflicted and distressed them, and made them uneasy in their minds, like troubled waters; the Arabic version is,"my father hath sinned against the people;''hath done them injury by forbidding them to eat. This was not wisely said by Jonathan; how much soever his father was to be blamed, it did not become him as a son thus to reflect upon him, and it might have tended to mutiny and sedition:

see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey; the benefit he received by it was very visible; it might easily be discerned that he was greatly refreshed with it, and his spirits invigorated by it; it was to be seen in the cheerfulness of his countenance, and the briskness of his eyes: and he suggests it would have had the same effect upon the people, had they eaten of it, as he had done.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Hath troubled - The same word as was applied to Achan Jos 7:25, and gave its name to the valley of Achor. This additional reference to Joshua is remarkable (compare 1Sa 14:24).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Land. Chaldean, "the people of the land." (Menochius) --- He speaks his sentiments freely. But we ought not to find fault, in public, with the conduct of the prince. (Calmet) --- The people might have eaten a little without stopping the pursuit, as they generally carried provisions with them, or might find some easily on the road, so as to run with fresh vigour, (See Josue x.) and make ample amends for the time that they were delayed. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The land, i.e. the people of the land, the whole army, whom by this rash oath he hath greatly injured. The zeal of defending himself makes him run into the other extreme of accusing his father, and that before the people, whom by this means he might have stirred up to a sedition.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

29. My father hath troubled the land — Jonathan is quick to see the rashness and folly of his father’s oath, and to point out its injury to the Hebrews’ cause.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

My father hath troubled the land. Ie. hath brought disaster upon it (see Gen_34:30; Jos_7:25) This disaster was the incompleteness of the victory, owing to the people being too exhausted to continue the pursuit.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

for the land

This is a metonym that represents the nation of Israel. AT: "for Israel" (See: Metonymy)

my eyes have become brightened

This idiom means that he was strengthened. AT: "I regained my strength" (See: Idiom)

How much better if the people ... that they found?

Jonathan uses this hypothetical question to state that the people should have been allowed to eat. This can be a statement. AT: "Our victory would have been better if the people had eaten freely today of the plunder that they took from their enemies." (See: Rhetorical Question and Hypothetical Situations)

plunder

This word refers to the things the people had taken from the battle with their enemy.

Because now the slaughter has not been great

Because the troops were not able to eat during the battle, as the day progressed, they became weaker. Because of this, they were not able to kill as many of the Philistines.

translationWords

trouble

slaughter

Philistines

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

My father has brought distress to the [inhabitants of the] land. He confused [עָכַר] their thoughts and their salvation, like unclear [עֲכוּרִים] waters.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.