旧约 - 撒母耳记上(1 Samuel)第14章

One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, "Come, let's go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side." But he did not tell his father.
Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men,
among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod's brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.
On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez, and the other Seneh.
One cliff stood to the north toward Micmash, the other to the south toward Geba.
Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few."
"Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul."
Jonathan said, "Come, then; we will cross over toward the men and let them see us.
If they say to us, 'Wait there until we come to you,' we will stay where we are and not go up to them.
But if they say, 'Come up to us,' we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands."
So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. "Look!" said the Philistines. "The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in."
The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, "Come up to us and we'll teach you a lesson." So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, "Climb up after me; the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel."
Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him.
In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
Then panic struck the whole army--those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties--and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.
Saul's lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions.
Then Saul said to the men who were with him, "Muster the forces and see who has left us." When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.
Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God." (At that time it was with the Israelites.)
While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."
Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords.
Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit.
So the LORD rescued Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.
Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, "Cursed be any man who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!" So none of the troops tasted food.
The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground.
When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out, yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.
But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.
Then one of the soldiers told him, "Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, 'Cursed be any man who eats food today!' That is why the men are faint."
Jonathan said, "My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey.
How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?"
That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Micmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted.
They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood.
Then someone said to Saul, "Look, the men are sinning against the LORD by eating meat that has blood in it." "You have broken faith," he said. "Roll a large stone over here at once."
Then he said, "Go out among the men and tell them, 'Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with blood still in it.'" So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there.
Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had done this.
Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive." "Do whatever seems best to you," they replied. But the priest said, "Let us inquire of God here."
So Saul asked God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's hand?" But God did not answer him that day.
Saul therefore said, "Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today.
As surely as the LORD who rescues Israel lives, even if it lies with my son Jonathan, he must die." But not one of the men said a word.
Saul then said to all the Israelites, "You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here." "Do what seems best to you," the men replied.
Then Saul prayed to the LORD, the God of Israel, "Give me the right answer." And Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared.
Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was taken.
Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." So Jonathan told him, "I merely tasted a little honey with the end of my staff. And now must I die?"
Saul said, "May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan."
But the men said to Saul, "Should Jonathan die--he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God's help." So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.
After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them.
He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.
Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal.
His wife's name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul's army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul's uncle.
Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel.
All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service.
撒母耳记上第十四章   第 14 章 

  撒上 14 章 > 扫罗或有才能,品格却欠奉了,我们事奉的焦点不会只放在能力上面吧…… 

  14 章 从这一章我们看到,扫罗做了几件不合领袖体统的事:他没有跟儿子约拿单交谈( 14:1 , 17 );愚妄地起誓( 14:24 );不理士卒的疲乏安危( 14:31 )。他领导全民毫不称职,那并不只是由于本身的性格,更是由于他属灵品格的腐败。我们的行为常常是属灵景况的缩影,别忘记,要作英明的领袖,具备属灵的品格是极重要的。 

  扫罗 

  撒上 14:1> 军纪固然重要,但为何约拿单要单独行动呢?扫罗父子有何分别? 

  14:1 约拿单为何单独下去攻击非利士人?也许在战场上躲避敌人不是办法,拖延日久难免厌战;他信靠神能使他得胜,虽然非利士军队人数众多,但自己有神同在,相信可以力克敌人。他也许未将这事告诉父亲,因为扫罗不会让他出战。 

  撒上 14:6> 战争中人的多少,是世人看胜负的条件,你怎样看? 

  14:6 约拿单与替他拿兵器的人,和非利士人的大军比起来实在是微不足道。但是尽管别人都害怕,他们却倚靠神,清楚知道敌方兵员虽多,也不能限制神施展大能相助。神看重这两个人的信心与英勇,使他们大获胜利。 

  你曾否被“仇敌”四面包围,面对有压倒性优势的敌人?不要被庞大的敌人和复杂的情势吓倒,倚靠神,总会有足够的资源抵抗压力,而且得胜。只要神吩咐你采取行动,你就要果敢地将自己所有的一切交托给祂,信赖祂率领你取胜。 

  撒上 14:12> 约拿单靠神,以一当十,我又如何面对困难? 

  14:12 约拿单没有权柄率领全军出战,但是他能在敌营的一隅发动小型攻击。他们动手的时候,非利士营中惊慌溃乱,以前跟随非利士军的希伯来人都倒戈相向,藏在山地之人也重新振作起来出去作战。 

  你面对力不能胜的局面时,请你自问,“我能采取什么步骤来解决难题并且获得最后的胜利?” 

  撒上 14:19> 是否应该停手? 

  14:19 扫罗吩咐祭司“停手”,是指不要使用乌陵和土明。他们本来要从以弗得(背心)之中取出它们来,好确知神的旨意(参 10:20 的注释),扫罗急急忙忙地按例而行,求神的回覆,好趁非利士人混乱之际,速速取胜。 

  冒失起誓许愿 

  撒上 14:24> 扫罗愚昧的起誓,带来了可悲的后果── 

  14:24 扫罗叫百姓起誓,毫不考虑可能的后果。其结果如何?( 1 )百姓极其困惫,不能作战;( 2 )他们极其饥饿,吃带血的肉,这事违背神的律法( 14:32 );( 3 )他几乎杀了自己的儿子约拿单( 14:42-44 )。扫罗一时冲动起誓,听起来很有英雄味道,但是却带来灾殃。如果你处于为难之中,务要慎防冲口而出的话语,免得后悔莫及。 

  约拿单的英勇战绩 

  撒上 14:32-34> 为何不可吃血?我如何看待吃血? 

  14:32-34 在希伯来人有关食物的条例中,最古老、也是最认真的一项,是不准他们吃带血的牲畜肉(参利 7:26-27 )。这个律法从挪亚时代开始(参创 9:4 )到早期教会时代一直被遵守着(参徒 15:27-29 )。吃血是犯罪的,因为血代表生命,生命是属于神的。(参利 17:10-14 注释)。 

  撒上 14:35-36> 把神放在第一位,是应当的,为何我也是最后才想到神? 

  14:35-36 扫罗作王好几年以后,才为神建起第一个祭坛,作为最后的凭依。他在位期间,只有在山穷水尽之时才寻求神,这与祭司成了强烈的对比,祭司主张人应当凡事先求问神。假如他首先去求问神,作王以后头一件事就是筑起祭坛,该有多好啊!人到事后才求告神,就有辱祂的大能;我们应先求告神,别等到计穷力竭之时才想到祂。 

  撒上 14:39> 扫罗再次起誓几乎丧了儿子的命;我能勒住自己的口不起誓吗? 

  14:39 这是扫罗第二次愚昧地起誓。起第一个誓是因为他太急于打败非利士人,想激励士兵早早完成任务( 14:14-26 )。在全本圣经中神从来没有叫人起誓或许愿,不过一旦人起了誓的话,祂当然希望人能够信守(参利 5:4 ;民 30 )。 

  扫罗的誓言,神并不完全认同,不过那仍然是他所起的誓。约拿单虽然不知道父亲的誓言,仍犯了违背誓言之过。扫罗好像耶弗他一样(参士 11 章),所许之愿危及到自己儿女的生命,幸而人民拦阻才救了约拿单的性命。 

  撒上 14:39> 冒失起誓,后果可能是严峻的,应该怎么办? 

  14:39 扫罗下了一道不合情理的命令,促使人去违誓。按照这命令,他必须处死儿子,但即使如此他也不能收回命令,因为他已经对神起了誓。冒失起誓的后果是严重的,尤其当所起的誓不合情理,又很难做到时,就更加被动了。 

  撒上 14:43> 能坦诚面对自己的错,约拿单真教人佩服!其实我也想做到…… 

  14:43 约拿单的属灵气质跟扫罗成为鲜明的对比。他坦承自己所做的事,并不想作掩饰。他虽然不知道扫罗所起的誓,却甘愿承受后果。在你做错事以后,即使出于无心,也要像约拿单一样的坦白,却不可效法扫罗。 

  撒上 14:44-45> 在威望、信誉、法理、亲情和忠心的错综关系上,哪点最重要?我是怎么做的? 

  14:44-45 为了面子,扫罗又说了一次糊涂话。饶恕约拿单的性命,等于要他承认自己做了蠢事,这对君王来说是非常难堪的,他实际上是关心自己的形像多过信守自己的誓言。幸而百姓劝说才救了约拿单。不要像扫罗似的一错再错,要肯认错,好证明你注重事情做得对,过于表面上做得漂亮。 

  撒上 14:47> 神是终极的权能者,有最佳的旨意、时间和方法,但我为何常怀疑或焦虑呢? 

  14:47 扫罗刚刚违背了神的命令,神就告诉他,他的国位不会长久了( 13:13-14 )。其后为什么他又会战胜呢?有时不虔诚的人也能打胜仗。神既没有保证,又没有设限说只有义人才能得胜;祂只照自己的旨意安排。祂可能因为人民的缘故,而不是因为扫罗,所以使他得胜。祂可能容许扫罗暂时作王,好使用他的军事才能,这样,下一任的君王大卫就可以心无旁骛,领导国人从事属灵战争。不管神因什么原由耽延扫罗王朝的改换,他的王位终结总要完全应验神的预言。只有神知道自己的计划和应许,祂有命定的时间。我们的任务乃是将自己的事情和道路交托给神,信靠祂必会成全。──《灵修版圣经注释》