1 Samuel 14:37

Translation
King James Version
And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And Saul H7586 asked H7592 counsel of God H430, Shall I go down H3381 after H310 the Philistines H6430? wilt thou deliver H5414 them into the hand H3027 of Israel H3478? But he answered H6030 him not that day H3117.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Sha'ul consulted God: "Should I go down in pursuit of the P'lishtim? Will you hand them over to Isra'el?" But he didn't answer him that day.
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Berean Standard Bible
So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.
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American Standard Version
And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.
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World English Bible Messianic
Saul asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he didn’t answer him that day.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
So Saul asked of God, saying, Shall I goe downe after ye Philistims? wilt thou deliuer them into the hands of Israel? But he answered him not at that time.
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Young's Literal Translation
And Saul asketh of God, `Do I go down after the Philistines? dost Thou give them into the hand of Israel?' and He hath not answered him on that day.
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See also
1 Samuel 28:62 Samuel 5:231 Samuel 23:91 Samuel 23:122 Samuel 5:191 Samuel 23:41 Kings 22:15
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In the KJVVerse 7,546 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

1 Samuel 14:37 marks a crucial turning point in King Saul's reign, revealing God's profound and unsettling silence in response to Saul's military inquiry against the Philistines. This abrupt cessation of divine communication serves as a stark indicator of God's deep displeasure, signaling a deteriorating relationship between the sovereign Lord and Israel's first king, and underscoring the severe consequences of disobedience, rash leadership, and a heart not fully yielded to divine authority.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is strategically placed at a pivotal and chaotic moment within a desperate battle between the Israelites and the Philistines. Earlier in 1 Samuel 14, Saul's son, Jonathan, demonstrated remarkable faith and courage by initiating a daring, two-man attack that miraculously threw the vast Philistine camp into disarray, leading to a significant Israelite advantage. However, Saul, in an act of misguided zeal and self-imposed piety, had imposed a rash and foolish oath, forbidding his soldiers from eating anything until evening. This oath inadvertently endangered Jonathan's life and severely exhausted his men, hindering their ability to pursue the fleeing enemy effectively. The famished people, upon reaching the Philistine spoils, later sinned grievously by eating meat with the blood still in it, a direct violation of Mosaic law (Leviticus 17:10-14). Saul, attempting to restore order and divine favor, built an altar to the Lord—his first recorded altar—and then sought God's guidance before pursuing the Philistines further. His inquiry, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel?" was met with the stark and unsettling response, "But he answered him not that day." This divine silence, following a series of impulsive actions, a foolish vow, and the people's sin under his leadership, signals a profound and ominous shift in God's disposition towards Saul, indicating a breach in their relationship.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, divine communication was not merely desired but absolutely paramount for national leadership, especially for the king. Kings were expected to seek God's counsel through established and legitimate means, primarily through the high priest who utilized the Urim and Thummim, sacred objects kept within the breastplate of the ephod (as meticulously described in Exodus 28:30). These divinely ordained methods typically yielded a clear "yes" or "no" answer, or a specific directive. God's direct communication, or the conspicuous lack thereof, was a powerful and undeniable indicator of His favor or, conversely, His severe displeasure. For a king to be met with divine silence in a moment of critical military strategy was an exceptionally ominous sign, signaling a profound breach in the covenant relationship and a withdrawal of God's guiding and empowering presence. The Philistines, a formidable and persistent enemy, posed an existential threat to Israel's nascent kingdom, making divine military counsel not just desirable but absolutely critical for the nation's survival and ultimate victory. Without God's explicit endorsement, any military campaign was deemed precarious.
  • Key Themes: The immediate context of 1 Samuel 14 and the broader narrative of 1 Samuel are richly imbued with themes that powerfully converge in this verse. Firstly, Divine Silence as Judgment is profoundly illustrated. God's refusal to answer Saul was not merely an absence of information; it was a potent and active sign of His withdrawal of favor and a clear precursor to judgment. In a culture where divine communication was highly valued and expected for leadership, silence often signaled God's deep displeasure or a severe warning to a leader or nation, foreshadowing God's eventual rejection of Saul as king (as explicitly stated in 1 Samuel 15:23). Secondly, the Consequences of Disobedience are starkly highlighted. Saul's previous actions, particularly his impulsiveness, self-reliance, and failure to fully obey God's commands (e.g., his unauthorized and impatient sacrifice in 1 Samuel 13:9), had created a growing and irreparable rift in his relationship with God. God's silence here is a direct and logical consequence, demonstrating that a mere outward show of seeking God's counsel is utterly insufficient if the heart is not right or if there is unaddressed and persistent sin. Finally, the theme of Seeking God's Will is critically explored. While Saul did indeed seek counsel, the effectiveness and validity of such inquiries are profoundly dependent on the seeker's relationship with God, their consistent obedience, and their genuine submission to His ultimate authority. This episode serves as a powerful and enduring reminder that God is not obligated to answer when there is unconfessed sin, a pattern of rebellion, or a heart that prioritizes its own agenda over divine command.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • asked counsel (Hebrew, _shâʼal Elohim'_, H7592): The verb שָׁאַל (H7592, shâʼal'): "to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand." This signifies a formal and deliberate act of seeking divine guidance, typically through the high priest and the Urim and Thummim. It implies an acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and His role as the ultimate guide for Israel's military and national affairs. However, the effectiveness of such an inquiry is profoundly contingent upon the inquirer's spiritual standing and obedience before God.
  • God (Hebrew, ʼĕlôhîym', H430): The noun אֱלֹהִים (H430, ʼĕlôhîym'): "plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God." This is the generic yet powerful Hebrew term for God, used here to refer specifically to the one true God of Israel. Its presence emphasizes that Saul was seeking counsel from the ultimate divine authority, the God who holds absolute power over battles, nations, and human destinies. The fact that this supreme God did not respond underscores the profound gravity of the situation; it was not merely a human communication breakdown but a deliberate and active withholding of divine presence and guidance.
  • answered (Hebrew, ʻânâh', H6030): The verb עָנָה (H6030, ʻânâh'): "to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout, testify, announce." This word encompasses the act of responding or giving attention. Its negation in the verse, "answered him not," is profoundly impactful. It conveys the complete and absolute cessation of divine communication. This silence is not passive; it is an active, communicative act in itself, conveying displeasure, judgment, and a withdrawal of favor, far more potent and chilling than any spoken rebuke.
  • that day (Hebrew, yôwm', H3117): The noun יוֹם (H3117, yôwm'): "from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term)." The inclusion of "that day" emphasizes the immediate, definitive, and unyielding nature of God's silence. It was not a temporary delay or a postponed response; it was a complete and final withholding of any answer at that critical moment, signaling a profound and immediate breakdown in the communication channel between God and His anointed king.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And Saul asked counsel of God": This initial clause establishes Saul's action: he initiated a formal spiritual inquiry, seeking divine guidance for the next phase of the military campaign against the Philistines. This indicates his recognition, at least outwardly, that ultimate success and victory depended on God's favor and explicit direction. It follows his attempt to atone for the people's sin by building an altar.
  • "Shall I go down after the Philistines?": This is the first part of Saul's specific, strategic military inquiry. He is asking for explicit permission and clear direction to pursue the retreating Philistines, aiming to capitalize on the significant momentum gained earlier in the day through Jonathan's heroic actions. This question reflects a desire for tactical advantage and a decisive victory.
  • "wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel?": This second part of Saul's question reveals his ultimate desire and expectation: an assurance of divine intervention and guaranteed victory. He is seeking a divine promise that God will actively grant Israel success in utterly defeating their enemies, implying a request for God's direct and powerful intervention and blessing on the pursuit. The phrase "into the hand of Israel" (H3027, yâd) signifies complete control and victory.
  • "But he answered him not that day.": This concluding clause delivers the stark, devastating, and profoundly ominous divine response—or, more accurately, the lack thereof. The phrase "that day" emphasizes the immediate, definitive, and unyielding nature of God's silence. It was not a delay, but a complete and absolute withholding of any answer, signaling profound divine displeasure and a critical, perhaps irreparable, breakdown in the communication channel between God and His anointed king. This silence itself becomes a powerful message of judgment.

Literary Devices

The verse employs several powerful literary devices that amplify its theological impact. Divine Silence is the most prominent and impactful, functioning not as an absence of communication but as a potent narrative tool to convey God's active displeasure and withdrawal of favor. Unlike a direct rebuke or spoken judgment, the absolute absence of a response creates a chilling sense of abandonment and profound judgment, forcing both Saul and the reader to ponder the deep reasons for this cessation of communication. This silence also serves as significant Foreshadowing, ominously hinting at the tragic trajectory of Saul's reign and his eventual, complete rejection by God as king (1 Samuel 15:23). There is also a subtle yet poignant Irony at play: Saul, the king specifically chosen by God to lead His people and represent His authority, finds himself utterly cut off from the very divine guidance that is absolutely essential for his leadership and for the welfare of the nation. His outward act of seeking counsel, though seemingly pious, is rendered entirely futile by his internal state of disobedience, rashness, and self-will, highlighting the profound disconnect between religious ritual and a genuine, obedient relationship with God.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

This verse profoundly illustrates the theological principle that God, though sovereign, omnipresent, and always capable of communicating with His people, is not obligated to answer when there is unaddressed sin, a persistent pattern of disobedience, or a heart that is not fully yielded to Him. God's silence here is not an absence of His presence or power, but a deliberate and active act of communication, signaling His deep displeasure and a withdrawal of His guiding hand from Saul. It underscores that true communion with God requires far more than mere ritualistic inquiry; it demands a life of consistent obedience, genuine humility, and sincere repentance. This episode serves as a powerful and enduring reminder that while God desires to speak to His people and lead them, our receptiveness and His willingness to respond are often contingent upon our spiritual posture, our moral integrity, and our unwavering willingness to align our will with His divine purposes.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The divine silence experienced by King Saul in 1 Samuel 14:37 offers profound and sobering lessons for believers today. It compels us to deeply examine the state of our own hearts and the authenticity of our relationship with God. When we seek God's guidance, whether through prayer, diligent study of Scripture, or wise counsel from others, it is absolutely crucial to approach Him with humility, a truly repentant spirit, and a genuine, unreserved desire to obey His will, rather than merely seeking validation for our own preconceived plans or desires. God's silence, though often unsettling and even terrifying, can paradoxically be His loudest and most profound message, prompting us to pause, reflect deeply, and honestly assess if there are unconfessed sins, unaddressed patterns of disobedience, or self-serving motives that are hindering our communion with Him. It is a powerful call to deeper introspection, sincere confession, and a radical commitment to obedience. This episode serves as a vital reminder that an active, vibrant, and responsive relationship with God is built not just on ritualistic inquiry, but on consistent obedience, a yielded heart, and a life lived in humble submission to His sovereign will.

Questions for Reflection

  • How do I typically approach God when seeking guidance, and what is the true posture of my heart in those moments?
  • Are there specific areas of unconfessed sin, known disobedience, or unaddressed rebellion in my life that might be hindering my ability to hear God's voice clearly?
  • How do I respond when God seems silent in my life or when my prayers appear to go unanswered? Do I press in with repentance, or do I become frustrated and withdraw?
  • What concrete steps can I take to cultivate a deeper, more obedient, and more intimate relationship with God that fosters open and clear communication?

FAQ

Why did God not answer Saul on this day?

Answer: God's silence was a direct and deliberate consequence of Saul's escalating pattern of disobedience, his rash and self-willed actions, and the spiritual state of the people under his leadership. Earlier, Saul had presumptuously offered an unauthorized sacrifice (see 1 Samuel 13:9), demonstrating a profound lack of trust and patience with God's timing and explicit commands. Immediately preceding this verse, Saul made a foolish and rash vow, endangering his son Jonathan and severely exhausting his troops (as detailed in 1 Samuel 14:24-30). Furthermore, the people, driven by extreme hunger, sinned by eating meat with the blood still in it, a direct violation of Mosaic law, which Saul then attempted to rectify. God's silence indicated His profound displeasure with Saul's impulsive, disobedient leadership and the spiritual brokenness of the king and, by extension, the nation. It powerfully demonstrated that outward acts of seeking counsel were utterly insufficient without genuine obedience and a heart fully aligned with God's will.

How did Saul typically seek counsel from God?

Answer: Kings and leaders in Israel typically sought counsel from God through the high priest, who would utilize the Urim and Thummim. These were sacred objects, likely stones or lots, kept within the breastplate of the high priest's ephod (as meticulously described in Exodus 28:30). They were used to discern God's will in specific situations, often providing a "yes" or "no" answer, or a clear divine direction. This method was considered a legitimate and divinely ordained means of divine communication, and Saul's use of it here indicates his adherence to the established religious protocol, even if his heart was not fully aligned with God's commands.

What does God's silence signify in biblical narratives?

Answer: In biblical narratives, God's silence is rarely an absence of His presence or power; rather, it is almost always a profound, deliberate, and communicative act in itself. It can signify divine displeasure, a withdrawal of favor, or a powerful call to repentance. For individuals or nations in covenant with God, silence often indicates a serious breach in that relationship, suggesting that unaddressed sin or persistent disobedience has created a formidable barrier between God and His people (as powerfully seen in Isaiah 59:2). It can also be a test of faith, prompting deeper reliance on God alone, or a period of preparation before a new revelation. In Saul's specific case, it was a clear and ominous sign of God's rejection of his kingship, a theme that continues to unfold tragically in subsequent chapters (e.g., 1 Samuel 28:6).

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The stark and ominous silence God rendered to King Saul in 1 Samuel 14:37 stands in profound and glorious contrast to the new covenant reality inaugurated by Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, God often spoke through various means—prophets, dreams, visions, or sacred objects like the Urim and Thummim—and His silence could indeed be a terrifying sign of judgment and separation. However, in Christ, God has spoken His final, most complete, and most perfect word. As the magnificent opening of Hebrews 1:1-2 declares, "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son." Jesus is the ultimate and living revelation of God, the very Word made flesh (John 1:14), through whom we now have direct, unhindered, and confident access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). Unlike Saul, who was cut off from divine counsel due to his persistent disobedience and self-will, believers in Christ are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who serves as our divine guide, leading us into all truth (John 16:13) and enabling us to hear God's voice clearly through His written Word and inner promptings. Christ's perfect obedience, substitutionary sacrifice, and victorious resurrection reversed the separation caused by sin, ensuring that those who are "in Christ" can always draw near to God with confidence, finding abundant grace and timely mercy in their every time of need (Hebrews 4:16). The era of divine silence as a sign of judgment for His covenant people has been triumphantly overcome by the resounding, continuous, and grace-filled voice of God speaking through His Son and His indwelling Spirit.

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Commentary on 1 Samuel 14 verses 36–46

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

Here is, I. Saul's boasting against the Philistines. He proposed, as soon as his soldiers had got their suppers, to pursue them all night, and not leave a man of them, Sa1 14:36. Here he showed much zeal, but little discretion; for his army, thus fatigued, could as ill spare a night's sleep as a meal's meat. But it is common for rash and foolish men to consider nobody but themselves, and, so that they might but have their humour, not to care what hardships they put upon those that are under them. However, the people were so obsequious to their king that they would by no means oppose the motion, but resolved to make the best of it, and, if he will go on, they will follow him: Do whatsoever seemeth good to thee. Only the priest thought it convenient to go on with the devotions that were broken off abruptly (Sa1 14:19), and to consult the oracle: Let us draw near hither unto God. Princes and great men have need of such about them as will thus be their remembrancers, wherever they go, to take God along with them. And, when the priest proposed it, Saul could not for shame reject the proposal, but asked counsel of God (Sa1 14:37): "Shall I go down after the Philistines? And shall I speed?"

II. His falling foul on his son Jonathan: and the rest of this paragraph is wholly concerning him: for, while he is prosecuted, the Philistines make their escape. We know not what mischief may ensue upon on rash resolve.

1.God, by giving an intimation of his displeasure, put Saul upon searching for an accursed thing. When, by the priest, he consulted the oracle, God answered him not, Sa1 14:37. Note, When God denies our prayers it concerns us to enquire what the sin is that has provoked him to do so. Let us see where the sin is, Sa1 14:38. For God's ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, but it is sin that separates between us and him. If God turns away our prayer, we have reason to suspect it is for some iniquity regarding our hearts, which we are concerned to find out, that we may put it away, may mortify it, and put it to death. Saul swears by his Maker that whoever was the Achan that troubled the camp, by eating the forbidden fruit, should certainly die, though it were Jonathan himself, that is, though ever so dear to himself and the people, little thinking that Jonathan was the man (Sa1 14:39): He shall surely die, the curse shall be executed upon him. But none of the people answered him, that is, none of those who knew Jonathan had broken the order would inform against him.

2.Jonathan was discovered by lot to be the offender. Saul would have lots cast between himself and Jonathan on the one side, and the people on the other, perhaps because he was as confident of Jonathan's innocency in this matter as of his own, Sa1 14:40. The people, seeing him in a heat, durst not gainsay any thing he proposed, but acquiesced: Do as seemeth good unto thee. Before he cast lots, he prayed that God would give a perfect lot (Sa1 14:41), that is, make a full discovery of this matter, or, as it is in the margin, that he would show the innocent. This was with an air of impartial justice. Judges should desire that truth may come out, whoever may suffer by it. Lots should be cast with prayer, because they are a solemn appeal to Providence, and by them we beg of God to direct and determine us (Act 1:24), for which reason some have condemned games that depend purely upon lot or chance as making too bold with a sacred thing. Jonathan at length was taken (Sa1 14:42), Providence designing hereby to countenance and support a lawful authority, and to put an honour upon the administration of public justice in general, reserving another way to bring off one that had done nothing worthy of death.

3.Jonathan ingenuously confesses the fact, and Saul, with an angry curse, passes sentence upon him. Jonathan denies not the truth, nor goes about to conceal it, only he thinks it hard that he must die for it, Sa1 14:43. He might very fairly have pleaded his invincible ignorance of the law, or have insisted upon his merit, but he submitted to the necessity with a great and generous mind: "God's and my father's will be done:" thus he showed as much valour in receiving the messengers of death himself as in sending them among the Philistines. It is as brave to yield in some cases as it is in other cases to fight. Saul is not mollified by his filial submission nor the hardness of his case; but as one that affected to be thought firm to his word, and much more to his oath; even when it bound him hardest, with another imprecation he gives judgment upon Jonathan (Sa1 14:44): "God do so and more also to me if I do not execute the law upon thee, for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan." (1.) He passed this sentence too hastily, without consulting the oracle. Jonathan had a very good plea in arrest of the judgment. What he had done was not malum in se - bad in itself; and, as for the prohibition of it, he was ignorant of that, so that he could not be charged with rebellion or disobedience. (2.) He did it in fury. Had Jonathan been worthy to die, yet it would have become a judge, much more a father, to pass sentence with tenderness and compassion, and not with such an air of triumph, like a man perfectly divested of all humanity and natural affection. Justice is debased when it is administered with wrath and bitterness. (3.) He backed it with a curse upon himself if he did not see the sentence executed; and this curse did return upon his own head. Jonathan escaped, but God did so to Saul, and more also; for he was rejected of God and made anathema. Let none upon any occasion dare to use such imprecations as these, lest God say Amen to them, and make their own tongues to fall upon them, Psa 64:8. This stone will return upon him that rolleth it. Yet we have reason to think that Saul's bowels yearned toward Jonathan, so that he really punished himself, and very justly, when he seemed so severe upon Jonathan. God made him feel the smart of his own rash edict, which might make him fear being again guilty of the like. By all these vexatious accidents God did likewise correct him for his presumption in offering sacrifice without Samuel. An expedition so ill begun could not end without some rebukes.

4.The people rescued Jonathan out of his father's hands, v. 45. Hitherto they had expressed themselves very observant of Saul. What seemed good to him they acquiesced in, v. 36, 40. But, when Jonathan is in danger, Saul's word is no longer a law to them, but with the utmost zeal they oppose the execution of his sentence: "Shall Jonathan die - that blessing, that darling, of his country? Shall that life be sacrificed to a punctilio of law and honour which was so bravely exposed for the public service, and to which we owe our lives and triumphs? No, we will never stand by and see him thus treated whom God delights to honour." It is good to see Israelites zealous for the protection of those whom God has made instruments of public good. Saul had sworn that Jonathan should die, but they oppose their oath to his, and swear he shall not die: "As the Lord liveth there shall not only not his head, but not a hair of his head fall to the ground;" they did not rescue him by violence, but by reason and resolution; and Josephus says they made their prayer to God that he might be loosed from the curse. They pleaded for him that he has wrought with God this day; that is, "he has owned God's cause, and God has owned his endeavours, and therefore his life is too precious to be thrown away upon a nicety." We may suppose Saul had not so perfectly forgotten the relation of a father but that he was willing enough to have Jonathan rescued, and well pleased to have that done which yet he would not do himself: and he that knows the heart of a father knows not how to blame him.

5.The design against the Philistines is quashed by this incident (v. 46): Saul went up from following them, and so an opportunity was lost of completing the victory. When Israel's shields are clashing with one another the public safety and service suffer by it.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 36–46. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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