Saul the Judge

A foolish vow, a child is threatened by that vow, and people advocate doing whatever seems best in their own eyes. Although these events take place in 1 Sam. 14, it seems like we have heard them before. In fact, if one reads straight through from Genesis to 1 Samuel, they will realize that they have heard this before. While this story in 1 Sam. 14 is about the foolishness of King Saul, there are many elements that seem reminiscent of the book of Judges.

For example, several times throughout the narrative, Saul's men advise him to "do whatever seems good to you" (NASB). One cannot help but think of the ending of Judges which states how everyone "did what was right in their own eyes." Instead of seeking God's advice, people simply acted on their own feelings, just as Saul makes a number of rash orders here.

Likewise, Saul seems like a newer version of the Judge Jephthah. Both characters make a foolish oath after military victories that end up affecting one of their children. In the case of Jephthah, he offers to sacrifice the first thing that greets him at his home, which results in his having to sacrifice/dedicate his daughter to God. In the case of Saul, he makes an oath that forbids any of his men from eating any honey, even though as Jonathon points out, the honey would help strengthen the troops. In the end, Saul is faced with the decision to kill his own son for violating the oath by eating honey. However, unlike Jephthah, Saul does not keep his oath but bends to the wishes of his people.

If these similarities between Saul and the book of Judges are intentional, then the effect is comparing the end of Saul's reign to the period of the judges. Although Saul is king and should be bringing more prosperity and unity to Israel, he reign is just as foolish and chaotic as the period of the judges. In fact, in some ways it is worse because he is even weaker than some of the leaders of old as he can't even keep his own oaths. Instead of remaining faithful to the tasks God gave him, he allows himself to be easily pushed around by his own feelings and by the wishes of his people.