1 Samuel 14:47-52--Saul Fights Israel's Enemies

1 Samuel 14:47-52
English Standard Version

Saul Fights Israel's Enemies
47 When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned he routed them. 48 And he did valiantly and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. 50 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

​52 There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself.

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Samuel now takes a moment to summarize all of Saul's achievements and his lineage--it almost sounds like Saul's reign is about to come to an end right here.  Saul fought against all the enemies of Israel during his time as king-the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines.  Wherever he turned to fight these enemies (which should have been destroyed during the original Conquest of the Land of Canaan), the LORD gave him success.  He was valiant (brave) and struck down the Amalekites (they were the ones that the Israelites were so afraid up when they spied out the land and said they were like grasshoppers in the sight of the Amalekites), and Saul delivered Israel from all those that sought to plunder the Land and take it for themselves.

Now Saul had several sons.  We already know of Jonathan, the oldest, and there is als Ishvi, and Malchi-shua.  Saul also had two daughters.  The firstborn was Merab, and the younger was Michal (Michal will later be given as a wife to David).   The text also names Saul's wife, Ahinoam, and his military commander, Abner, who was also Saul's uncle, the brother of Kish (Saul's father).  Saul raised up a group of strong and valiant men to fight all these enemies.

We will continue to see Saul as a piece on the chessboard, but in the next chapter, the LORD rejects Saul and we see that the LORD takes on a different strategy altogether starting in chapter 16 when Samuel is called into service once again as a kingmaker to anoint a new king.  It will be many years still until Saul dies and David takes the throne, but the LORD has already proclaimed that the kingdom will be taken from Saul and given to another not in his house (neither Jonathan nor any other sons or close male relatives of Saul would be king of Israel).  We'll talk more about this over the next couple of chapters.