In previous episodes, we focused on the pursuer-pursued relationship between Samuel and Saul. We described how Samuel, instead of supporting and assisting the young and inexperienced king, publicly humiliated him and undermined his authority as king and military commander. We also showed how Saul silently and submissively endured Samuel's verbal attacks.

In Chapter 14, a new character enters the story - Jonathan, Saul's firstborn son. As the natural heir, Jonathan was destined to succeed his father and become the second king of Israel.

Saul's mental deterioration and his troubled relationship with his son are revealed against the backdrop of the battle with the Philistines. That day, Jonathan initiated warfare without informing his father, thereby bypassing the king's authority who was also the army's commander.

Before joining the battle, Saul made his warriors swear not to eat until evening. The consequences of this strange oath were immediate: the warriors, having eaten nothing all day, became exhausted to the point of fainting.

Jonathan, who was not present at the oath-taking and knew nothing of it, tasted a bit of honey which gave him an energy boost, as the sugar in honey is an exceptional source of energy.

Against the backdrop of the battle day, the author reveals not only the troubled and alienated relationship between father and son but primarily the worrying transformation in Saul's mental state. Saul who had bowed his head before Samuel's wrathful words disappeared, replaced by a new, obsessive, and compulsive character.

The change in Saul's personality first appears in Chapter 14 when he learns of Jonathan's violated the oath - an oath he knew nothing about. For a single drop of honey, Saul intended to execute his son. Only the forceful intervention of his soldiers prevented the death sentence from being carried out.

From a literary perspective, Chapter 14 introduces the following chapters. Against the backdrop of the ongoing war with the Philistines, the author describes Saul's mental deterioration, until his descent into a world of hallucinations and threatening evil spirits.

This episode delves into the psychological dynamics of Samuel and Saul.

The turning point in Samuel's personality—previously depicted as gentle and reserved—occurs when the tribal elders visit his home to request the appointment of a warrior-king for Israel. They point out that his sons are corrupt and therefore unfit to inherit his position (Chapter 8).

While Samuel ignores the harsh criticism directed at his sons, from that moment onward, he is portrayed as a vengeful and angry man. Instead of appointing the warrior-king as the elders sought, Samuel chooses young Saul—a man with no military experience and anxious tendencies. Saul was someone Samuel could, and did, manipulate, torment, and humiliate.

The narrative depicts Saul's gradual psychological decline, culminating on the eve of his final battle against the Philistines. Desperate and broken, Saul seeks out the Witch of Endor and asks her to summon Samuel’s spirit from the dead. When Samuel’s spirit rises, it mercilessly berates Saul, leaving the king collapsed and helpless on the ground.

This episode concludes with a striking plot twist. Samuel, who initially appointed an inexperienced and fragile young man as king, repeats this pattern by selecting another young man with no military background—David. However, unlike Saul, David proves to be a natural leader: charismatic and emotionally resilient.

This episode presents the first meeting between two contrasting figures, whose relationship will develop into a powerful historical and psychological drama.

Samuel, the experienced religious leader, reveals himself in his old age as a zealous, angry, and vengeful character - contrary to the expectation that he would become a measured and balanced leader. Despite his impressive appearance and tall stature, Saul turns out to have a fragile and submissive personality.

The Bible describes the three coronations in which Samuel crowned Saul as the first king of Israel. While one would expect the young king's coronation to be a festive and respectful event, the opposite occurred. Each coronation was more humiliating and traumatic than the last.

In this episode, we lay the foundation for the troubled relationship between the two, which will continue to escalate and accompany Saul's miserable years of reign until his tragic end.

The sharp contrast between Samuel and Saul creates a powerful drama that unfolds against the backdrop of the struggle against the Philistines.