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본문의 중심내용

승기를 잡은 사울은 전투로 지친 군사들에게 적을 섬멸할 때까지 아무것도 먹지 않는 맹세를 하게 했습니다. 시간이 갈수록 사울의 조치가 어리석었음이 드러납니다.

[ 사무엘상 14:24 - 14:35 ] (찬송366장)

사울의 어리석은 강제 맹세 

24이 날에 이스라엘 백성들이 피곤하였으니 이는 사울이 백성에게 맹세시켜 경계하여 이르기를 저녁 곧 내가 내 원수에게 보복하는 때까지 아무 음식물이든지 먹는 사람은 저주를 받을지어다 하였음이라 그러므로 모든 백성이 음식물을 맛보지 못하고 25그들이 다 수풀에 들어간즉 땅에 꿀이 있더라 26백성이 수풀로 들어갈 때에 꿀이 흐르는 것을 보고도 그들이 맹세를 두려워하여 손을 그 입에 대는 자가 없었으나 27요나단은 그의 아버지가 백성에게 맹세하여 명령할 때에 듣지 못하였으므로 손에 가진 지팡이 끝을 내밀어 벌집의 꿀을 찍고 그의 손을 돌려 입에 대매 눈이 밝아졌더라 28그 때에 백성 중 한 사람이 말하여 이르되 당신의 부친이 백성에게 맹세하여 엄히 말씀하시기를 오늘 음식물을 먹는 사람은 저주를 받을지어다 하셨나이다 그러므로 백성이 피곤하였나이다 하니 29요나단이 이르되 내 아버지께서 이 땅을 곤란하게 하셨도다 보라 내가 이 꿀 조금을 맛보고도 내 눈이 이렇게 밝아졌거든 30하물며 백성이 오늘 그 대적에게서 탈취하여 얻은 것을 임의로 먹었더라면 블레셋 사람을 살륙함이 더욱 많지 아니하였겠느냐

 고기를 피째 먹은 이스라엘 

31그 날에 백성이 믹마스에서부터 아얄론에 이르기까지 블레셋 사람들을 쳤으므로 그들이 심히 피곤한지라 32백성이 이에 탈취한 물건에 달려가서 양과 소와 송아지들을 끌어다가 그것을 땅에서 잡아 피째 먹었더니 33무리가 사울에게 전하여 이르되 보소서 백성이 고기를 피째 먹어 여호와께 범죄하였나이다 사울이 이르되 너희가 믿음 없이 행하였도다 이제 큰 돌을 내게로 굴려 오라 하고 34또 사울이 이르되 너희는 백성 중에 흩어져 다니며 그들에게 이르기를 사람은 각기 소와 양을 이리로 끌어다가 여기서 잡아 먹되 피째로 먹어 여호와께 범죄하지 말라 하라 하매 그 밤에 모든 백성이 각각 자기의 소를 끌어다가 거기서 잡으니라 35사울이 여호와를 위하여 제단을 쌓았으니 이는 그가 여호와를 위하여 처음 쌓은 제단이었더라

 도움말

35절) “처음 쌓은 제단이었더라”로 번역된 원문은 문자적으로 “제단을 쌓기 시작하였다”라는 뜻이다.

[ 1 Samuel 14:24 - 14:35 ]

24And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people had tasted food.25 Now when all the people came to the forest, behold, there was honey on the ground.26 And when the people entered the forest, behold, the honey was dropping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright.28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.’” And the people were faint.29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey.30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.”31 They struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint.32 The people pounced on the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood.33 Then they told Saul, “Behold, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood.” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a great stone to me here.”34 And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Let every man bring his ox or his sheep and slaughter them here and eat, and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.’” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night and they slaughtered them there.35 And Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar that he built to the LORD. 

Who is God like?

Thinking & Understanding

As the balance of the battle became tipped in their favour, Saul made the soldiers fast for the sake of complete victory. However, the starving soldiers could not fight properly due to hunger and weariness. Meanwhile, Jonathan, who had not heard Saul’s command, ate honey and gained strength. After finding out that Saul had commanded the soldiers to fast, Jonathan lamented over this causing them to miss out on a greater victory (vv. 24-30). After the time of fasting was over, the starving soldiers sinned against God by eating animals with blood. Upon hearing this, Saul made the soldiers bring him a great stone and captured oxen and built his first altar (vv. 31-34). 

What lesson is God teaching me?

Vv. 24-35 Saul’s rash command caused his soldiers to starve and lose their strength. As a result, not only did they miss out on a greater victory, but the soldiers were also led to sin. Let’s be careful with our words and actions, remembering that they can cause others to sin or despair. 

Vv. 25-26. Jonathan criticized the recklessness and foolishness of Saul’s oath. Irrational blind obedience to human authority that does not exercise reasonable judgement or not being able to muster up the courage to challenge bad choices can obstruct the progress of the community.  We must be careful about treating God’s Word as relative (13:13) while regarding our own words as absolute. 

Prayer

Lord, help me to make wise and upright decisions with consideration of my neighbours.