Soon the noise of the battle was heard in the camp of Israel. The king's sentinels reported that there was great confusion among the Philistines, and that their numbers were decreasing. Yet it was not known that any part of the Hebrew army had left the camp. Upon inquiry it was found that none were absent except Jonathan and his armor-bearer. But seeing that the Philistines were meeting with a repulse, Saul led his army to join the assault. The Hebrews who had deserted to the enemy now turned against them; great numbers also came out of their hiding places, and as the Philistines fled, discomfited, Saul's army committed terrible havoc upon the fugitives. Determined to make the most of his advantage, the king rashly forbade his soldiers to partake of food for the entire day, enforcing his command by the solemn imprecation, "Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies." The victory had already been gained, without Saul's knowledge or co-operation, but he hoped to distinguish himself by the utter destruction of the vanquished army. The command to refrain from food was prompted by selfish ambition, and it showed the king to be indifferent to the needs of his people when these conflicted with his desire for self-exaltation. To confirm his prohibition by a solemn oath showed Saul to be both rash and profane. The very words of the curse give evidence that Saul's zeal was for himself, and not for the honor of God. He declared his object to be, not "that the Lord may be avenged on

Kongen var fast besluttet på at udnytte situationen til det yderste og forbød i sin overilelse soldaterne at spise mere den dag. Han understregede sin befaling med denne højtidelige ed: "Forbandet være hver den, som nyder noget før aften, før jeg får taget hævn over mine fjender!" Sejren var allerede sikret uden Sauls viden og medvirken, men han håbede at kunne udmærke sig ved at udslette den besejrede hær fuldstændig. Det var Sauls ærgerrighed, der tilskyndede ham til at forbyde folket at spise. Dette forbud viste, at kongen ikke tog hensyn til folkets tarv, når dette kom på tværs af hans higen efter selvophøjelse. Saul understregede sit forbud med en ed og tilkendegav derved, at han både var ubesindig og uærbødig. Selve edens ordlyd viser, at Saul søgte at ære sig selv i stedet for at ære Gud. Han sagde ikke: "Før Herren får taget hævn over sine fjender," men "før jeg får taget hævn over mine fjender."