Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 14:35
And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.
35. the same was the first altar ] Lit. “it he began to build as an altar to Jehovah.” The E. V. probably gives the right sense. The altar was erected as a thank-offering for the victory. “The great stone” most likely formed part of it.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And Saul built … – i. e., of the great stone which they had rolled to kill the oxen and sheep upon, he began to build an altar to Yahweh (see the margin); but he did not finish it (compare 1Ch 27:24), in his haste to pursue the Philistines that night.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 35. Saul built an altar] And this we are informed was the first he had built; Samuel, as prophet had hitherto erected the altars, and Saul thought he had sufficient authority to erect one himself without the prophet, as he once offered sacrifice without him.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Either for a monument of the victory; or rather, for sacrifice, as the next words imply.
The same was the first altar, though he had occasion to do so oft ere this time. So this is quoted as another evidence of his neglect of God and his worship. It is true, Saul sacrificed before this, as at Gilgal; but that was upon an old altar, erected by others.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Saul built an altar unto the Lord,…. To offer peace offerings upon, in thankfulness for the victory obtained over his enemies, or sin offerings to make atonement for the sin of the people, perhaps both, however the former:
the same was the first altar that he built unto the Lord; for though he had offered sacrifice at Gilgal, there was an altar ready built for him: or “he began to build”; he laid the first stone of it, and the builders built upon it; so some others say, that he was the first of the kings that built an altar to the Lord d; others, the first of the judges that built one; though Gideon built one, it was for his own private use, not for all Israel, as this, so R. Isaiah; but Ben Gersom, and so Abarbinel, refer this to the great stone Saul ordered to be rolled to him, and take the sense to be, that that began to be built an altar to the Lord; that was the beginning of one; for he did not now stay to finish it, being eager on his pursuit of the Philistines, as follows.
d See Kimchi in loc.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(35) The same was the first altar that he built . . .More accurately, as in margin, the same he began to build as an altar. The great Jewish commentators are divided as to the precise meaning of the old Hebrew language of this verse. Abarbanel interprets the words, that King Saul began to build, but did not finish. The Midrash prefers to understand the statement as telling how Saul began among the kings of Israel the building of altars. The more obvious meaning, if we translate as in our English Version, seems to be that this was the first public acknowledgment King Saul made to God for the mercies and goodness vouchsafed to him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
35. The same was the first altar that he built Literally, It he began to build an altar to Jehovah. Compare margin. This, means, according to Grotius, that Saul commenced the building of the altar by laying the first stone himself. Hervey thinks he began to build an altar, but, in his haste to pursue the Philistines, did not finish it. But the previous sentence states that he did build the altar, and the previous verse implies that sacrifices were offered on it. The more probable meaning is the one conveyed by our version this was the first altar, or the beginning of Saul’s altar building. The altar of the burnt offerings at Gilgal (1Sa 13:9) had been erected by others. It is very supposable and probable that Saul built many other altars to Jehovah.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Sa 14:35. The same was the first altar that he built unto the Lord In the Margin of our Bibles, that altar he began to build unto the Lord; i.e. he laid the first stone himself. Houbigant after the Arabic reads, and when he had begun to build an altar unto the Lord, 1Sa 14:36. He said, Let us, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Sa 14:35 And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.
Ver. 35. And Saul built an altar unto the Lord. ] That they that would might thereon offer peaceofferings, as Vatablus here noteth.
The same was the first altar that he built,
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
built: It is probable that Saul converted the great stone, on which the cattle had been slaughtered, into an altar, on which sacrifices were offered, before the people attempted to proceed any further. This we are told was the first he had built. Samuel, as a prophet and priest, had hitherto erected the altars, but Saul seems to have thought he had sufficient authority to erect one himself, without the prophet, as he had once offered sacrifice without him. 1Sa 7:9, 1Sa 7:17, Jdg 21:4, Hos 8:14, 2Ti 3:5
the same: etc. Heb. that altar he began to build unto the Lord
Reciprocal: Exo 32:5 – Aaron