1 Samuel 14 35

1 Samuel 14:35 kjv

And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.

1 Samuel 14:35 nkjv

Then Saul built an altar to the LORD. This was the first altar that he built to the LORD.

1 Samuel 14:35 niv

Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had done this.

1 Samuel 14:35 esv

And Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar that he built to the LORD.

1 Samuel 14:35 nlt

Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first of the altars he built to the LORD.

1 Samuel 14 verses

1 Samuel 14 35 Meaning

1 Samuel 14:35 states, "And Saul built an altar to the Lord; this was the first altar that he built to the Lord." This verse marks a moment where King Saul responds appropriately to the profound sin of the people—eating meat with the blood still in it—by constructing an altar for proper sacrifice and inquiry to God. It signifies an act of restoring proper worship and seeking divine guidance after the serious violation of the Mosaic Law, emphasizing the importance of right worship and obedience to God's commands even amidst crisis.

1 Samuel 14 35 Context

This verse is situated in a dramatic episode following Israel's victory over the Philistines. King Saul had imposed a rash oath, forbidding his soldiers from eating until the Philistines were fully avenged. This led to Jonathan, Saul's son, unknowingly breaking the oath and being condemned to death. The weary Israelite army, driven by hunger and violating Mosaic Law, devoured meat with blood still in it (Leviticus 17:10-14). Saul was informed of this grave sin by the people and, instead of continuing his pursuit of the Philistines, addressed this spiritual transgression first. He ordered a large stone to be brought as an impromptu altar (or designated place for proper slaughter) where the animals could be slaughtered, and their blood drained correctly before being consumed. Verse 35 directly follows this, marking Saul's action to formalize the return to proper worship and seek the Lord's guidance after the army's ritual impurity. This event highlights Saul's attempt to exercise spiritual leadership, a contrast to his earlier impulsiveness (1 Sam 13) and later outright disobedience (1 Sam 15).

1 Samuel 14 35 Word analysis

• And Saul built: In Hebrew, וַיִּבֶן שָׁאוּל (wayyiben Sha'ul). "Saul" (שָׁאוּל, Sha'ul) is Israel's first king, anointed by Samuel. His character is often marked by impulsiveness, lack of full obedience, and eventual rejection by God. Here, however, his action appears ritually correct and an appropriate response to sin. "Built" (וַיִּבֶן, wayyiben) denotes an act of construction, common for patriarchal and prophetic figures. Building an altar symbolized calling on God's name and seeking His presence.
• an altar: מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbēaḥ) in Hebrew. An altar was a raised structure where sacrifices were offered to God. It was a central component of Israelite worship, signifying a place of communion with God, atonement for sin, and an expression of worship and gratitude. Given the crisis of the people eating blood, the altar here functions to restore proper ritual slaughter and facilitate prayer and seeking divine counsel.
• to the Lord: לַֽיהוָה (laYahweh). The divine name Yahweh identifies the altar as being dedicated specifically to the covenant God of Israel, not to foreign deities or any idol. This distinguishes the act as legitimate worship in the context of the Israelites' exclusive covenant with Yahweh. This also sets it apart from illicit altars to false gods.
• this was the first altar: הִוא הֵחֵל לִבְנוֹת מִזְבֵּחַ לַֽיהוָה (hi hēḥēl livnōt mizbēaḥ laYahweh). The literal translation of the Hebrew for this phrase is "he began to build an altar to Yahweh." This isn't just a chronological note meaning he never built one before, but implies this act initiated a more formal and publicly observed pattern of worship or kingly action connected to a direct call on God during his reign. It highlights that at this specific moment of spiritual crisis and national sin, Saul proactively returned to a foundational act of worship and inquiry to the Lord, an action perhaps overdue during his kingship or certainly significant in its context of re-establishing ritual purity. This action contrasted with Samuel, who frequently built altars (e.g., 1 Sam 7:17). This moment marks a pivot, an initial, commendable step in seeking to order the kingdom righteously.
• built to the Lord: Repeats the intention, emphasizing that Saul's primary objective here was righteous worship toward Yahweh.

1 Samuel 14 35 Bonus section

The phrasing "this was the first altar that he built to the Lord" (or "he began to build...") highlights that King Saul, unlike figures such as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or even Samuel, had not previously been recorded as building an altar to Yahweh in his personal or kingly capacity. This emphasizes that this act was a direct consequence of the immediate crisis involving the people's sin of eating blood. It demonstrates an unusual moment of Saul prioritizing sacred order over military advantage, indicating a degree of genuine concern for divine approval in this instance. The quick construction (likely temporary or rudimentary, not the elaborate Tabernacle altar) shows the urgency and the accessible nature of altars for immediate spiritual cleansing and inquiry. This altar likely functioned as a focal point for the subsequent inquiry of God (1 Sam 14:36-37) when Saul desired further guidance concerning the Philistines. The divine silence Saul later experiences after attempting to inquire of God, despite building the altar, further underscores that the collective sin, Jonathan's inadvertent transgression, or perhaps Saul's own deeper spiritual issues were still impediments to God's clear communication.

1 Samuel 14 35 Commentary

1 Samuel 14:35 encapsulates a singular moment of proper leadership from King Saul amidst a tumultuous chapter marked by his rashness, the people's transgression, and divine displeasure. Having seen the grave sin of his famished army consuming meat with blood—a clear violation of Mosaic Law (Leviticus 17)—Saul recognized the need for immediate spiritual rectification. His action of building an altar, or rather initiating the practice of building altars as a king seeking the Lord, was a direct and commendable response. This "first altar" represents a pivot point, an attempt to restore right worship and inquire of God's will through appropriate channels. It demonstrates Saul's initial awareness of God's centrality to national success and the necessity of dealing with corporate sin. However, this apparent piety stands in stark contrast to his earlier (1 Sam 13) and subsequent (1 Sam 15) failures to truly obey and humble himself before the Lord, indicating that while his action here was outwardly correct, it might not have stemmed from deep-seated, consistent heart-obedience. The verse subtly underscores that correct ritual practice is crucial, but true relationship with God requires unwavering obedience, not just episodic displays of religiosity in times of crisis.