שמואל א, פרק י״ד, פסוק מ׳

In a tense effort to identify the source of guilt within the camp, the nation is divided into two distinct groups. King Saul positions himself and his son Jonathan on one side, placing the entire nation on the other. The primary approach among commentators is that Saul intends to cast lots between these two factions to determine whether the blame rests with the people or with their leaders [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Practically, this lottery is conducted using pieces of parchment. The Israelites are represented on one parchment, while Saul and Jonathan are written on a separate one [רד״ק].

Pitting just two individuals against an entire nation is a highly unusual method for casting lots. To explain the motivation behind this specific strategy, two possibilities are offered [אברבנאל]. One view suggests that Saul genuinely did not know the identity of the guilty party. By placing his own family on the line, he aims to show absolute justice and equality, proving that the royal family is subject to the exact same judgment as any common citizen. If the lot were to fall on them, justice would be served; if it fell on the nation, they would simply continue drawing lots among the tribes and families until the culprit was isolated. Alternatively, Saul might have already known in secret that Jonathan had tasted the honey, having been informed by an eyewitness. In this scenario, he initiates the lottery with full knowledge of the outcome. He may have hoped that the public would step in to save Jonathan from a death sentence, thereby allowing the king to ultimately appear merciful.

Faced with this plan, the people respond with passive acceptance, simply telling the king to do whatever he sees fit. They show no enthusiasm for the process, likely because they already know or strongly suspect what the outcome will be. Nevertheless, standing before their king and supreme commander leaves them with no real option to refuse, forcing them to accept his decision [ביאור שטיינזלץ].