Rashi on the Former Prophets

On the other side. Every הַלָּז and לָזֶה in Scripture, is not an expression of הַזֶּה [this], but it is an expression of opposite [the speaker], and he is pointing it out with his finger. It is not an expression of 'cest' in O.F., but of 'cel' in O.F.
On the other side. Of the valley [between] the two mountains.

At the edge of Givah. At the end of Givah.

Wore the Eiphod. Meaning the Urim and Tumim.

Between the passes that Yonoson wanted to cross. It was thus made: There was a rocky precipice from this side of 'between the passes,' and there was a rocky precipice from the other side of 'between the passes.' The valley is called 'between the passes,' and it had a stone from here, and a stone from here, one on this side and one on the other side, and the valley was between the two passes. It was that valley that Yonoson wanted to cross.
Rocky precipice. The name of one precipice was Botzeitz and the name of the second was Seneh.

Jutted out from the north. Slanting from the north side toward Michmos.
Toward Geva. From where Yonoson emerged.

Stop. Wait, as in, "Sun, wait [דּוֹם] in Givon," and as in, "Wait for ."השם [The meaning here being] if they say, "Wait, and we will go up to you," they are presently successful and they are proud.

But if they say [to us], 'Come up to us.' A fear inspired by the Holy One, Blessed is He, is in their heart and they are afraid to move from their place.

[They] called out. An expression of raising [one's] voice.

On his hands and feet. I.e., with all his might and running.

Half a furrow, of a pair [of oxen plowing] in the field. Within the area of a land measure [equal to] half the amount of a furrow of the plowing of a pair of oxen plowing a field.
Furrow. That is the ridge which is called 'reie' in O.F. This was a very mighty deed, because they were near each other and ready to help each other.

Shaul's sentries. The sentries that Shaul had in Givas Binyomin.צוֹפִים is badetes in O.F.
Behold the multitude. Of the Philistines melted away from its position and kept coming nearer to הֲלֹם i.e., Yisroel's side.
Melting away. [It means the same as], "wandering and moving."

Inspect. An expression of inspection, as in, "that You inspect him every morning."

Bring near the Ark of God. I.e., the Urim and Tumim.
For the Ark of God was there on that day. This verse is missing one word; [what it means is,] "because the Ark of God was there [שָׁם] on that day."

And the Hebrews who were with the Philistines. To help them, out of fear, in earlier times; but today they too turned [against the Philistines and joined] their fellows to be at their brethren's assistance.

Were hard pressed on that day. They were being rushed and pressed to wage war against the Philistines.
[Shaul] had imposed an oath. An expression of oath.
Who will eat food. All food is included [in לֶחֶם], as in, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit ]בְּלַחְמוֹ[."

There was honey. Cane sugar grows in Eretz Yisroel.

And behold there was a flow of honey. Which was flowing from the canes.

Into the honeycomb. Into the sugar cane, as in, "and she placed it in the reeds," which Onkelos renders, "and she placed it in the יַעֲרָא," and סוּף are reeds which grow in the swamp. And similarly, "I ate my sugar cane [יַעְרִי] with my sugar, and in Arabic, that honey is called 'sukra' in their language; from R. Nosson Ha'yishme'eili.

My father has brought distress to the [inhabitants of the] land. He confused [עָכַר] their thoughts and their salvation, like unclear [עֲכוּרִים] waters.

Would it not now have been even greater—the blow. This is a question.

The people rushed. Meaning 'the people rushed,' an expression of ,עַיִט [birds of prey [הָעַיִט] who swoop down].
Sheep, cattle and their young. I say that this was in violation of, "It and its young you must not slaughter [on the same day]," and he, therefore, called them sinners. But our Rabbis said in [Perek] שְׁחִיטַת קָדָשִׁים [in Maseches Zevochim] that they sanctified them for peace-offerings, from which they were eating before the sprinkling of the blood. This is what Scripture [means when it] states, "And the people ate with the blood," i.e., they ate of the sacrifice when the blood was yet in the basin.

Roll over to me. An expression of גַּלְּלוּ [roll].
Today. While it is yet daytime, and below it stated, "and all the people brought near, each man his ox in his hand that night." Our Rabbis had different views at the end of Maseches Zevochim; some of them explain that [Scripture is referring to] ordinary animals, while here [the Scripture is referring to] sacrificial animals. Others explained that here [Scripture is referring to] sacrificial animals which were sanctified to be offered at the large high place in Nov, while here [Scripture is referring to] sacrificial animals which were sanctified to be offered at a small high place. Scripture thereby teaches us that a private burnt-offering may be slaughtered at night [on a small, i.e., private high place].
A boulder. He made it a high place upon which to sprinkle the blood and for the burning of the fatty parts.

Spread out among the people. Announce in many places, and let the announcers disperse among the people.
And you shall slaughter [them] here. Here in the place of slaughtering. Another explanation is, he examined a slaughtering knife for them.
That night. The ordinary [i.e., non-sanctified] animals were slaughtered at night. Thus it is explained in [Maseches] Zevochim.

It was the first of the altars. That altar was the first of the altars which Shaul built.

Leaders of the people. The chiefs of the people; the cornerstone אֶבֶן הַפִּנָּה is the most esteemed.

On one side. To cast lots between all of you, and us.

Make it truthful. Give a true lot.
And the people were excluded. Innocent, from the lot.

The people redeemed [Yonoson]. They nullified Shaul's oath.

He raised an army. And he gathered an army.

Avineir the son of Neir. Neir was Shaul's uncle, the brother of Kish, and both were the sons of Avieil. Aviei was also known as Neir, in Divrei Hayomim, because he would light candles for the public in the dark streets.

And whenever Shaul saw. This is in the present tense, meaning, when Shaul would see a valiant soldier, he would bring him [into his army].