It happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand.
When Saul should have been acting, he was waiting, and when he should have been waiting, he was acting (1 Samuel 14:18-19). He may have viewed the ark as a talisman that he planned to use to secure God’s help. Or he may have used the Urim and Thummim. [Note: Merrill, "1 Samuel," p. 214.] As Saul watched, the multitude of Philistine soldiers that covered the area began to dissipate. He evidently concluded that he did not need to seek the Lord’s guidance or blessing (cf. 1 Samuel 13:12).