46Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistine, and they withdrew to their own land.
As I read this account of this battle, I see Saul, the king, throwing a temper-tantrum. His son accomplished much more than he did, or at least he was going to get more glory than himself. And Saul did not want to be second in glory to anyone, even his own son. So, instead of doing the militarily correct thing, he stops pursuing his enemies and lets them get away. Saul led with threats and intimidation; not the signs of strong leadership. Jonathan, his son, by contrast led by example. Saul had threatened his troops. They had not been allowed to eat that day, in hopes they would fight with greater vigor because they were hungry. I don’t know about you, but when I am really hungry, I can’t think about much else, and I have trouble focusing on the task at hand. Those who lead by fear and intimidation are short-sighted leaders. We need to be a leader who leads by example.
The Arnold Journey 