In this sermon The Perils of An Unanointed Shield, The thing that pulled the lifeblood from Saul is given to us. The clue is found within 2 Samuel 1:21. The Bible declares there that his shield had not been anointed with oil. No soldier treats his weapons with disrespect. It is through his own careful attention to detail that sustains him during the fight.  That is what Saul failed to do in this most crucial hour leading up to this battle. The failure had occurred before the battle had ever been fought.  It came through the haphazard neglect of his shield. It was necessary to rub them with oil so that the leather would remain supple which prevented it from hardening and cracking. If a shield was allowed to become friable and weak, an arrow or a spear could easily pierce through the leather.  This could heighten the liabilities against the soldier. The treatment of oil was particularly important immediately prior to the soldier entering a battle.