1 Samuel 14:46

46 Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.

1 Samuel 14:46 in Other Translations

KJV
46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.
ESV
46 Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
NLT
46 Then Saul called back the army from chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines returned home.
MSG
46 Saul pulled back from chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines went home.
CSB
46 Then Saul gave up the pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own territory.

1 Samuel 14:46 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:46

Then Saul went up from following the Philistines
Returned home to his own city, finding that he could get no answer from the Lord, whether he should pursue further or not, and losing the time and opportunity of doing it, by examining into the affair of his son, and casting lots to find it out:

and the Philistines went to their own place;
their country and cities, such of them as remained, who were not cut off by their own and the sword of the Israelites. Josephus F14 says, Saul killed about 60,000 of them. It seems to be the will of God that they should not now be utterly destroyed, that they might be a rod of correction in his hand, to chastise the people of Israel hereafter.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 6. sect. 5.

1 Samuel 14:46 In-Context

44 Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan.”
45 But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
46 Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.
47 After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them.
48 He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.
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