1 Samuel 14:16

16 Saul's watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin could see the crowd [in the Philistine camp] dispersing in all directions.

1 Samuel 14:16 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:16

And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked
The city of Gibeah was built on an hill, from where it had its name; and these watchmen or sentinels of Saul were set by him no doubt in the highest part of it, whereby they could overlook the army of the Philistines as they lay encamped, and could observe their motions, and give notice accordingly; and it being now broad day light, could see the condition they were in:

and, behold, the multitude melted away;
like snow gradually, and yet apace; they could discern their numbers lessening more and more, through the slaughter of many made among them by one another, and the flight of others; and they went on beating down one another; they could perceive they fled with great precipitation, throwing one another down in running, tumbling over one another, and trampling on each other which were in their way.

1 Samuel 14:16 In-Context

14 In their first slaughter Jonathan and his armorbearer killed about twenty men within about a hundred yards.
15 There was panic among the army in the field and all the troops in the military post. The raiding party also trembled [in fear]. The earth shook, and there was a panic sent from God.
16 Saul's watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin could see the crowd [in the Philistine camp] dispersing in all directions.
17 "Look around," Saul told the troops who were with him, "and see who has left [our camp]." They looked and found that Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.
18 Then Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the priestly ephod," because Ahijah carried the ephod in front of Israel that day.
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