1 Samuel 14:20

20 Saul immediately called his army together and they went straight to the battle. When they got there they found total confusion - Philistines swinging their swords wildly, killing each other.

1 Samuel 14:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:20

And Saul, and all the people that were with him, assembled
themselves
The six hundred men that were with him, unless we can suppose the 1000 that had been with Jonathan in Gibeah were here still, see ( 1 Samuel 13:2 )

and they came to the battle;
to the field of battle, the place where the army of the Philistines had lain encamped:

and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow;
taking one another for Hebrews, or treacherous and disaffected persons; so that, though the Israelites had neither swords nor spears, they needed none, for the Philistines destroyed one another with their own swords; and there was a

very great discomfiture;
noise, tumult, confusion, slaughter, and destruction.

1 Samuel 14:20 In-Context

18 When they called the roll, Jonathan and his armor bearer turned up missing.
19 While Saul was in conversation with the priest, the upheaval in the Philistine camp became greater and louder. Then Saul interrupted Ahijah: "Put the Ephod away."
20 Saul immediately called his army together and they went straight to the battle. When they got there they found total confusion - Philistines swinging their swords wildly, killing each other.
21 Hebrews who had earlier defected to the Philistine camp came back. They now wanted to be with Israel under Saul and Jonathan.
22 Not only that, but when all the Israelites who had been hiding out in the backwoods of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were running for their lives, they came out and joined the chase.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.