1 Samuel 14:16

16 Saul's lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin were watching as the multitude was surging back and forth.

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 that first slaughter Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed about twenty men within an area about half a furrow long in an acre of land.

15 There was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and even the raiders trembled; the earth quaked; and it became a very great panic.

16 Saul's lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin were watching as the multitude was surging back and forth.

17 Then Saul said to the troops that were with him, "Call the roll and see who has gone from us." When they had called the roll, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there.

18 Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here." For at that time the ark of God went with the Israelites.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gk: Heb [they went and there]