1 Samuel 14:10-20

10 But if they say to us, 'Come up here,' then we'll go up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has handed them over to us."

11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine troops. The Philistines said, "Look, some Hebrews are coming out of the holes they were hiding in."

12 "Come up here," the men of the military post said to Jonathan and his armorbearer. "We have something to show you." Jonathan told his armorbearer, "Follow me up [to the military post] because the LORD has handed the troops over to Israel."

13 Jonathan climbed up [the cliff], and his armorbearer followed him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines. His armorbearer, who was behind him, finished killing them.

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.

19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew worse and worse. Then Saul said to the priest, "Remove your hand [from the ephod]."

20 Saul and all the troops with him assembled and went into battle. They found Philistine soldiers killing their fellow soldiers in wild confusion.

1 Samuel 14:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 14

This chapter gives an account of an adventure of Jonathan and his armourbearer smiting a garrison of the Philistines, 1Sa 14:1-14, which with other circumstances struck terror into the whole army; which being observed by Saul's spies, he and his men went out against them, and being joined by others, pursued them, and obtained a complete victory, 1Sa 14:15-23, but what sullied the glory of the day was a rash oath of Saul's, adjuring the people not to eat any food till evening which Jonathan not hearing of ignorantly broke, 1Sa 14:24-31 and which long fasting made the people so ravenous, that they slew their cattle, and ate them with the blood, contrary to the law of God, for which they were reproved by Saul, 1Sa 14:32-34, upon which he built an altar, and inquired of the Lord whether he should pursue the Philistines all that night till morning, but had no answer; which made him conclude sin was committed, and which he inquired after, declaring that if it was his own son Jonathan that had committed it he should surely die, 1Sa 14:35-39, the people being silent, he cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonathan; who had it not been for the resolution of the people that rescued him out of his hands, because of the great salvation he had wrought, must have died, 1Sa 14:40-46 and the chapter is cited with an account of Saul's battles with the neighbouring nations in general, and of his family, 1Sa 14:47-52.