1 Samuel 14:23

23 So Jehovah saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth-aven.

1 Samuel 14:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:23

So the Lord saved Israel that day,
&c] And a wonderful salvation it was, that two men should throw such a vast army into confusion, which issued in the utter rout and destruction of them; this only could be of the Lord, to whom it is justly ascribed, and was the effect of his sovereign good will and pleasure, and of his unmerited goodness; a free favour bestowed on an undeserving prince, who had behaved ill to his prophet at Gilgal, and now to him and his high priest at Gibeah:

and the battle passed over unto Bethaven;
the men of battle or war; those that made war, as the Targum, these pursued and went as far as Bethaven, or rather "passed Bethaven" ^F17; they not only, went as far as that, but "from" it, as Ben Gersom and Abarbinel interpret it; they passed that place, and went on from thence in pursuit of the Philistines; for their camp at Michmash was eastward from this place, and had it on the east, ( 1 Samuel 13:5 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 (Nwa tyb ta hrbe) "transiit Bethaven", Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "vel, beliatores transierunt Bethaven", Pagninus, Vatablus, Drusius.

1 Samuel 14:23 In-Context

21 Now the Hebrews that were with the Philistines as beforetime, and that went up with them into the camp, [from the country] round about, even they also [turned] to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

22 Likewise all the men of Israel that had hid themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

23 So Jehovah saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth-aven.

24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted food.

25 And all the people came into the forest; and there was honey upon the ground.