1 Samuel 14:48

48 He acted forcefully and defeated Amalek. He rescued Israel from the enemies who looted their possessions.

1 Samuel 14:48 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:48

And he gathered an host
A large army; for after the battle with the Ammonites he disbanded his army, and sent them home, retaining only 3000 men, and these deserted him to six hundred, which were all the men he had with him, when he fought last with the Philistines; but now, finding he had enemies on every side of him, he gathered a numerous host to defend his country against them, and particularly to attack the people next mentioned:

and he smote the Amalekites;
a people that Israel, by the law of God, were bound to destroy, and blot out their name; a particular account of his expedition against them is given in the following chapter:

and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them;
the nations before mentioned, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Syrians, and Philistines.

1 Samuel 14:48 In-Context

46 Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines. So the Philistines returned to their own land.

47 When Saul had taken over the kingdom of Israel, he fought against his enemies on every side--against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he was victorious.

48 He acted forcefully and defeated Amalek. He rescued Israel from the enemies who looted their possessions.

49 Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. The names of his two daughters were Merab (the firstborn daughter) and Michal (the younger daughter).

50 The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Saul's uncle Ner.