1 Samuel 14:20

20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and came to the battle; and behold, ¹every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion.

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 Then Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here." For the ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel.

19 While Saul talked to the priest, the commotion in the camp of the Philistines continued and increased; so Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."

20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and came to the battle; and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion.

21 Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines previously, who went up with them all around in the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

22 When all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, even they also pursued them closely in the battle.

Cross References

• 1. Judges 7:22; 2 Chronicles 20:23