1 Samuel 14:17

17 Saul said to his army, "Check to see who has left our camp." When they checked, they learned that Jonathan and his officer were gone.

1 Samuel 14:17 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 14:17

Then said Saul unto the people that were with him
To some of the officers, particularly the muster master;

number now, and see who is gone from us:
for he concluded that this agitation and confusion in the host of the Philistines were occasioned by an enterprise of some of his men, who by some stratagem or another had thrown them into this disorder:

and when they had numbered:
which was soon done, being but six hundred men in all:

behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there;
from whence it might be inferred, that this commotion the Philistines were in was occasioned by an onset of theirs on the outer guards or sentinels of their garrison or army, which had alarmed them.

1 Samuel 14:17 In-Context

15 All the Philistine soldiers panicked -- those in the camp and those in the raiding party. The ground itself shook! God had caused the panic.

16 Saul's guards were at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin when they saw the Philistine soldiers running in every direction.

17 Saul said to his army, "Check to see who has left our camp." When they checked, they learned that Jonathan and his officer were gone.

18 So Saul said to Ahijah the priest, "Bring the Ark of God." (At that time it was with the Israelites.)

19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp was growing. Then Saul said to Ahijah, "Put your hand down!"