1 Samuel 14:48

48 And when his host was gathered together, he smote Amalek; and delivered Israel from the hand of his destroyers. (And then when his army was gathered together, he killed the Amalekites; and so he saved Israel from the hands of their destroyers.)

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 And Saul went away, and he pursued not the Philistines; and the Philistines went into their places.

47 And Saul, when his realm was stabled upon Israel, fought by compass against all his enemies (And Saul, when his kingdom was established upon Israel, fought against all his enemies all around), (yea,) against Moab, and the sons of Ammon, and Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines; and whither ever he turned him[self], he overcame (them).

48 And when his host was gathered together, he smote Amalek; and delivered Israel from the hand of his destroyers. (And then when his army was gathered together, he killed the Amalekites; and so he saved Israel from the hands of their destroyers.)

49 And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua; the names of his two daughters be these, the name of the first engendered daughter was Merab, and the name of the younger was Michal.

50 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the prince of his chivalry was Abner (and the name of the leader of his cavalry, or of his army, was Abner), the son of Ner, the brother of the father of Saul.