1 Samuel 14:19

Contextual Overview

¹⁶Saul's lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. ¹⁶ Saul's lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. ¹⁶Then Saul's watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away; and they went here and there. ¹⁶ Now Saul's watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away; and they went here and there. ¹⁶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibea Beniamin, sawe: And behold, the multitude were discomfited, & were smitten as they went. ¹⁶ Saul's guards at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin saw the Philistine soldiers running away in different ways. ¹⁶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude had melted away; and they went, even here and there . ¹⁶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gib'e-ah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude was surging hither and thither. ¹⁶ The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went [here] and there. ¹⁶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Beniamin looked: and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating downe one another.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

noise: or, tumult

Withdraw: 1 Samuel 14:24, 1 Samuel 13:11, Joshua 9:14, Psalms 106:13, Isaiah 28:16

Reciprocal: Isaiah 9:5 - confused noise

Cross-References

Genesis 14:6
and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert.

Genesis 14:6
and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert.

Genesis 14:6
and the Horites in their Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is by the wilderness.

Genesis 14:6
and the Horites in their Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is by the wilderness.

Genesis 14:6
And the Horites in their mount Seir, vnto the playne of Paran, which bordereth vpon the wyldernesse.

Genesis 14:6
And they defeated the Horites who lived in the area from the hill country of Seir to El Paran. (El Paran is near the desert.)

Genesis 14:6
and the Horites in their Mount Se'ir as far as El-paran on the border of the wilderness;

Genesis 14:6
and Choreis in the hillis of Seir, til to the feldi placis of Faran, which is in wildirnesse.

Genesis 14:6
And the Horites in their mount Seir, vnto El-Paran, which is by the wildernesse.

Genesis 14:6
And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass, while Saul talked with the priest,.... With Ahiah about bringing the ark, and inquiring before it:

that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on, and increased; the shrieks and cries of those that were beat down and trampled upon, and were bruised and wounded; and indeed the cry of the whole host, being alarmed with the enemy being upon them, or among them; and it seems that not only their motions could be seen, but the noise of them heard at this distance:

and Saul said unto the priest, withdraw thine hand; from putting on the ephod, or opening the breastplate of Urim and Thummim, or placing the ark in a proper position, to inquire before it, or from lifting up both hands in prayer for direction. Saul by the noise he heard concluded the army of the Philistines was routed, and therefore there was no need to consult the Lord, and he had no leisure for it; no time was to be lost, the advantage was to be taken directly, and the enemy pursued, to complete the victory. The Jews look upon this as a piece of profaneness in Saul, as no doubt it was, and reckon it one of the sins for which his kingdom was not prolonged o.

o Vajikra Rabba & Midrash Tillim apud Abarbinel in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Withdraw thine hand - i. e., “Desist from what thou art about.” Saul in his impatience to join the battle would not wait for the answer from God, which he had desired Ahijah to inquire for; just as later 1 Samuel 14:35 he would not wait to finish the altar which he had begun to build. Had he now waited he would doubtless have avoided the error into which he fell.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 14:19. While Saul talked unto the priest — Before he had made an end of consulting him, the increasing noise of the panic-struck Philistines called his attention; and finding there was no time to lose, he immediately collected his men and fell on them.