1 Samuel 14:36

Contextual Overview

³⁶Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until morning. Don’t let even one remain!”³⁶ Sha'ul said, Let us go down after the Pelishtim by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. They said, Do whatever seems good to you. Then said the Kohen, Let us draw near here to God. ³⁶ And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God. ³⁶ Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and let us plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave alive a man among them." So they said, "Do all that is good in your eyes." But the priest said, "Let us draw near to God here." ³⁶ Then Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them." And they said, "Do whatever seems good to you." But the priest said, "Let us draw near to God here." ³⁶ Saul said, "Let's go after the Philistines tonight and rob them. We won't let any of them live!" The men answered, "Do whatever you think is best." But the priest said, "Let's ask God." ³⁶ Saul said, "Let's go down after the Philistines at night; we will rout them until the break of day. We won't leave any of them alive!" They replied, "Do whatever seems best to you." But the priest said, "Let's approach God here." ³⁶Then Saul said, "Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them [alive]." They said, "Do whatever seems good to you." Then the priest said, "Let us approach God here."³⁶ Then Saul said, "Let's go down after the Philistines by night and take plunder among them until the morning light, and let's not leave a man among them alive." And they said, "Do whatever seems good to you." So the priest said, "Let's approach God here."³⁶ And Saul saide, Let vs goe downe after the Philistims by night, and spoyle them vntill the morning shine, and let vs not leaue a man of them. And they saide, Doe whatsoeuer thou thinkest best. Then saide the Priest, Let vs drawe neere hither vnto God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Let us go: Joshua 10:9-14, Joshua 10:19, Jeremiah 6:5

let us not leave: 1 Samuel 11:11, Joshua 11:14

Then said the priest: It is evident that Ahiah, who had before been interrupted by Saul's impatience, doubted of the propriety of pursuing the Philistines that night, and properly counselled them to enquire of the Lord. Numbers 27:21, Psalms 73:28, Isaiah 48:1, Isaiah 48:2, Isaiah 58:2, Malachi 2:7, James 4:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 27:13 - Upon 1 Samuel 14:40 - Do what seemeth 1 Samuel 23:6 - an ephod 2 Kings 3:27 - they departed 1 Chronicles 13:3 - we inquired Ecclesiastes 9:18 - sinner John 10:35 - unto

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Saul said,.... To his son Jonathan, or to some of the principal officers of his army:

let us go down after the Philistines by night; or tonight, that same night; which is another hardship he laid his troops under; as he had restrained them from eating all that day until evening, now he proposed they shall take no sleep that night, but proceed on in their pursuit of the Philistines, having eaten, and drank, and refreshed themselves. The Arabic version is, "let us go down to the Philistines"; and so Noldius e chooses to render the words; which I pretty much wonder at, and especially at what he observes in favour of it, and against the common rendering; that at this time the Philistines had not turned their backs, so that the Israelites could not be said to go after them, but were in a camp opposite to them; but that they had fled, and were pursued, is most certain from 1 Samuel 14:22,

and spoil them until the morning light; or kill of them, as the Targum, and so the Arabic version; for spoiling must be meant of killing; for as for the spoil of their provisions, riches, c. that had already fallen into their hands, 1 Samuel 14:30, and this is confirmed by what follows:

and let us not leave a man of them great numbers had been slain already, partly by their falling upon one another, and partly by the swords of Jonathan and his armourbearer at the first onset, and by Saul and his men in the pursuit of them; and so intent was Saul in the utter destruction of them, that he was for following and cutting them off, that none of their prodigious army might return home:

and they said, do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; they had religiously observed his oath, in refraining from food all the day, and now they were as willing to be obedient to his command in denying themselves refreshing rest in sleep:

then said the priest, let us draw near hither unto God; Ahiah the priest, Josephus f calls him Ahitob, who was present with the ark, agreed to the proposal of Saul, only moved, that before they set forward they would seek the Lord; perhaps reflecting upon the abrupt manner in which Saul departed from Gibeah, just as he was consulting the Lord, and not staying for an answer from him; which the priest might fear would be resented by him, and therefore proposes first to draw nigh to God; not to the altar Saul had built, or had just begun to build, but to the ark, with which the high priest was, and was a symbol of the divine Presence: the Targum is,

"let us draw near hither, and inquire by the word of the Lord.''

e Ebr. Concord. Part. p. 15. No. 92. f Antiqu. l. 6. c. 6. sect. 4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then said the priest ... - Ahijah, with equal courage and faithfulness, worthy of his office as “the priest,” when every one else yielded to Saul’s humor, proposed that they should draw near to God to inquire of Him. (Compare 1 Kings 22:7.)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 14:36. Then said the priest — It is evident that Ahiah doubted the propriety of pursuing the Philistines that night; and as a reverse of fortune might be ruinous after such a victory, he wished to have specific directions from the Lord.