1 Samuel 14:18

Contextual Overview

¹⁶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and saw that the multitude melted away, and they went [here] and there. ¹⁶ Saul's lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin saw a strange sight—the vast army of Philistines began to melt away in every direction. ¹⁶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went [hither] and thither. ¹⁶ Saul's guards were at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin when they saw the Philistine soldiers running in every direction. ¹⁶ Saul's watchmen at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin looked on as the crowd of soldiers seemed to melt away first in one direction and then in another. ¹⁶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down [one another]. ¹⁶ The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went [here] and there. ¹⁶Saul'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 Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude was dispersing here and there. ¹⁶ And aspyeris of Saul bihelden, that weren in Gabaa of Beniamyn, and lo! a multitude cast doun, and fleynge awei hidur and thidur.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Bring hither: The Septuagint reads סןףבדבדו פן וצןץה, ןפי בץפןע חסו פן וצןץה ום פח חלוסב וךויםח וםשניןם ףסבחכ. "Bring hither the ephod; for he bore the ephod on that day before Israel," which Houbigant and others think is the true reading. Finding that his son Jonathan and his armour-bearer were absent, Saul wished to consult the high-priest; but the tumult increasing, he says to him, "Withdraw thine hand:" i.e., desist form consulting the ephod on the present occasion, and immediately hastened to make the best use he could of this astonishing victory. 1 Samuel 4:3-5, 1 Samuel 30:8, Numbers 27:21, Judges 20:18, Judges 20:23, Judges 20:27, Judges 20:28, 2 Samuel 11:11, 2 Samuel 15:24-26

For the ark: 1 Samuel 5:2, 1 Samuel 7:1

Reciprocal: Numbers 31:6 - the holy instruments Deuteronomy 20:2 - General Joshua 9:14 - asked not 1 Samuel 13:9 - he offered 1 Samuel 23:6 - an ephod 1 Samuel 23:9 - Bring 1 Kings 22:5 - Inquire 1 Chronicles 13:3 - we inquired

Cross-References

Genesis 14:10
Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country.

Genesis 14:10
Now the valley of Siddim was full of slime pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and those that remained fled to the mountain.

Genesis 14:10
There were many tar pits in the Valley of Siddim. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and their armies ran away, some of the soldiers fell into the tar pits, but the others ran away to the mountains.

Genesis 14:10
Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits. When the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them, but some survivors fled to the hills.

Genesis 14:10
And the vale of Siddim [was full of] slime-pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there: and they that remained fled to the mountain.

Genesis 14:10
Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and those who remained fled to the mountain.

Genesis 14:10
Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar (bitumen) pits; and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, they fell into them. But the remainder [of the kings] who survived fled to the hill country.

Genesis 14:10
Forsothe the valey of the wode hadde many pittis of pitche; and so the kyng of Sodom and the kyng of Gomorre turneden the backis, and felden doun there; and thei that leften fledden to the hil.

Genesis 14:10
And the valley of Siddim [is] full of bitumen-pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah flee, and fall there, and those left have fled to the mountain.

Genesis 14:10
Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some men fell into the pits, but the survivors fled to the hill country.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Saul said unto Ahiah, bring hither the ark of the Lord,.... That he, the high priest, might put on the ephod, with the Urim and Thummim, and inquire by them of the Lord before it, concerning the affair of Jonathan, what he had done, and the agitation that was in the host of the Philistines; so the Septuagint version, "bring the ephod", of which, with the Urim and Thummim, Kimchi interprets it; and ask, whether it was right for him to go out unto them, or continue where he was:

for the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel; and so it always was, except a few months it was in the hands of the Philistines; so it was at Kirjathjearim, where it was last. Jarchi thinks a word is wanting, and to be supplied thus,

"the ark of God was [there] at that time with the children of Israel,''

at Gibeah; perhaps it might be removed first to Gilgal, when Saul and Samuel were there, and when they came to Gibeah it was brought along with them; but the last words may be considered as a distinct clause, and, literally tendered, are, "and the children of Israel": which Abarbinel accounts for thus, and Saul said this,

bring hither the ark of the Lord; and the children of Israel said so likewise, joined with him in it: though the ark had been with Saul, and the people, some time, and also the high priest, yet we do not find that Saul in all his straits and difficulties consulted the Lord before; but perceiving something extraordinary was doing, and might turn to his advantage, he begins to inquire.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For “the ark,” some read “the ephod,” owing to the improbability of the ark being with Saul at this time, and from the verb “Bring hither” being never applied to the ark, but regularly to the ephod 1Sa 23:9; 1 Samuel 30:7. Moreover, not the ark, but the ephod with Urim and Thummim, was the proper instrument for inquiring of the Lord. If, however, the Hebrew text is correct, they must have brought the ark into Saul’s camp from Kirjath-jearim 1 Samuel 7:0, possibly to be safe from the Philistines.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 14:18. Bring hither the ark of God — He wished to inquire what use he should make of the present favourable circumstances, and to proceed in the business as God should direct.