American Standard Version
1 Samuel 14:16
16And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went hither and thither.
1 Samuel 14:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.
- New International Version (NIV)Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude was dispersing here and there.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they went here and there.
Context of 1 Samuel 14:16
14And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land. 15And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling. And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went hither and thither. 17Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there. 18And Saul said unto Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was there at that time with the children of Israel.
Read all of 1 Samuel 141 Samuel 14:16 word by word
וַיִּרְא֤וּ הַצֹּפִים֙ לְשָׁא֔וּל בְּגִבְעַ֖ת בִּנְיָמִ֑ן וְהִנֵּ֧ה הֶהָמ֛וֹן נָמ֖וֹג וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ וַהֲלֹֽם׃ פRead the interlinear
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 14:16
- Psalms 58:7Let them melt away as water that runneth apace: When he aimeth his arrows, let them be as though they were cut off.
- Psalms 68:2As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: As wax melteth before the fire, So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
- 1 Samuel 14:20And Saul and all the people that were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and, behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.
- Judges 7:22And they blew the three hundred trumpets, and Jehovah set every man’s sword against his fellow, and against all the host; and the host fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.
- 2 Chronicles 20:22And when they began to sing and to praise, Jehovah set liers-in-wait against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, that were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
- Isaiah 19:2And I will stir up the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbor; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The watchmen of Saul - Those who were sent out as scouts to observe the motions of the army. Melted away - There was no order in the Philistine camp, and the people were dispersing in all directions. The Vulgate has, Et ecce multitudo prostrata, "And behold the multitude were prostrate;" many lay dead upon the field, partly by the sword of Jonathan and his armor-bearer, and partly by the swords of each other, 1 Samuel 14:20.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Multitude - The word is in 1 Samuel 14:19 (margin) rendered tumult. It must have the same meaning here. The sentence is obscure and probably corrupt; perhaps it means, “and behold the tumult! and it went on” (increased) “melting away and beating down.”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-23Verses 16-23 The Philistines were, by the power of God, set against one another. The more evident it was that God did all, the more reason Saul had to inquire whether God would give him leave to do any thing. But he was in such haste to fight a fallen enemy, that he would not stay to end his devotions, nor hear what answer God would give him. He that believeth, will not make such haste, nor reckon any business so urgent, as not to allow time to take God…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-52Saul's actions in this chapter further support his removal as king (1 Samuel 13:8–14; see also 15). Saul was estranged from both Samuel and his brave son Jonathan. 1 Samuel 14 foreshadows Jonathan's important role in the shift from Saul's rule to David's.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. the watchmen of Saul ... looked--The wild disorder in the enemies' camp was described and the noise of dismay heard on the heights of Gibeah.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 14:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries