1 Samuel 14:18

1 Samuel 14:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.)
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here." For the ark of God went at that time with the people of Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here” (for at that time the ark of God was with the children of Israel).

Context of 1 Samuel 14:18

16Some of Saul's soldiers who were with him in Gibeah were watching the Philistines. They saw that their soldiers were running away in different directions. 17Saul said to his men, ‘Count our soldiers. Find out who is not here.’ When they did that, Jonathan and the young man who carried his armour were not there. Saul said to Ahijah the priest, ‘Bring the ephod here.’ At that time, Ahijah was wearing the ephod. 19While Saul was saying this, the Philistine soldiers were making more and more noise. They were all very confused. So Saul said to the priest, ‘Take your hand out of the ephod. It is time to go!’ 20Then Saul and all the soldiers who were with him marched out to battle. They found that the Philistines were completely confused. They were fighting each other with their swords.

1 Samuel 14:18 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שָׁאוּל֙ לַֽאֲחִיָּ֔ה הַגִּ֖ישָׁה אֲר֣וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּֽי־הָיָ֞ה אֲר֧וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא וּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Ahiahאֲחִיָּ֫הוּ'ăchîyâh 'ăchîyâhû · AhijahH281
• Bring hitherנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: bringH5066
• the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• was at that timeיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• with the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 14:18

• 1 Samuel 4:3The Israelite soldiers returned to their tents. The leaders of Israel said to each other, ‘Why did the Lord let the Philistines win against us today? We should bring the Lord's Covenant Box here from Shiloh. We will take it with us into the battle. Then it will save us from our enemies.’
• 1 Samuel 30:8David asked the Lord, ‘Should I chase after the men who attacked our town? Will I catch them?’ The Lord answered, ‘Yes, chase after them and you will certainly catch them. You will rescue your families.’
• Numbers 27:21Eleazar the priest will use the Urim to find out from me what Joshua should do. Then Joshua can tell the people when to go out to fight, and he can lead them safely back again. He will tell all the Israelite people what they must do.’
• Judges 20:18They went to Bethel. They asked God which tribe should go first to attack Benjamin's army. The Lord replied, ‘Judah must go first.’
• 2 Samuel 11:11Uriah said to David, ‘The armies of Israel and Judah are all living in tents, as well as the Covenant Box. My master Joab and the soldiers of your army are sleeping in the fields. So I cannot go to my house and eat a meal there. It would not be right for me to go home and sleep with my wife. As surely as you live, I promise that I would never do that!’
• 2 Samuel 15:24Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, were with them. The Levites were also there, and they were carrying God's Covenant Box. They put it down on the ground while all the people left the city. After all the people had passed, they picked it up again.
• 1 Samuel 5:2They carried it into the temple of Dagon, their god. They put the box next to the idol of Dagon.
• 1 Samuel 7:1So men came from Kiriath-Jearim to fetch the Lord's Covenant Box. They took it to Abinadab's house. His house was on a hill. They chose his son, Eleazar, to take care of the Lord's Covenant Box as his special job.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Bring hither the ark of God - He wished to inquire what use he should make of the present favorable circumstances, and to proceed in the business as God should direct.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18For “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 1 Samuel 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…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. 18Bring … Israelites: The Greek text of the Septuagint instead reads "Bring the ephod." The ark stayed at Kiriath-jearim for twenty years (1 Samuel 7:2). Unlike the ephod, it was never used to predict the future (see study note on 1 Samuel 2:18).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-1917-19. Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us--The idea occurred to him that it might be some daring adventurer belonging to his own little troop, and it would be easy to discover him.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 14:18

• Ahiah
• Ahijah
• Ark
• Armies
• Jonathan
• Panic

In the dictionaries

• God
• Israel
• Saul
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Paul, Saul
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Children of Israel
• Ahijah
• Ahimelech

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