English Standard Version
1 Samuel 14:30
30How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great."
1 Samuel 14:30 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
- New International Version (NIV)How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”
- New King James Version (NKJV)How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)If the men had been allowed to eat freely from the food they found among our enemies, think how many more Philistines we could have killed!”
Context of 1 Samuel 14:30
28Then one of the people said, "Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, 'Cursed be the man who eats food this day.'" And the people were faint. 29Then Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great." 31They struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint. 32The people pounced on the spoil and took sheep and oxen and calves and slaughtered them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood.
Read all of 1 Samuel 141 Samuel 14:30 word by word
אַ֗ף כִּ֡י לוּא֩ אָכֹ֨ל אָכַ֤ל הַיּוֹם֙ הָעָ֔ם מִשְּׁלַ֥ל אֹיְבָ֖יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָצָ֑א כִּ֥י עַתָּ֛ה לֹֽא־רָבְתָ֥ה מַכָּ֖ה בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- How much moreאַף'aph · alsoH637
- if haplyלוּlû' lû' lû · ifH3863
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- had eatenאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- to dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- of the spoilשָׁלָלshâlâl · spoilH7998
- of their enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
- which they foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- for had there not been now a much greaterרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- slaughterמַכָּהmakkâh makkeh · woundH4347
- among the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 14:30
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14:30
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-35Verses 24-35 Saul's severe order was very unwise; if it gained time, it lost strength for the pursuit. Such is the nature of our bodies, that daily work cannot be done without daily bread, which therefore our Father in heaven graciously gives. Saul was turning aside from God, and now he begins to build altars, being then most zealous, as many are, for the form of godliness when he was denying the power of it.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
Topics related to 1 Samuel 14:30
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries