God’s Word Translation
1 Samuel 14:36
36Saul said ⌞to his men⌟, “Let’s attack the Philistines tonight and take their possessions until the light of dawn. And let’s not leave any of them ⌞alive⌟.” “Do whatever you think is best,” they responded. But the priest said, “Let’s consult God first.”
1 Samuel 14:36 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.” “Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied. But the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now 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.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” Then the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.”
Context of 1 Samuel 14:36
34Then Saul said, “Spread out through the troops, and tell them, ‘Each of you, bring me your ox or your sheep, and butcher it here, and eat. But don’t sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it.’ ” So each of the soldiers brought his ox with him that night and butchered it there. 35Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar to the Lord. Saul said ⌞to his men⌟, “Let’s attack the Philistines tonight and take their possessions until the light of dawn. And let’s not leave any of them ⌞alive⌟.” “Do whatever you think is best,” they responded. But the priest said, “Let’s consult God first.” 37Then Saul asked God, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to Israel?” But he received no answer that day. 38So Saul ordered all the leaders of the troops, “Come here! Find out what sin was committed today.
Read all of 1 Samuel 141 Samuel 14:36 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֡וּל נֵרְדָ֣ה אַחֲרֵי֩ פְלִשְׁתִּ֨ים׀ לַ֜יְלָה וְֽנָבֹ֥זָה בָהֶ֣ם׀ עַד־א֣וֹר הַבֹּ֗קֶר וְלֹֽא־נַשְׁאֵ֤ר בָּהֶם֙ אִ֔ישׁ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כָּל־הַטּ֥וֹב בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ עֲשֵׂ֑ה ס וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַכֹּהֵ֔ן נִקְרְבָ֥ה הֲלֹ֖ם אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Let us go downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- by nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- and spoilבָּזַזbâzaz · to plunderH962
- them until the morningבֹּ֫קֶרbôqer · morningH1242
- lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
- and let us not leaveשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
- a manאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- Doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- whatsoever seemethעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
- goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- the priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- Let us draw nearקָרַבqârab · to present: comeH7126
- hitherהֲלֹםhălôm · hereH1988
- unto Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 14:36
- Joshua 10:9So Joshua marched all night from Gilgal and took them by surprise.
- Jeremiah 6:5Let’s attack at night and destroy its palaces.’ ”
- 1 Samuel 11:11The next day Saul arranged the army in three divisions. They came into the ⌞Ammonite⌟ camp during the morning hours and continued to defeat the Ammonites until it got hot that day. The survivors were so scattered that no two of them were left together.
- Joshua 11:14The people of Israel took all the loot and livestock from these cities. But they put everyone to death until they were all destroyed. Not one person survived.
- Numbers 27:21He will stand in front of the priest Eleazar, who will use the Urim to make decisions in the Lord’s presence. At his command Joshua and the whole community of Israel will go into battle. And at his command they will return.”
- Psalms 73:28Being united with God is my highest good. I have made the Almighty Lord my refuge so that I may report everything that he has done.
- Isaiah 48:1Listen to this, descendants of Jacob! You are given the name of Israel. You are descended from Judah. You take oaths by the name of the Lord. You acknowledge the God of Israel, but you are not honest or sincere.
- Isaiah 58:2They look for me every day and want to know my ways. They act as if they were a nation that has done what is right and as if they haven’t disregarded God’s judgment ⌞on them⌟. They ask me for just decrees. They want God to be near them.
- Malachi 2:7“A priest’s lips should preserve knowledge. Then, because he is the messenger for the Lord of Armies, people will seek instruction from his mouth.
- James 4:8Come close to God, and he will come close to you. Clean up your lives, you sinners, and clear your minds, you doubters.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14:36
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 36Then 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.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 36Then 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.)Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 36-46Verses 36-46 If God turns away our prayer, we have reason to suspect it is for some sin harboured in our hearts, which we should find out, that we may put it away, and put it to death. We should always first suspect and examine ourselves; but an unhumbled heart suspects every other person, and looks every where but at home for the sinful cause of calamity. Jonathan was discovered to be the offender. Those most indulgent to their own sins are most severe…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
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries