New English Translation
1 Samuel 14:36
36Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines at night; we will rout them until the break of day. We won’t leave any of them alive!” They replied, “Do whatever seems best to you.” But the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.”
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, “Scatter out among the army and say to them, ‘Each of you bring to me your ox and sheep and slaughter them in this spot and eat. But don’t sin against the Lord by eating the blood.” So that night each one brought his ox and slaughtered it there. 35Then Saul built an altar for the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar for the Lord. Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines at night; we will rout them until the break of day. We won’t leave any of them alive!” They replied, “Do whatever seems best to you.” But the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.” 37So Saul asked God, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day. 38Then Saul said, “All you leaders of the army come here. Find out how this sin occurred 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 10:9Joshua attacked them by surprise after marching all night from Gilgal.
- Jeremiah 6:5So come on, let’s go ahead and attack it by night and destroy all its fortified buildings.’
- 1 Samuel 11:11The next day Saul placed the people in three groups. They went to the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and struck them down until the hottest part of the day. The survivors scattered; no two of them remained together.
- Joshua 11:14The Israelites plundered all the goods of these cities and the cattle, but they totally destroyed all the people and allowed no one who breathed to live.
- Numbers 27:21And he will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the Lord by the decision of the Urim. At his command they will go out, and at his command they will come in, he and all the Israelites with him, the whole community.”
- Psalms 73:28But as for me, God’s presence is all I need. I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, as I declare all the things you have done.
- Isaiah 48:1Listen to this, O family of Jacob, you who are called by the name ‘Israel,’ and are descended from Judah, who take oaths in the name of the Lord, and invoke the God of Israel – but not in an honest and just manner.
- Isaiah 58:2They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God.
- Malachi 2:7For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge of sacred things, and people should seek instruction from him because he is the messenger of the Lord who rules over all.
- James 4:8Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded.
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
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries