1 Samuel 14
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New English Translation

1 Samuel 14:6-16

6Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will intervene for us. Nothing can prevent the Lord from delivering, whether by many or by a few.”

7His armor bearer said to him, “Do everything that is on your mind. Do as you’re inclined. I’m with you all the way!”

8Jonathan replied, “All right! We’ll go over to these men and fight them.

9If they say to us, ‘Stay put until we approach you,’ we will stay right there and not go up to them.

10But if they say, ‘Come up against us,’ we will go up. For in that case the Lord has given them into our hand – it will be a sign to us.”

11When they made themselves known to the Philistine garrison, the Philistines said, “Look! The Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they hid themselves.”

12Then the men of the garrison said to Jonathan and his armor bearer, “Come on up to us so we can teach you a thing or two!” Then Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up behind me, for the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel!”

13Jonathan crawled up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer following behind him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines, while his armor bearer came along behind him and killed them.

14In this initial skirmish Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty men in an area that measured half an acre.

15Then fear overwhelmed those who were in the camp, those who were in the field, all the army in the garrison, and the raiding bands. They trembled and the ground shook. This fear was caused by God.

16Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin looked on as the crowd of soldiers seemed to melt away first in one direction and then in another.

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Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14

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