New Living Translation
1 Samuel 14:14
14They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre.
1 Samuel 14:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.
- New International Version (NIV)In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And that first strike, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, killed about twenty men within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land.
- New King James Version (NKJV)That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land.
Context of 1 Samuel 14:14
12Then the men from the outpost shouted to Jonathan, “Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!” “Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “for the Lord will help us defeat them!” 13So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed those who came behind them. They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre. 15Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified. 16Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin saw a strange sight—the vast army of Philistines began to melt away in every direction.
Read all of 1 Samuel 141 Samuel 14:14 word by word
וַתְּהִ֞י הַמַּכָּ֣ה הָרִאשֹׁנָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכָּ֧ה יוֹנָתָ֛ן וְנֹשֵׂ֥א כֵלָ֖יו כְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים אִ֑ישׁ כְּבַחֲצִ֥י מַעֲנָ֖ה צֶ֥מֶד שָׂדֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And that firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · firstH7223
- slaughterמַכָּהmakkâh makkeh · woundH4347
- which Jonathanיוֹנָתָןyônâthân · JonathanH3129
- and his armourbearerכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
- and his armourbearerנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearing(armour)H5375
- madeנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- was about twentyעֶשְׂרִים‛eώrîym · twentyH6242
- menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- within as it were an halfחֲצִיchêtsîy · halfH2677
- acreמַעֲנָהma‛ănâh · furrowH4618
- of landשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
- a yokeצֶ֫מֶדtsemed · pairH6776
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14A half acre of land - The ancients measured land by the quantum which a yoke of oxen could plough in a day. The original is obscure, and is variously understood. It is probably a proverbial expression for a very small space.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Within as it were an half acre - The Hebrew text is extremely obscure. Hence, there is some probability that the true reading is preserved by the Septuagint which translates the clause “with darts and stones and flints of the field.” Others take the words to mean: “in about half the time that a yoke of oxen draw a furrow in the field.”Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-15Jonathan again fought in his father's battles (see also 1 Samuel 13:2–4; 31).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-1514-15. that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armour-bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow--This was a very ancient mode of measurement, and it still subsists in the East. The men who saw them scrambling up the rock had been surprised and killed, and the spectacle of twenty corpses would suggest to others that they were attacked by a numerous force. The success of the adventure was…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 14:14
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
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