1 Samuel 14:20

1 Samuel 14:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle. And behold, every Philistine's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed every man’s sword was against his neighbor, and there was very great confusion.

Context of 1 Samuel 14:20

18Then Saul shouted to Ahijah, “Bring the ephod here!” For at that time Ahijah was wearing the ephod in front of the Israelites. 19But while Saul was talking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Saul said to the priest, “Never mind; let’s get going!” Then Saul and all his men rushed out to the battle and found the Philistines killing each other. There was terrible confusion everywhere. 21Even the Hebrews who had previously gone over to the Philistine army revolted and joined in with Saul, Jonathan, and the rest of the Israelites. 22Likewise, the men of Israel who were hiding in the hill country of Ephraim joined the chase when they saw the Philistines running away.

1 Samuel 14:20 word by word

וַיִּזָּעֵ֣ק שָׁא֗וּל וְכָל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ עַד־הַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה הָיְתָ֜ה חֶ֤רֶב אִישׁ֙ בְּרֵעֵ֔הוּ מְהוּמָ֖ה גְּדוֹלָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Saulשָׁאוּלshâ'ûl · SaulH7586
• and all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• with him assembledזָעַקzâ‛aq · to cry outH2199
• themselves, and they cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• and, behold, every man’sאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• was against his fellowרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• a veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
• greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• discomfitureמְהוּמָהmehûmâh · tumultH4103

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 14:20

• 1 Samuel 14:16Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin saw a strange sight—the vast army of Philistines began to melt away in every direction.
• Judges 7:22When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the Lord caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.
• 2 Chronicles 20:23The armies of Moab and Ammon turned against their allies from Mount Seir and killed every one of them. After they had destroyed the army of Seir, they began attacking each other.
• Isaiah 9:19The land will be blackened by the fury of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The people will be fuel for the fire, and no one will spare even his own brother.
• Isaiah 19:2“I will make Egyptian fight against Egyptian— brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, province against province.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 14:20

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Assembled themselves - See marg. Many versions give the sense “shouted,” which is far preferable, and only requires a different punctuation.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-23Verses 16-23 The Philistines were, by the power of God, set against one another. The more evident it was that God did all, the more reason Saul had to inquire whether God would give him leave to do any thing. But he was in such haste to fight a fallen enemy, that he would not stay to end his devotions, nor hear what answer God would give him. He that believeth, will not make such haste, nor reckon any business so urgent, as not to allow time to take God…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
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2220-22. Saul and all the people--All the warriors in the garrison at Gibeah, the Israelite deserters in the camp of the Philistines, and the fugitives among the mountains of Ephraim, now all rushed to the pursuit, which was hot and sanguinary.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 14:20

• Armies
• Panic

In the dictionaries

• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Discomfiture
• Discover
• Enlighten
• Faulty
• Fight
• Flew
• Moabite
• Philistines

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