1 Samuel 14:1-18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:1-15

We must here take notice, I. Of the goodness of God in restraining the Philistines, who had a vast army of valiant men in the field, from falling upon that little handful of timorous trembling people that Saul had with him, whom they would easily have swallowed up at once. It is an invisible power that sets bounds to the malice of the church's enemies, and suffers them not to do that which we should think there is nothing to hinder them from. II. Of the weakness of Saul, who seems here to have... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:16-23

We have here the prosecution and improvement of the wonderful advantages which Jonathan and his armour-bearer gained against the Philistines. I. The Philistines were, by the power of God, set against one another. They melted away like snow before the sun, and went on beating down one another (1 Sam. 14:16), for (1 Sam. 14:20) every man's sword was against his fellow. When they fled for fear, instead of turning back upon those that chased them, they reckoned those only their enemies that stood... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:1

Now it came to pass upon a day ,.... At a certain time, a little after the garrison of the Philistines had made the movement, 1 Samuel 13:23 and it is not to be taken strictly for the day time; for it is probable it was in the night that the following proposal was made, and began to be carried into execution; for Josephus F11 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 6. sect. 2. says it was day light when Jonathan and his armourbearer came to the camp of the Philistines; he had formed his scheme perhaps the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:2

And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah ,.... Not daring to go out against the Philistines, but remained in the furthest part of Gibeah, at the greatest distance from the camp of the Philistines, in the strongest part of the city, or deeply entrenched in the outer, part of it in the field: under a pomegranate tree ; where were his headquarters; his tent or pavilion was erected under a large spreading pomegranate, which protected him from the heat of the sun: or under Rimmon ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:3

And Ahiah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother ,.... Ichabod was the child that Phinehas's wife bore prematurely on hearing the news of the ark being taken and of the death of her husband and father-in-law, which name she gave him on that account, and died; see 1 Samuel 4:19 , he, it seems, had an elder brother, called Ahitub, who died young, and this Ahiah was the son of him; for not he, but Ahitub, was Ichabod's brother: the son of Phinehas ; so Ichabod was: the son of Eli ; so... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:4

And between the passages by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison ,.... One of which is called the passage of Michmash, 1 Samuel 13:23 and was that by which they went from Gibeah to Michmash; the other, which might be called the passage of Gibeah, was that by which they went from Michmash to Gibeah, and in effect was but one; and this was seized by the garrison of the Philistines, on that part of it which was towards Michmash; so that there was no way of access to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:5

The forefront of the one was situate northward, over against Michmash ,.... The northern precipice of this rock was towards Michmash, where the Philistines lay encamped, and where was the passage of Michmash the garrison went into and possessed: and the other southward, over against Gibeah ; the southern precipice faced Gibeah, and both precipices were to be got over before he could get to the garrison, these lying between the two passages; the one at one end, called the passage of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:6

And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour ,.... A second time, as Abarbinel thinks; the young man giving no answer to him the first time, perhaps through fear, he repeats it, and enlarges upon it for his encouragement: come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised ; as these Philistines were, whereas several of the other nations, though Heathen, were circumcised; as the Edomites, Arabians, and others; and this Jonathan observes to the young man, in hope... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:7

And his armourbearer said unto him ,.... Very readily and cheerfully: do all that is in thine heart ; whatever is thy pleasure, that thou hast a mind to do, that is upon thy heart, and thou art desirous of, and strongly inclined and affected to: turn thee ; which way thou wilt, towards the garrison of the Philistines, or elsewhere: behold, I am with thee, according to thy heart ; I will go with thee wherever thou goest, and do whatsoever thou wouldest have me to do; I am at thy... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 14:8

Then said Jonathan, behold, we will pass over to these men ,.... Over the precipices to them, as steep and as cragged as they are: and we will discover ourselves to them ; present themselves to them at daylight, and let them know plainly who they were, that they were Hebrews. read more

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