1 Samuel 14:16

SAUL AND OTHERS AID IN ROUTING THE PHILISTINES

"And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude was surging hither and thither. Then Saul said to the people who were with him, "Number, and see who has gone from us." And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. And Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring hither the ark of God." For the ark of God at that time went with the people of Israel. And while Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more; and Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand." Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle; and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. Now the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines before that time and had gone up with them into the camp, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. Likewise, when all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they too followed hard after them in the battle. So the Lord delivered Israel that day; and the battle passed beyond Bethaven."

"Bring hither the ark of God" (1 Samuel 14:18). The Septuagint (LXX) in this place reads "the ephod" instead of the "the ark of God," and some scholars prefer that reading. It appears to us that Willis is correct in his observation that, "Saul's bringing the ark from Kiriath-jearim to Gibeah in a time of crisis is no more out of harmony with the statements in 1 Samuel 7:2 and in 2 Samuel 6:2 than David's taking the ark out of the tent he had made for it (2 Samuel 6:17), so that it could accompany Joab and his army in the siege and conquest of Rabbah (2 Samuel 11:11)."[15]

"Withdraw your hand" (1 Samuel 14:19). Saul was here in the process of making an inquiry of the divine will; but he rashly decided that he did not need any word from God, rallied his troops and joined the battle. "Had he now waited, he doubtless would have avoided the errors into which he promptly fell."[16]

"The Hebrews who had been with the Philistines" (1 Samuel 14:21). When the Israelites forsook Saul and left him with only 600 men, this verse indicates that large numbers of them had joined the Philistines; but when it was evident that Israel was winning a great victory, they promptly changed sides again and turned against the Philistines. Also, all of those Israelites who had been hiding in the holes, caves, cisterns, etc., poured out of their hiding places and joined in the pursuit of the enemy.

"The battle passed beyond Bethaven" (1 Samuel 14:23). Perhaps due to uncertainties in the text, some scholars would change the name of this place; but Porter stated that, "Some prefer Beth-horon or Bethel, but certainty is impossible."[17]