13 And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armorbearer after him; and they afell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armorbearer killed them.
14 That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within about1 half an acre of land.
15 And athere was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and bthe raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was ca very great trembling.
16 Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they awent here and there.
17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Now call the roll and see who has gone from us.” And when they had called the roll, surprisingly, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.
18 And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here” (for at that time the ark of God was with the children of Israel).
19 Now it happened, while Saul atalked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”
20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed aevery man’s sword was against his neighbor, andtherewas very great confusion.
21 Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp fromthe surrounding country, they also joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
22 Likewise all the men of Israel who ahad hidden in the mountains of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle.
23aSo the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted bto Beth Aven.
Saul’s Rash Oath
24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had aplaced the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.
25aNow all thepeople of the land came to a forest; and there was bhoney on the ground.
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 aided by a panic that struck the enemy, produced both by the sudden surprise and the shock of an earthquake. The feat was begun and achieved by the faith of Jonathan, and the issue was of God.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing 1 Samuel 14:15:
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