1 Samuel 14:14 — Meaning and Application

King James Version

“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}. {an...: or, half a furrow of an acre of land}”

1 Samuel 14:14

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Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:

And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.

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}. {an...: or, half a furrow of an acre of land}

And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling. {a very...: Heb. a trembling of God}

And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down {one another}.

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1 Samuel 14:1

"Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that {is} on the other side. But he told not his father. {it came...: or, there was a day}"

1 Samuel 14:2

"And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which {is} in Migron: and the people that {were} with him {were} about six hundred men;"

1 Samuel 14:3

"And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. {Ahiah: called Ahimelech}"

1 Samuel 14:4

"And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, {there was} a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one {was} Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh."

1 Samuel 14:5

"The forefront of the one {was} situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah. {forefront: Heb. tooth}"

1 Samuel 14:6

"And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for {there is} no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few."

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