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1 Samuel 14:16

14:15 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.

KJV

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The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away and scattered.

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

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

14:17 Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.

What does 1 Samuel 14:16 mean?

1 Samuel 14:16 is a verse in the book of 1 Samuel, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include צָפָה (tsâphâh), שָׁאוּל (Shâʼûwl), גִּבְעָה (Gibʻâh). It connects to 9 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

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And
the
watchmenצָפָהtsâphâh/tsaw-faw'/H6822properly, to lean forward, i.e. to peer into the distance; by implication, to observe, await
of
SaulשָׁאוּלShâʼûwl/shaw-ool'/H7586Shaul, the name of an Edomite and two Israelites
in
GibeahגִּבְעָהGibʻâh/ghib-aw'/H1390Gibah; the name of three places in Palestine
of
BenjaminבִּנְיָמִיןBinyâmîyn/bin-yaw-mene'/H1144Binjamin, youngest son of Jacob; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory
looked;רָאָהrâʼâh/raw-aw'/H7200to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
and,
behold,
the
multitudeהָמוֹןhâmôwn/haw-mone'/H1995a noise, tumult, crowd; also disquietude, wealth
melted
away,מוּגmûwg/moog/H4127to melt, i.e. literally (to soften, flow down, disappear), or figuratively (to fear, faint)
and
they
wentיָלַךְyâlak/yaw-lak'/H3212to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)
on
beating
downהָלַםhâlam/haw-lam'/H1986to strike down; by implication, to hammer, stamp, conquer, disband
one
another.

Commentary on 1 Samuel 14:16

HENRY_FULL · 1 Samuel 14:16
er In this chapter we have, I. The eclipsing of the glory of the ark, by its privacy in Kirjath-jearim for many years, ver. 1, 2 . II. The appearing of the glory of Samuel in his public services for the good of Israel, to whom he was raised up to be a judge, and he was the last that bore that character. This chapter gives us all the account we have of him when he was in the prime of his time; for what we had before was in his childhood ( ch. ii. and iii. ); what we have of him after was in his old age, ch. viii. 1 . We have him here active, 1. In the reformation of Israel from their idolatry, ver. 3, 4 . 2. In the reviving of religion among them, ver. 5, 6 . 3. In praying for them against the invading Philistines ( ver. 7-9 ), over whom God, in answer to his prayer, gave them a glorious victory, ver. 10, 11 . 4. In erecting a thankful memorial of that victory, ver. 12 . 5. In the improvement of that victory, ver. 13, 14 . 6. In the administration of justice, ver. 15-17 . And these were the things for which God was preparing the designing him, in the early vouchsafements of his grace to him.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Judges 2:4

And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

Jeremiah 3:13

Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 3:22

Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.

Jeremiah 31:9

They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. supplications: or, favours

Zechariah 12:10

And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Zechariah 12:11

In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

2 Corinthians 7:10

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

2 Corinthians 7:11

For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Topics

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Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with 1 Samuel 14:16.

1 Samuel 10:26

And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

1 Samuel 11:4

Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices, and wept.

1 Samuel 13:2

Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.

Genesis 12:1

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Genesis 9:23

And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.

Judges 19:14

And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.

Frequently asked questions

What does 1 Samuel 14:16 say?

1 Samuel 14:16 (King James Version) reads: "And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another."

Is 1 Samuel 14:16 in the Old or New Testament?

1 Samuel 14:16 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of 1 Samuel.

Reflect

As you read 1 Samuel 14:16, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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