1 Samuel 14:46 kjv
Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.
1 Samuel 14:46 nkjv
Then Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
1 Samuel 14:46 niv
Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.
1 Samuel 14:46 esv
Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
1 Samuel 14:46 nlt
Then Saul called back the army from chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines returned home.
1 Samuel 14 46 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Judg 1:27-28 | "Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants... Canaanites dwelt in that land." | Israel's incomplete conquest; parallels a partial victory. |
| Judg 1:30 | "Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron..." | Further illustration of tribal failure to fully conquer. |
| Josh 17:12-13 | "Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants..." | Failure to dislodge enemies, leaving a continued presence. |
| 1 Sam 7:13 | "So the Philistines were subdued... did not come anymore into the territory of Israel." | Philistine power ebbs but doesn't signify total annihilation. |
| 1 Sam 13:5-6 | "Philistines gathered themselves together... people were distressed." | Reminder of the strong and continuous Philistine threat. |
| 1 Sam 15:3, 9 | "Now go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have... Saul and the people spared Agag..." | Saul's pattern of disobedience leading to incomplete destruction. |
| 1 Sam 13:13 | "Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord..." | Saul's previous foolish actions leading to poor outcomes. |
| 1 Sam 14:24 | "And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people..." | Saul's rash oath debilitating his own forces. |
| 1 Sam 14:43-45 | "Jonathan answered Saul, 'I did taste a little honey...' The people rescued Jonathan." | Saul's nearly fatal blunder, prevented by the people, underscores his leadership flaws. |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Principle applicable to Saul's misguided actions and their limited success. |
| Ecc 7:17 | "Be not overmuch wicked, neither be foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?" | Warning against excessive folly, echoing Saul's precarious kingship. |
| 1 Sam 14:6 | "For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few." | Jonathan's faith contrasts with Saul's methods, showing God's true power. |
| 1 Sam 14:15 | "And there was a trembling in the camp... a panic from the Lord." | The true source of the initial Philistine defeat was divine intervention. |
| Ps 44:6 | "For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me." | Emphasizes reliance on God for deliverance, not military might. |
| Ps 33:16-17 | "No king is saved by the multitude of an army... a horse is a vain hope for deliverance..." | God is the ultimate deliverer, not human strength or resources. |
| 1 Sam 4:10-11 | "And there was a very great slaughter among Israel; and there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen, and the ark of God was taken..." | Illustrates past Philistine dominance and Israel's vulnerability. |
| 1 Sam 5:1 | "Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Ebenezer unto Ashdod." | Further evidence of Philistine strength and their impact on Israel. |
| 1 Sam 17:4 | "And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath..." | Later re-emergence of the Philistine threat in greater form. |
| 2 Sam 5:17-25 | "But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel... David enquired of the Lord..." | David's decisive, divinely guided victories against the Philistines contrast Saul's reign. |
| Num 24:25 | "And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place..." | The idiom "returned to their own place" meaning to go home or depart. |
| Deut 12:5 | "But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek..." | "Place" can signify a chosen dwelling or destination. |
1 Samuel 14 verses
1 Samuel 14 46 Meaning
1 Samuel 14:46 signifies the cessation of the pursuit and the immediate engagement between the Israelites and the Philistines. Saul's army withdrew from actively chasing the retreating Philistines, and consequently, the Philistines returned safely to their established garrisons and territories. This verse marks the temporary conclusion of the battle, highlighting an incomplete victory for Israel, as the Philistine threat was not decisively eliminated but merely regrouped.
1 Samuel 14 46 Context
This verse concludes the narrative of a significant, yet ultimately unresolved, conflict between Israel and the Philistines. Chapter 14 begins with Jonathan's courageous and faith-filled initiative to attack a Philistine garrison, resulting in a miraculous rout caused by divine intervention. Saul's involvement, however, complicates matters. He issues a rash vow, forbidding his soldiers from eating until evening, which weakens them and prevents a more decisive victory. Furthermore, this vow nearly leads to Jonathan's execution, averted only by the people's intervention. In this context, 1 Samuel 14:46 depicts the anti-climactic end to what could have been a complete victory, showcasing Saul's flawed leadership, which impeded the full manifestation of God's initial deliverance. The Philistines' withdrawal to "their own place" implies they retreated in relative order to their established territories and garrisons, remaining a formidable threat rather than being utterly destroyed.
1 Samuel 14 46 Word analysis
Then (וַיַּעַל – va•ya'al): A conjunctive waw followed by an imperfect verb. This "then" (And Saul went up...) indicates a sequence of events, a transition from the intense battle and moral dilemma (Saul's vow and Jonathan's plight) to the conclusion of the military engagement. The verb ya'al means "went up" or "ascended," often implying movement from a lower ground (like the valleys or plains where the battle took place) to higher ground, or a return to a place of origin or power (Saul's capital/encampment).
Saul (שָׁאוּל – Sha'ul): The King of Israel. His presence here is critical. The entire chapter showcases his character: initially attempting to take credit for Jonathan's success, making a rash oath, and nearly executing his own son. His "going up" marks his withdrawal, not a further pursuit, indicative of the limited nature of the Israelite "victory" under his command.
went up (וַיַּעַל – va•ya'al): See above. The direction of movement suggests a return from the battlefield or a higher point from where he was supervising, signaling the cessation of direct combat operations. It implies a strategic withdrawal from active pursuit.
from pursuing (מֵרְדֹף – merdof): From the root radaph (רָדַף), meaning to chase, pursue, run after, harass. This indicates that Saul had been engaged in an active chase of the Philistines, which now concluded. His ceasing to pursue directly contributes to the Philistines' ability to withdraw safely.
the Philistines (פְלִשְׁתִּים – Pelištîm): The primary adversaries of Israel during this period, signifying an ongoing, significant geopolitical and spiritual threat. Their enduring presence in their "own place" underscores their continued power despite the initial divine rout.
and the Philistines (וּפְלִשְׁתִּים – u•Pelištîm): The conjunction "and" links Saul's action with the Philistines' response, highlighting the synchronized, albeit opposite, movements that bring the engagement to a close.
went (הָלְכוּ – halekhu): From halakh (הָלַךְ), to go, walk. This simple verb, in contrast to "flee" or "rout," suggests a more orderly or strategic retreat, indicating they were not utterly shattered but able to depart purposefully.
to their own place (לִמְקוֹמָם – limqômām): The Hebrew word maqom (מָקוֹם) refers to a specific location or place. "Their own place" specifically implies their established territory, garrisons, or home base (likely within the Philistine pentapolis or controlled territories within Israel). This signifies a safe return to their stronghold, contrasting with a disorganized rout into foreign lands. It underscores that they were not utterly annihilated or driven from their base of power, thereby signaling that the conflict remained unresolved.
"Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines": This phrase emphasizes the immediate action Saul took after the battle's climax. It indicates his withdrawal from direct combat operations, effectively ending Israel's pursuit. It highlights the missed opportunity for a decisive victory due to Saul's leadership.
"and the Philistines went to their own place": This concluding phrase marks the Philistines' orderly return to their territory. It implies they were able to regroup and maintain their strength, signaling that the current conflict, despite divine intervention in Israel's favor, did not result in the permanent removal of the Philistine threat.
1 Samuel 14 46 Bonus section
The seemingly straightforward report in 1 Samuel 14:46 carries a significant subtext within the narrative of Saul's kingship. It encapsulates a broader theme present in Saul's story: his consistent pattern of not fully executing God's commands or taking full advantage of divinely-given opportunities. Earlier, in chapter 13, his impatience and unauthorized sacrifice led to Samuel's rebuke and the prophecy of his kingdom being torn from him. Here, his rash vow and rigid adherence to it over common sense and God's greater purpose lead to a similar incomplete outcome. The fact that the Philistines could return to "their own place" signifies they were not utterly destroyed or rendered incapable of fighting again. This contrasts sharply with later narratives under David, who, empowered by God, achieves decisive and lasting victories over the Philistines (e.g., 2 Samuel 5). Thus, this verse subtly portrays Saul's inability to secure Israel's ultimate triumph, linking it directly to his character flaws and disobedience to the spirit, if not the letter, of God's ways.
1 Samuel 14 46 Commentary
1 Samuel 14:46 marks a pivotal and somewhat anti-climactic end to a dramatic chapter in Saul's reign. After Jonathan's extraordinary act of faith initiates a rout, God sends panic and an earthquake, causing the Philistines to strike each other. Saul's subsequent rash vow (that his men should not eat) undermines this divine momentum. This vow physically exhausts his soldiers, preventing them from pressing the advantage and decisively destroying the retreating Philistines. The verse simply states Saul ceased his pursuit, and the Philistines returned to their base, not shattered but merely withdrawn. This orderly retreat of the Philistines to "their own place" stands as a silent commentary on Saul's inadequate leadership and spiritual failure. What began with divine intervention and Jonathan's heroism could have been a conclusive victory; instead, it becomes merely a temporary respite due to the king's self-inflicted spiritual and tactical errors. The unresolved nature of the conflict foreshadows the ongoing Philistine threat and highlights Saul's diminishing suitability as Israel's king.