Font Size
1 Samuel 14:16-18
Expanded Bible
1 Samuel 14:16-18
Expanded Bible
16 Saul’s ·guards [watchmen] were at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin when they saw the ·Philistine soldiers [L vast army; multitude] ·running in every direction [L melting away, here and there]. 17 Saul said to his army, “·Check to see who has left our camp [Call the roll and see who has left us].” When they ·checked [called the roll], they learned that Jonathan and his ·officer [armor bearer] were gone.
18 So Saul said to Ahijah the priest, “Bring the ·Ark of God[a] [or ephod; C see text note; both are means of discerning God’s will].” (At that time ·it was with [or he was wearing it in front of] the Israelites.)
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:18 Ark of God Some Greek copies read “ephod.”
1 Samuel 14:16-18
New English Translation
1 Samuel 14:16-18
New English Translation
16 Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin[a] looked on[b] as the crowd of soldiers seemed to melt away first in one direction and then in another.[c] 17 So Saul said to the army that was with him, “Muster the troops and see who is no longer with us.” When they mustered the troops,[d] Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. 18 So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring near the ephod,”[e] for he was at that time wearing the ephod in front of the Israelites.[f]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:16 tn Heb “at Gibeah of Benjamin.” The words “in the territory” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
- 1 Samuel 14:16 tn Heb “saw, and look!”
- 1 Samuel 14:16 tn Heb “the crowd melted and went, even here.”
- 1 Samuel 14:17 tn Heb “and they mustered the troops, and look!”
- 1 Samuel 14:18 tc Heb “the ark of God.” It seems unlikely that Saul would call for the ark, which was several miles away in Kiriath Jearim (see 1 Sam 7:2). The LXX and an Old Latin ms have “ephod” here, a reading which harmonizes better with v. 3 and fits better with the verb “bring near” (see 1 Sam 23:9; 30:7) and with the expression “withdraw your hand” in v. 19. There are also quotations of this reading in rabbinic literature and medieval Jewish literature according to V. Aptowitzer, The Scripture in the Rabbinic Literature and Medieval Jewish Literature, Prolegomena (3 parts, Vindobonae, 1906, 1908, 1911). It is followed in the present translation (cf. NAB, NJB, GWN, TEV, NLT, CEB, BBE).
- 1 Samuel 14:18 tc Heb “for the ark of God was in that day, and the sons of Israel.” The translation follows the text of some Greek manuscripts. See the previous note.
1 Samuel 14:16-18
New International Version
1 Samuel 14:16-18
New International Version
16 Saul’s lookouts(A) at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. 17 Then Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.
18 Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring(B) the ark(C) of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.)[a]
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:18 Hebrew; Septuagint “Bring the ephod.” (At that time he wore the ephod before the Israelites.)
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New English Translation (NET)
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.