1 Samuel 14:11
in 1 Samuel 14So the two of them showed themselves to the outpost of the Philistines, who exclaimed, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they were hiding!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And both of them disclosed themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
KJV
And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 14
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
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.
This site's exposition
the Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they were hiding
on 1 Samuel 14:11-14
The outpost’s taunt, "the Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they were hiding," becomes the invitation that undoes it, and Jonathan climbs on hands and feet with his armor-bearer behind. The first slaughter is counted exactly, "about twenty men over half an acre of land." Two men do this with no army and no order from the king, so numbers cannot explain the victory.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
In these circumstances [with few weapons and Saul's fearful army], Jonathan, with an audacious design and with his armor bearer as his only companion, entered the camp of the enemy, and having slain about twenty of them, [he] spread a terror throughout the whole army. …
The Medieval Church2 voices
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 4 · Written before 604.
proposed
What is the meaning of Jonathan being said to appear to the Philistines with his armor-bearer, if not that the teacher himself must first display the good that he strives to teach others? For he cannot be received with reverence in preaching if he does not first exhibit the honor of his ministry through the light of a good life. Hence the outstanding preacher confidently declares, saying: "As long as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles, I will honor my ministry" (Rom. 11:13).
Both appeared to the garrison of the Philistines, etc. Although the Philistines mockingly speak true things mystically; clearly the spiritual Hebrews, that is, those crossing over from vices, are defended from the assaults of enemies by the safest fortresses of the Scriptures, and refreshed by …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Saul had once offended by offering sacrifice himself, ch. xiii. Now he resolves never to fall into that error again, and therefore sends for a priest, and hopes to compromise the matter with God Almighty by a particular reformation, as many do whose hearts are unhumbled and unchanged.
), and, upon their acceptance of the challenge, charged them with such fury, or rather such faith, that he put them to flight, and set them one against another (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines,....
The guards of the Philistines, (1.) Disdained them, upbraided them with the cowardice of many of their people, and looked upon them to be of the regiment of sneakers: Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of their holes. If some of Christ's soldiers play the coward, others that play the man may perhaps be upbraided with it.
Modern Voices1 voice
A commentator
GK ChestertonTime's Abstract and Brief Chronicle (1904-1905) · Written before 1936.
proposed
The one perfectly divine thing, the one glimpse of God's paradise given on earth, is to fight a losing battle - and not lose it.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
But if they say [to us], 'Come up to us.' A fear inspired by the Holy One, Blessed is He, is in their heart and they are afraid to move from their place.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up; for the LORD has handed them over into our hand.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּגָּל֣וּ | vaiyigalu | and they revealed themselves | H1540 → | 186 times |
| שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם | sheneihem | [the] two of them | H8147 → | 768 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מַצַּ֖ב | matzav | [the] garrison of | H4673 → | 10 times |
| פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים | pelishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים | felishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| הִנֵּ֤ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| עִבְרִים֙ | ʾivrim | Hebrews | H5680 → | 34 times |
| יֹֽצְאִ֔ים | yotzeim | [are] coming out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַחֹרִ֖ים | hachorim | the holes | H2356 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הִתְחַבְּאוּ־ | hitchabeu- | they have hidden themselves | H2244 → | 33 times |
| שָֽׁם׃ | sham | there | H8033 → | 834 times |
וַיִּגָּל֣וּand they revealed themselves
vaiyigaluH1540 →186 times
שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם[the] two of them
sheneihemH8147 →768 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מַצַּ֖ב[the] garrison of
matzavH4673 →10 times
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים[the] Philistines
pelishtimH6430 →287 times
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים[the] Philistines
felishtimH6430 →287 times
הִנֵּ֤הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
עִבְרִים֙Hebrews
ʾivrimH5680 →34 times
יֹֽצְאִ֔ים[are] coming out
yotzeimH3318 →1067 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַחֹרִ֖יםthe holes
hachorimH2356 →
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhere
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הִתְחַבְּאוּ־they have hidden themselves
hitchabeu-H2244 →33 times
שָֽׁם׃there
shamH8033 →834 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Judges 6:2and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
it leads to
- Hebrews 11:38
The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and hid in caves and holes in the ground.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 13:6
Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Leviticus 26:17
And I will set My face against you, so that you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one pursues you.
- Revelation 6:15
Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the commanders, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and free man hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.
- Deuteronomy 28:47–48
Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart in all your abundance,
- Hebrews 11:38
Through
1 Samuel 13:6Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns.
it leads to
- Judges 6:2
and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
- Judges 20:41
Then the men of Israel turned back on them, and the men of Benjamin were terrified when they realized that disaster had come upon them.
- Exodus 14:10–12
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them, and they were terrified and cried out to the LORD.
- Judges 6:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Samuel
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; GK Chesterton, Time's Abstract and Brief Chronicle (1904-1905); Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 4; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Sulpicius Severus, SACRED HISTORY 1.33 and W. G. Blaikie, The First Book of Samuel (Expositor's Bible).