Back to 1 Samuel 14

1 Samuel 14:8-12

Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them. If they say this to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them. But if they say this, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us.”

Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, “Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!” The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something!” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”

World English Bible · Public Domain
Show the surrounding paragraph

1 Samuel 14:8-12 sits inside this longer paragraph.

Now it fell on a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come! Let’s go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he didn’t tell his father. Saul stayed in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people who were with him were about six hundred men; including Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn’t know that Jonathan was gone. Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba. Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come! Let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint on Yahweh to save by many or by few.” His armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Turn and, behold, I am with you according to your heart.” Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them. If they say this to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them. But if they say this, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us.”

Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, “Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!” The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something!” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”

Read all of 1 Samuel 14 →

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them.

    If they say this to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them.

    But if they say this, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us.”

    Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, “Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!”

    The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something!” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”

  • KJV King James Version

    Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.

    If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.

    But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.

    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.

    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.

Show all 3 translations
  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    Then said Jonathan: 'Behold, we will pass over unto the men, and we will disclose ourselves unto them.

    If they say thus unto us: Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.

    But if they say thus: Come up unto us; then we will go up; for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand; and this shall be the sign unto us.'

    And both of them disclosed themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said: 'Behold Hebrews coming forth out of the holes where they hid themselves.'

    And the men of the garrison spoke to Jonathan and his armour-bearer, and said: 'Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.' And Jonathan said unto his armour-bearer: 'Come up after me; for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.'

View more translations →

Cross-references (21)

  • 1 Samuel 13:6 (v11) When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in…
  • Genesis 24:14 (v10) Let it happen, that the young lady to whom I will say, ‘Please let down your pitcher, that I may drink,’ then she says, ‘Drink, and I will…
  • 1 Samuel 17:43-44 (v12) The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” The Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said…
  • 2 Samuel 5:24 (v12) When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then stir yourself up; for then Yahweh has gone out before you to…
  • Judges 7:9-14 (v8) That same night, Yahweh said to him, “Arise, go down into the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go…
Show all 21 cross-references
  • Judges 7:11 (v10) You will hear what they say; and afterward your hands will be strengthened to go down into the camp.” Then went he down with Purah his…
  • 1 Samuel 10:7 (v10) Let it be, when these signs have come to you, that you do what is appropriate for the occasion; for God is with you.
  • 1 Samuel 14:22 (v11) Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even…
  • Genesis 24:13-14 (v9) Behold, I am standing by the spring of water. The daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Let it happen, that the…
  • Genesis 24:26-27 (v12) The man bowed his head, and worshiped Yahweh. He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving…
  • Genesis 24:42 (v12) I came today to the spring, and said, ‘Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, if now you do prosper my way which I go—
  • Genesis 24:48 (v12) I bowed my head, and worshiped Yahweh, and blessed Yahweh, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my…
  • Judges 4:14 (v12) Deborah said to Barak, “Go; for this is the day in which Yahweh has delivered Sisera into your hand. Hasn’t Yahweh gone out before you?” So…
  • Judges 6:2 (v11) The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made themselves the dens which are in the…
  • Judges 6:36 (v10) Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken,
  • Judges 6:36-40 (v9) Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have spoken, behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If…
  • Judges 7:15 (v12) It was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, that he worshiped. Then he returned into the camp of Israel…
  • 1 Samuel 14:10 (v12) But if they say this, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us.”
  • 2 Samuel 2:14-17 (v12) Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and play before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!” Then they arose and went over by…
  • 2 Kings 14:8 (v12) Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s look one another in the…
  • Isaiah 7:11-14 (v10) “Ask a sign of Yahweh your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.” But Ahaz said, “I won’t ask. I won’t tempt Yahweh.” He…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (16 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv9, 11 This he spake by the spirit of prophecy, forasmuch…

This he spake by the spirit of prophecy, forasmuch hereby God gave him assurance of the victory.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv8–12 1Sa 14:8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv10–12 Jonathan not being assured of the success of this…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv8–12 Then said Jonathan, behold, we will pass over to…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv10, 12 A sign - Jonathan not being assured of the…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv9, 12 Verse 9. If they say thus unto us] Jonathan…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv10–11 1Sa 14:10. This shall be a sign unto us…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv10, 12 Though it is not expressly said, as in the…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv10–12 This shall be a sign. It is likely Jonathan…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv9, 11 if they say, Come up unto us; then we…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv9, 10, 12 9. Then we will stand still — For if…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv10–12 10. this shall be a sign unto us] “The…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On v11 (11) And the Philistines said . . . —Easily…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv9–12 Tarry. Hebrew, "be still," "stand still," the word used…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv8, 11 will not cross over to them
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v11 14:11 Hebrews: See study note on 13:3. • crawling…
Share