1 Samuel 14:15

Contemporary English Version

The whole Philistine army panicked—those in camp, those on guard duty, those in the fields, and those on raiding patrols. All of them were afraid and confused. Then God sent an earthquake, and the ground began to tremble.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Terror spread through the Philistine camp and the open fields to all the troops. Even the garrison and the raiding parties were terrified. The earth shook, and terror spread from God.

Hebrew Names Version
There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the eretz quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
Then there was terror in the camp, in the open field, and among all the army of the garrison. Even the raiders trembled. The earth shook, and it became a very great panic.

English Standard Version
And there was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and even the raiders trembled, the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic.

New Century Version
All the Philistine soldiers panicked—those in the camp and those in the raiding party. The ground itself shook! God had caused the panic.

New English Translation
Then fear overwhelmed those who were in the camp, those who were in the field, all the army in the garrison, and the raiding bands. They trembled and the ground shook. This fear was caused by God.

Amplified Bible
And there was trembling in the [Philistine] camp, in the field, and among all the people; even the garrison and the raiding party trembled [in fear], and the earth quaked and it became a trembling and terror from God.

New American Standard Bible
And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and the raiders trembled, and the earth quaked so that it became a great trembling.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And there was a feare in the hoste, and in the field, and among all the people: the garison also, and they that went out to spoyle, were afraid themselues: and the earth trembled: for it was striken with feare by God.

Legacy Standard Bible
And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and the raiders trembled, and the earth quaked so that it became a great trembling.

Complete Jewish Bible
There was panic in the field camp among all the P'lishtim; likewise, the garrison and the raiding party panicked. Besides all this, there was an earthquake; thus it grew into panic caused by God.

Darby Translation
And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the ravagers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked; for it was a trembling [from] God.

Easy-to-Read Version
Great fear spread among the Philistine soldiers—those in the field, in the camp, and at the fort. Even the bravest soldiers were afraid. The ground began to shake, and they were completely overcome with fear.

George Lamsa Translation
And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people that stood by; and the raiders also trembled and the earth quaked; and the fear of the LORD fell upon them.

Good News Translation
All the Philistines in the countryside were terrified; the raiders and the soldiers in the camp trembled with fear; the earth shook, and there was great panic.

Literal Translation
And there was trembling in the camp in the field, and among all the people; the fort and those ravaging trembled, even them. And the ground quaked, and it was for a trembling of God.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And there came a fearfulnes and flight in the hoost vpon the felde, and amonge all the people of the watch: and vpon the destroyers there came a fearfulnes also and flight, so that the londe was in a rumoure, and there came a flight thorow God.

American Standard Version
And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.

Bible in Basic English
And there was great fear in the tents and in the field and among all the men of the armed force, and the attackers were shaking with fear; even the earth was moved with a great shaking and there was a fear as from God.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And there was a feare in the hoast, in the field, & among al ye people: insomuch that they that were gone out of the garrison to robbe, were afrayde also, & the earth trembled, for the feare that was sent of God.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And there was a trembling in the camp in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked; so it grew into a terror from God.

King James Version (1611)
And there was trembling in the hoste, in the field, and among all the people: the garison and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And there was dismay in the camp, and in the field; and all the people in Messab, and the spoilers were amazed; and they would not act, and the land was terror-struck, and there was dismay from the lord.

English Revised Version
And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled: and the earth quaked; so there was an exceeding great trembling.

Berean Standard Bible
Terror struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked and panic spread from God.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And a myracle was don in the castels, and bi the feeldis, but also al the puple of the `stacioun of hem that yeden out to take prey, dredde, and `the castels weren disturblid; and it bifelde as a myracle of God.

Young's Literal Translation
and there is a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people, the station and the destroyers have trembled -- even they, and the earth shaketh, and it becometh a trembling of God.

Update Bible Version
And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.

New King James Version
And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling.

New Living Translation
Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified.

New Life Bible
There was fear among the Philistines, in the field, and among all the people. Even the soldiers shook with fear. And the earth shook, so there was much fear.

New Revised Standard
There was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and even the raiders trembled; the earth quaked; and it became a very great panic.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And there came to be a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people, the outposts and the spoilers, they too, trembled, - and the earth quaked, so it became a preternatural trembling.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And there was a miracle in the camp, in the fields: and all the people of their garrison, who had gone out to plunder, were amazed, and the earth trembled: and it happened as a miracle from God.

Revised Standard Version
And there was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and even the raiders trembled; the earth quaked; and it became a very great panic.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and the raiders trembled, and the earth quaked so that it became a great trembling.

Contextual Overview

¹and Saul was in Geba with his six hundred men. Saul's own tent was set up under a fruit tree by the threshing place at the edge of town. Ahijah was serving as priest, and one of his jobs was to get answers from the Lord for Saul. Ahijah's father was Ahitub, and his father's brother was Ichabod. Ahijah's grandfather was Phinehas, and his great-grandfather Eli had been the Lord 's priest at Shiloh. One day, Jonathan told the soldier who carried his weapons that he wanted to attack the Philistine camp on the other side of the valley. So they slipped out of the Israelite camp without anyone knowing it. Jonathan didn't even tell his father he was leaving. ⁴Jonathan decided to get to the Philistine camp by going through the pass that led between Shiny Cliff and Michmash to the north and Thornbush Cliff and Geba to the south. ⁶ Jonathan and the soldier who carried his weapons talked as they went toward the Philistine camp. "It's just the two of us against all those godless men," Jonathan said. "But the Lord can help a few soldiers win a battle just as easily as he can help a whole army. Maybe the Lord will help us win this battle." ⁷ "Do whatever you want," the soldier answered. "I'll be right there with you." ⁸ "This is what we will do," Jonathan said. "We will go across and let them see us. ⁹ If they agree to come down the hill and fight where we are, then we won't climb up to their camp. ¹⁰ But we will go if they tell us to come up the hill and fight. That will mean the Lord is going to help us win." ¹¹Jonathan and the soldier stood at the bottom of the hill where the Philistines could see them. The Philistines said, "Look! Those worthless Israelites have crawled out of the holes where they've been hiding." Then they yelled down to Jonathan and the soldier, "Come up here, and we will teach you a thing or two!" Jonathan turned to the soldier and said, "Follow me! The Lord is going to let us win." ¹³ Jonathan crawled up the hillside with the soldier right behind him. When they got to the top, Jonathan killed the Philistines who attacked from the front, and the soldier killed those who attacked from behind. ¹⁴ Before they had gone a hundred feet, they had killed about twenty Philistines.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

there was trembling: Joshua 2:9, Judges 7:21, 2 Kings 7:6, 2 Kings 7:7, Job 18:11, Psalms 14:5

the spoilers: 1 Samuel 13:17, 1 Samuel 13:23

the earth quaked: Exodus 19:18, Matthew 24:6, Matthew 27:50, Matthew 27:51

very great trembling: Heb. trembling of God, Genesis 35:5, Leviticus 26:36, Leviticus 26:37, 2 Samuel 5:24, Daniel 5:6, God will in some way or other direct the steps of those who acknowledge him in all their ways, and seek unto him for direction with full purpose of heart. Sometimes we find most comfort in that which is least our own doing, and into which we have been led by the unexpected, but well observed, turns of Providence.

Reciprocal: Genesis 30:8 - great wrestlings Exodus 23:27 - my fear Deuteronomy 32:30 - one chase 2 Samuel 8:6 - garrisons 2 Samuel 17:9 - some 1 Kings 19:11 - an earthquake 2 Chronicles 14:14 - the fear Job 1:16 - The fire of God Psalms 36:6 - great mountains Psalms 53:5 - There Zechariah 14:13 - a great

Cross-References

Genesis 14:2
attacked King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, also known as the city of Zoar.

Genesis 14:3
King Chedorlaomer and his allies had ruled these last five kings for twelve years, but in the thirteenth year the kings rebelled and came together in Siddim Valley, which is now covered by the southern part of the Dead Sea.

1 Kings 15:18
When Asa heard about this, he took the silver and gold from his palace and from the Lord 's temple. He gave it to some of his officials and sent them to Damascus with this message for King Benhadad of Syria:

Psalms 112:5
Life will go well for those who freely lend and are honest in business.

Acts 9:2
and asked for letters to the Jewish leaders in Damascus. He did this because he wanted to arrest and take to Jerusalem any man or woman who had accepted the Lord's Way.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And there was trembling in the host in the field,.... Belonging to Michmash, where the army lay encamped:

and among all the people; the inhabitants of Michmash, or that attended the army, and furnished them with provisions, trafficking with them; the common people, as distinguished from the soldiers:

the garrison; those that were in it, who did not sally out, but perceiving a great slaughter made of their outer scouts, were seized with a panic:

and the spoilers they also trembled; who had been about the country, ravaging and plundering it, and were returned with their booty; see

1 Samuel 13:17

and the earth quaked; the inhabitants of it thereabout, or the earth itself literally; a real earthquake was caused at the same time, which increased the terror:

so that it was a very great trembling; both with respect to the numbers that were affected with it throughout the camp and garrison, and the causes of it; the terrible apprehension they had of a large army just ready to rush upon them; the earth quaking and opening in various places, threatening to swallow them up; and perhaps suspicions of treachery among themselves, they consisting of various nations, and some among them Hebrews; hence they fell upon and slew one another, 1 Samuel 14:20, or "a trembling of God" u; either in the same sense to which we translate it, as cedars of God, flame of God, c. that is, large and great ones or which came from God; it was he that sent this trembling among them, struck their minds with fear and dread, so that they were in the utmost consternation, and knew not what to do, nor which way to take, and had no heart to oppose the enemy, and defend themselves.

u לחרדת אלהים "in trepidationem Dei", Montanus, Drusius, Vatablus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The earth quaked - This naturally increased the panic to the utmost. Compare 1 Samuel 7:10; Joshua 10:11; Psalms 114:4.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 14:15. There was trembling in the host — They were terrified and panic-struck; the people in general round about, those in the garrison, the spoilers, and the whole country, were struck with terror; the commotion was universal and most extraordinary. The trembling of the earth is probably not to be taken literally, but as a metaphor for a great commotion in the country, though God might have interposed in an extraordinary manner, and produced a real earthquake; but their being panic-struck was sufficient to produce all the requisite confusion and dismay.