1 Samuel 14:46
Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.
Original Language Analysis
וַיַּ֣עַל
went up
H5927
וַיַּ֣עַל
went up
Strong's:
H5927
Word #:
1 of 7
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
מֵאַֽחֲרֵ֖י
from following
H310
מֵאַֽחֲרֵ֖י
from following
Strong's:
H310
Word #:
3 of 7
properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים
and the Philistines
H6430
וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים
and the Philistines
Strong's:
H6430
Word #:
4 of 7
a pelishtite or inhabitant of pelesheth
וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים
and the Philistines
H6430
וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים
and the Philistines
Strong's:
H6430
Word #:
5 of 7
a pelishtite or inhabitant of pelesheth
Historical Context
The Philistines' survival meant continued military pressure throughout Saul's reign (verse 52). This battle, despite its miraculous beginning, did not achieve decisive victory. The Philistine threat would not be fully addressed until David's reign.
Questions for Reflection
- How does leadership failure limit what God begins through faithful individuals?
- What victories remain incomplete because of human interference with divine work?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.
The anticlimactic conclusion - 'Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place' - reveals the cost of the day's chaos. Despite God's great deliverance through Jonathan, the complete destruction of Philistine power that Jonathan envisioned (verse 30) never occurs. Saul's oath, the controversy over Jonathan, and the day's confusion allow the enemy to escape. Victory is incomplete because leadership failure limited what divine power initiated. The Philistines remain to fight another day.