15 And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle; for God will have gone forth before thee to smite the army of the Philistines.
If they say thus to us, Stand still until we come to you, then we will stay in our place, and will not go up to them. And if they say thus, Come up to us, then we will go up; for Jehovah has given them into our hand; and this shall be the sign to us. And both of them shewed themselves to 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 armour-bearer and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you something. And Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, Come up after me; for Jehovah has delivered them into the hand of Israel. And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armour-bearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan; and his armour-bearer slew after him. And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armour-bearer wrought was about twenty men, as it were on the half-furrow of an acre of land. 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. And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on slaying one another. Then said Saul to the people that were with him, Muster now, and see who is gone from us. And they mustered, and behold, Jonathan and his armour-bearer were not there. And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel. And it came to pass while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw thy hand. And Saul and all the people that were with him were called together, and they came to the battle; and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great confusion. And there were Hebrews with the Philistines before that time, who had gone up with them into the camp round about; and they also [turned] to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. And all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in mount Ephraim heard that the Philistines fled, and they also followed hard after them in the battle.
Thus saith Jehovah to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him -- and I will loose the loins of kings; to open before him the two-leaved doors, and the gates shall not be shut: I will go before thee, and make the elevated places plain; I will break in pieces the brazen doors, and cut asunder the bars of iron;
I will surely assemble, O Jacob, the whole of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the midst of their pasture: they shall make great noise by reason of [the multitude of] men. One that breaketh through is gone up before them: they have broken forth, and have passed on to the gate, and are gone out by it; and their king passeth on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them.
So that, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much rather in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both the willing and the working according to [his] good pleasure.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 14
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 14 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 14
This chapter gives an account of the message of Hiram king of Tyre to David, and of David's taking him more wives, with the names of his children by them; and of two battles he fought with the Philistines, in which he had the victory over them; the same are recorded in 2 Samuel 5:11 see the notes there; See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:11. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:12. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:13. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:14. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:15. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:16. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:17. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:18. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:19. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:20. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:21. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:22. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:23. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:24. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:25, and the chapter is concluded with observing, that the fame of David, on account of his victories, was spread in all countries, and they were struck with a panic from the Lord, and were in dread of him.
See Chapter Introduction