1 Samuel 14:15

God's power and sovereignty Fear

¹³ So Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. And the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off.

¹⁴ In that first assault, Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men over half an acre of land.

Then 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.

¹⁶ Now when Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin looked and saw the troops melting away and scattering in every direction,

¹⁷ Saul said to the troops who were with him, “Call the roll and see who has left us.” And when they had called the roll, they saw that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Then 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.
KJV: 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.
WEB: There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so there was an exceedingly great trembling.
ASV: 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.
DARBY: 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.
BLB: and there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people in the garrison, and the raiders trembled—even they—and the earth quaked. And it became a trembling from God.

ÅB: Da ble det redsel i leiren, på marken omkring og blant alt folket; også forposten og herjeflokken ble grepet av redsel. Jorden skalv, og det kom en redsel fra Gud.
OTB: Og det ble en skjelving i leiren, på marken og blant alt folket. Garnisonen og til og med røverne skalv, og jorden skalv, og det ble en stor panikk fra Gud.
B1930: Da blev det redsel i leiren, på marken omkring og blandt alt folket; også forposten og herjeflokken blev grepet av redsel. Jorden skalv, og det kom en redsel fra Gud.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Samuel 13:17
And raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three divisions. One headed toward Ophrah in the land of Shual,
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Genesis 35:5
As they set out, a terror from God fell over the surrounding cities, so that they did not pursue Jacob’s sons.
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2 Kings 7:6–7
For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us.”
Read in context
Exodus 19:18
Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke, because the LORD had descended on it in fire. And the smoke rose like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently.
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2 Samuel 5:24
As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because this will mean that the LORD has marched out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”
Read in context
Judges 7:21
Each Israelite took his position around the camp, and the entire Midianite army fled, crying out as they ran.
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Joshua 2:9
and said to them, “I know that the LORD has given you this land and that the fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of you.
Read in context
Leviticus 26:36–37
As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them.
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