1 Samuel 14:14
New International Version
In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

New Living Translation
They killed some twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre.

English Standard Version
And that first strike, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, killed about twenty men within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land.

Berean Standard Bible
In that first assault, Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in about half an acre of land.

King James Bible
And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

New King James Version
That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land.

New American Standard Bible
Now that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer inflicted was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of land.

NASB 1995
That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of land.

NASB 1977
And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of land.

Legacy Standard Bible
And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of land.

Amplified Bible
That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about twenty men within about half a [plow] furrow in a plot of land [the area of which a yoke of oxen could plow in a day].

Christian Standard Bible
In that first assault Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in a half-acre field.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
In that first assault Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about 20 men in a half-acre field.

American Standard Version
And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land.

Contemporary English Version
Before they had gone 30 meters, they had killed about 20 Philistines.

English Revised Version
And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In their first slaughter Jonathan and his armorbearer killed about twenty men within about a hundred yards.

Good News Translation
In that first slaughter Jonathan and the young man killed about twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

International Standard Version
In the initial attack, Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty men in an area of about half an acre of land.

Majority Standard Bible
In that first assault, Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in about half an acre of land.

NET Bible
In this initial skirmish Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty men in an area that measured half an acre.

New Heart English Bible
That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about twenty men, with arrows and with weapons from flints of the field.

Webster's Bible Translation
And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were a half-acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

World English Bible
That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the first striking which Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons have struck is of about twenty men, in about half a furrow of a yoke of a field,

Young's Literal Translation
And the first smiting which Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons have smitten is of about twenty men, in about half a furrow of a yoke of a field,

Smith's Literal Translation
And the first blow which Jonathan struck, and he lifting up his arms, will be about twenty men in about half the furrow of a yoke of a field.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was of about twenty men, within half an acre of land, which a yoke of oxen is wont to plough in a day.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the first slaughter was made when Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty of the men, in the midst of an area of land that a yoke of oxen would usually plow in a day.

New American Bible
In this first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed about twenty men within half a furlong.

New Revised Standard Version
In that first slaughter Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed about twenty men within an area about half a furrow long in an acre of land.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men; they cut them to pieces like stone-cutters and like men who plough a field.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the first slaughter that Jonathan and the Bearer of his weapons struck like Stone Cutters and like Drivers of Plows in a field was about twenty men
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armour-bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armour-bearer effected was twenty men, with darts and slings, and pebbles of the field.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jonathan's Victory over the Philistines
13So 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. 15Then 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.…

Cross References
Judges 7:19-22
Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the changing of the guard. They blew their horns and broke the jars that were in their hands. / The three companies blew their horns and shattered their jars. Holding the torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” / Each Israelite took his position around the camp, and the entire Midianite army fled, crying out as they ran. ...

2 Samuel 23:8-12
These are the names of David’s mighty men: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed at one time. / Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he went with David to taunt the Philistines who had gathered for battle at Pas-dammim. The men of Israel retreated, / but Eleazar stood his ground and struck the Philistines until his hand grew weary and stuck to his sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops returned to him, but only to plunder the dead. ...

1 Chronicles 11:12-14
Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. / He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place with a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines. / But Eleazar and David stationed themselves in the middle of the field and defended it. They struck down the Philistines, and the LORD brought about a great victory.

1 Samuel 13:23
And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.

1 Samuel 17:50-52
Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. / David ran and stood over him. He grabbed the Philistine’s sword and pulled it from its sheath and killed him, and he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. / Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath and to the gates of Ekron. And the bodies of the Philistines were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron.

2 Kings 19:35
And that very night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!

1 Chronicles 14:11
So David and his men went up to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, “Like a bursting flood, God has burst out against my enemies by my hand.” So they called that place Baal-perazim.

2 Chronicles 20:22-24
The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated. / The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. / When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.

Isaiah 37:36
Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!

Joshua 10:10-11
And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. / As they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon to Azekah, the LORD cast down on them large hailstones from the sky, and more of them were killed by the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites.

Judges 3:31
After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath. And he too saved Israel, striking down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad.

Judges 15:14-16
When Samson arrived in Lehi, the Philistines came out shouting against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him. The ropes on his arms became like burnt flax, and the bonds broke loose from his hands. / He found the fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and struck down a thousand men. / Then Samson said: “With the jawbone of a donkey I have piled them into heaps. With the jawbone of a donkey I have slain a thousand men.”

1 Samuel 18:7
And as the women danced, they sang out: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”

1 Samuel 19:5
He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?”

1 Samuel 23:5
Then David and his men went to Keilah, fought against the Philistines, and carried off their livestock, striking them with a mighty blow. So David saved the people of Keilah.


Treasury of Scripture

And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

an half acre of land.

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Area Armor Armorbearer Armor-Bearer Armourbearer Armour-Bearer Attack Bearer Half Inside Jonathan Killed Length Oxen Plow Servant Slaughter Smiting Smitten Space Sword Twenty Weapons Within Wrought Yoke
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1 Samuel 14
1. Jonathan goes and miraculously smites the Philistine's garrison
15. A divine terror makes them beat themselves
17. Saul, not staying the priest's answer, sets on them
21. The captivated Hebrews, and the hidden Israelites, join against them.
24. Saul's unadvised adjuration hinders the victory
31. He restrains the people from eating blood
35. He builds an altar
37. Jonathan, taken by lot, is save by the people
47. Saul's victories, strength, and family














In that first assault
The phrase "first assault" indicates the initial attack by Jonathan and his armor-bearer. The Hebrew word for "assault" here is "מַכָּה" (makkah), which can mean a blow or a strike. This suggests a sudden and decisive action, reflecting Jonathan's faith and courage. Historically, this was a time when Israel was oppressed by the Philistines, and Jonathan's boldness was a catalyst for change. His actions demonstrate the power of faith-driven initiative, even when the odds seem insurmountable.

Jonathan and his armor-bearer
Jonathan, the son of King Saul, is portrayed as a man of faith and action. His name in Hebrew, "יוֹנָתָן" (Yehonatan), means "Yahweh has given," which is fitting as he acts as an instrument of God's deliverance. The armor-bearer, though unnamed, plays a crucial role, showing loyalty and support. This partnership highlights the importance of unity and trust in fulfilling God's purposes. In a broader scriptural context, it reflects the biblical theme of God using the faithful, regardless of their status, to achieve His plans.

struck down about twenty men
The act of striking down "about twenty men" signifies a significant victory given the small number of attackers. The Hebrew verb "נָכָה" (nakah) used here implies a decisive defeat. This victory is not just a military success but a testament to God's power working through Jonathan and his armor-bearer. It serves as a reminder that God can achieve great things through those who trust in Him, regardless of their numbers or strength.

over half an acre of land
The phrase "over half an acre of land" provides a tangible measure of the battlefield, emphasizing the scale of the victory. The Hebrew term "מַעֲנָה" (ma'anah) refers to a specific area of land, suggesting that the victory was not only personal but also territorial. This detail underscores the strategic impact of Jonathan's faith-driven initiative, as reclaiming land from the Philistines was crucial for Israel's survival and autonomy. It symbolizes the reclaiming of God's promises and the restoration of His people's inheritance.

(14) And that first slaughter . . .--Considerable doubt exists as to the exact meaning of this verse. The LXX. either had here a different text before them, or else translated, as has been suggested, "conjecturally, what they did not understand;" their rendering is "about twenty men, with darts and slings and stones of the field." Ewald explains the Hebrew words as follows: "At the very beginning he strikes down about twenty men at once, as if a yoke of land were in course of being ploughed, which must beware of offering opposition to the sharp ploughshare in the middle of its work." The simplest interpretation seems to be that twenty men were smitten down, one after the other, in the distance of half a rood of land. Bunsen considers this verse an extract from a poet.

Verse 14. - Within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow. The Hebrew for this long circumlocution is, "within about a half furrow of a yoke of land." The Septuagint translates, "with darts and slings and stones of the field," but the other versions give no support to this rendering. The Israelites, like most ancient nations, were accustomed to measure land by the quantity which a yoke of oxen could plough in a day, - something really less than an acre, - so that the A.V. gives the fight sense. When Jonathan made his attack, the garrison probably, not knowing bow few their assailants were, ran in confusion to the narrow tongue of land where the exit was, and getting in one another's way, were soon panic stricken and helpless.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
In that first
הָרִאשֹׁנָ֗ה (hā·ri·šō·nāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7223: First, in place, time, rank

assault,
הַמַּכָּ֣ה (ham·mak·kāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4347: A wound, carnage, pestilence

Jonathan
יוֹנָתָ֛ן (yō·w·nā·ṯān)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3129: Jonathan

and his armor-bearer
וְנֹשֵׂ֥א (wə·nō·śê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

struck down
הִכָּ֧ה (hik·kāh)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

about twenty
כְּעֶשְׂרִ֣ים (kə·‘eś·rîm)
Preposition-k | Number - common plural
Strong's 6242: Twenty, twentieth

men
אִ֑ישׁ (’îš)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 376: A man as an individual, a male person

over half
כְּבַחֲצִ֥י (kə·ḇa·ḥă·ṣî)
Preposition-k, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2677: The half, middle

an acre
מַעֲנָ֖ה (ma·‘ă·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4618: A field for plowing

of land.
שָׂדֶֽה׃ (śā·ḏeh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7704: Field, land


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OT History: 1 Samuel 14:14 That first slaughter which Jonathan and his (1Sa iSam 1 Sam i sa)
1 Samuel 14:13
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