Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 14:48

And he gathered a host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

48. gathered a host ] Better, did valiantly, as in Num 24:18; Psa 40:12.

smote the Amalekites ] As recorded at length in ch. 15.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 48. Smote the Amalekites.] This war is mentioned in the following chapter.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Smote the Amalekites; which is here mentioned only in the general, but is particularly described in the next chapter.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

And he gathered an host,…. A large army; for after the battle with the Ammonites he disbanded his army, and sent them home, retaining only 3000 men, and these deserted him to six hundred, which were all the men he had with him, when he fought last with the Philistines; but now, finding he had enemies on every side of him, he gathered a numerous host to defend his country against them, and particularly to attack the people next mentioned:

and he smote the Amalekites; a people that Israel, by the law of God, were bound to destroy, and blot out their name; a particular account of his expedition against them is given in the following chapter:

and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them; the nations before mentioned, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Syrians, and Philistines.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(48) Smote the Amalekites.Out of the many wars the king waged, this war with Amalek is singled out, for in the new development of Hebrew power by which Sauls reign was marked this campaign or series of campaigns was especially prominent. This war is related with some detail in the next chapter, but it is there introduced on account of other considerations. The English translators in their rendering, he gathered an host, have followed the Syriac and Vulg.; the marginal translation, he wrought mightily, is the more accurate.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

48. He gathered a host Rather, he waxed mighty. He acquired mighty influence and power by his many successful battles.

Smote the Amalekites As we read in the next chapter. But as we have detailed descriptions of the wars with Amalek, and Ammon, and the Philistines, how are we to account for the fact that the wars with Moab, Edom, and Zobah are only mentioned with a passing notice? We answer, The sacred writers seek to show us the divine as well as the human side in the history of the chosen people, and therefore they select those facts which serve this purpose best. Saul’s battles with Moab, Edom, and Zobah probably furnished no marked displays of Divine interposition, and for this reason our author paused not to describe them fully.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1Sa 14:48 And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

Ver. 48. And he gathered a host, ] See on 1Sa 14:47 .

And delivered Israel out of the hands. ] God may make use of wicked men as instruments to defend his people: “the earth helped the woman”; Rev 12:16 yet the vials of God’s wrath were poured out “upon the earth.” Rev 16:1

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

an host. Hebrew “power”. Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6, put for the army which manifested the power. Or, it may be rendered “he wrought mightily”.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

gathered an host: or, wrought mightily

smote: 1Sa 15:3-7, Exo 17:14, Deu 25:19

Reciprocal: Num 13:29 – Amalekites Num 24:20 – his latter end 1Sa 15:7 – smote

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

14:48 And he gathered an host, and smote the {t} Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

(t) As the Lord had commanded, De 25:17.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes