The Meaning of 1 Samuel 14:18 Explained

1 Samuel 14:18

KJV: And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.

YLT: And Saul saith to Ahiah, 'Bring nigh the ark of God;' for the ark of God hath been on that day with the sons of Israel.

Darby: 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.

ASV: And Saul said unto Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was there at that time with the children of Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Saul  said  unto Ahiah,  Bring hither  the ark  of God.  For the ark  of God  was at that time  with the children  of Israel. 

What does 1 Samuel 14:18 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Samuel 14:16-35 - Victory Shadowed By Saul's Errors
Saul's unwise prohibition had a terrible sequel: first, in the exhaustion of his troops; and, second, in the rushing of the hungry upon the spoil without the proper separation of blood. Then, as the day closed in, the divine oracle was dumb. Evidently some sin had interposed its dark shadow between the king and the Eternal Light. See 1 Samuel 14:37. Saul knew this, but he refused to look for the sin in his own heart, even when he and Jonathan stood alone. See 1 Samuel 14:42.
The cause of the discomfiture and silence was not in Jonathan. Saul was alone to blame. In that the good sense of the people decided rigidly. Not only had the king marred and missed the greatest opportunity of his life, but he was already enwrapping his soul in that jealousy, moroseness of temper and impetuosity of judgment which ruined his after-career. In Paul's expressive phrase, he became a castaway, and was flung from the mighty hand which longed to make Him a vessel unto honor, meet for every noble work. See 1 Corinthians 9:27; 2 Timothy 2:21. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 1 Samuel 14:18 mean?

And said Saul to Ahijah bring here the ark of God For was of God at time that and with the sons of Israel
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר שָׁאוּל֙ לַֽאֲחִיָּ֔ה הַגִּ֖ישָׁה אֲר֣וֹן הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כִּֽי־ הָיָ֞ה הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא וּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שָׁאוּל֙  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
לַֽאֲחִיָּ֔ה  to  Ahijah 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲחִיָּה 
Sense: grandson of Phinehas.
הַגִּ֖ישָׁה  bring  here 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: נָגַשׁ  
Sense: to draw near, approach.
אֲר֣וֹן  the  ark 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בַּיּ֥וֹם  at  time 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַה֖וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וּבְנֵ֥י  and  with  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.