1 Samuel 14 · Verse 4

1 Samuel 14:4

And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
1 Samuel 14:4, King James Version

1 Samuel 14:4 in other translations

BSBNow there were cliffs on both sides of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh.
WEBBetween the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
ASVAnd between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
YLTAnd between the passages where Jonathan sought to pass over unto the station of the Philistines is the edge of a rock on the one side, and the edge of a rock on the other side, and the name of the one is Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
DARBYNow between the passes by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison there was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
BBENow between the narrow roads over the mountains by which Jonathan was making his way to the Philistines' forces, there was a sharp overhanging rock on one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: one was named Bozez and the other Seneh.
WebsterAnd between the passages by which Jonathan sought to go over to the garrison of the Philistines, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

What does 1 Samuel 14:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. between the passages--that is, the deep and great ravine of Suweinit. Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison--a distance of about three miles running between two jagged points; Hebrew, "teeth of the cliff." there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side ... Bozez--("shining") from the aspect of the chalky rock. Seneh--("the thorn") probably from a solitary acacia on its top. They are the only rocks of the kind in this vicinity; and the top of the crag towards Michmash was occupied as the post of the Philistines. The two camps were in sight of each other; and it was up the steep rocky sides of this isolated eminence that Jonathan and his armorbearer (1Sa 14:6) made their adventurous approach. This enterprise is one of the most gallant that history or romance records. The action, viewed in itself, was rash and contrary to all established rules of military discipline, which do not permit soldiers to fight or to undertake any enterprise that may involve important consequences without the order of the generals.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 The name of the one was Bozez - Slippery; and the name of the other Seneh, treading down. - Targum.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 14:1-15

Saul seems to have been quite at a loss, and unable to help himself. Those can never think themselves safe who see themselves out of God's protection. Now he sent for a priest and the ark. He hopes to make up matters with the Almighty by a partial reformation, as many do whose hearts are unhumbled and unchanged. Many love to have ministers who prophesy smooth things to them. Jonathan felt a Divine impulse and…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 14:1-15 →

1 Samuel 14:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּבֵ֣יןu.Veinand [were] betweenH996
הַֽמַּעְבְּר֗וֹתha.ma'.be.Rotthe passesH4569
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherwhichH834
בִּקֵּ֤שׁbi.Keshhe soughtH1245
יֽוֹנָתָן֙yo.na.TanJonathanH3129
לַֽעֲבֹר֙la.'a.Vorto pass overH5674
עַל\־'al-toH5921
מַצַּ֣בma.Tzav[the] garrison ofH4673
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔יםpe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
שֵׁן\־shen-[the] tooth ofH8127
הַסֶּ֤לַעha.Se.la'the rockH5553
מֵהָעֵ֙בֶר֙me.ha.'E.verfrom the other sideH5676
מִזֶּ֔הmi.Zehfrom thisH2088
וְשֵׁן\־ve.shen-and [the] tooth ofH8127
הַסֶּ֥לַעha.Se.la'the rockH5553
מֵהָעֵ֖בֶרme.ha.'E.verfrom the other sideH5676
מִזֶּ֑הmi.Zehfrom thisH2088
וְשֵׁ֤םve.Shemand [the] name ofH8034
הָֽאֶחָד֙ha.'e.Chadthe oneH259
בּוֹצֵ֔ץbo.Tzetz[was] BozezH949
וְשֵׁ֥םve.Shemand [the] name ofH8034
הָאֶחָ֖דha.'e.Chadthe oneH259
סֶֽנֶּה\׃Se.neh[was] SenehH5573

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 14:4

  • 1 Samuel 13:23

    And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the passages.
13:23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 14:3

    And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, I–chabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

  • 1 Samuel 14:4

    And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

  • 1 Samuel 14:5

    The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.

Read all of 1 Samuel 14

1 Samuel 14:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y entre los pasos por donde Jonathán procuraba pasar á la guarnición de los Filisteos, había un peñasco agudo de la una parte, y otro de la otra parte; el uno se llamaba Boses y el otro Sene:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et entre les passages par lesquels Jonathan cherchait à passer vers le poste des Philistins, il y avait une dent de rocher d’un côté, et une dent de rocher de l’autre côté: et le nom de l’une était Botsets, et le nom de l’autre Séné;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Es war aber zwischen den Pässen, durch welche Jonathan zu der Aufstellung der Philister hinüberzugehen suchte, eine Felszacke auf dieser Seite und eine Felszacke auf jener Seite: der Name der einen war Bozez, und der Name der anderen Sene;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Erant autem inter ascensus per quos nitebatur Jonathas transire ad stationem Philisthinorum, eminentes petræ ex utraque parte, et quasi in modum dentium scopuli hinc et inde prærupti: nomen uni Boses, et nomen alteri Sene: