וַיִּקַּח֩ צֶ֨מֶד בָּקָ֜ר וַֽיְנַתְּחֵ֗הוּ וַיְשַׁלַּ֞ח בְּכׇל־גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ בְּיַ֣ד הַמַּלְאָכִ֣ים ׀ לֵאמֹר֒ אֲשֶׁר֩ אֵינֶ֨נּוּ יֹצֵ֜א אַחֲרֵ֤י שָׁאוּל֙ וְאַחַ֣ר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל כֹּ֥ה יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה לִבְקָר֑וֹ וַיִּפֹּ֤ל פַּֽחַד־יְהֹוָה֙ עַל־הָעָ֔ם וַיֵּצְא֖וּ כְּאִ֥ישׁ אֶחָֽד׃
He took a yoke of oxen and cut them into pieces, which he sent by messengers throughout the territory of Israel, with the warning, “Thus shall be done to the cattle of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel into battle!” Terror from GOD fell upon the people, and they came out united.
(The above rendering comes from the RJPS translation, an adaptation of the NJPS translation. Before accounting for this rendering, I will analyze the plain sense of the Hebrew term containing אִישׁ, by employing a situation-oriented construal as outlined in this introduction, pp. 11–16.)
Prototypically, אִישׁ is used in sketching a situation schematically. The expression כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד describes the manner of action in an event, likening it to what would be expected if the situation had only one participant. The simile can be construed in various ways, depending upon context.
- An analogy with one body means that the depicted action is well coordinated (as in Judg 20:1, 8, 11).
- An analogy with one mind means either that the depicted action is carried out decisively (as in Num 14:15; Judg 6:16) or that there is a unity of purpose.
In the present case, the latter construal is more salient. Time is of the essence (and the fact of gathering in one place does not necessarily mean that they are united in purpose). Thus the point of the expression must be that everybody was of one mind to drop whatever they were doing and rush to the aid of their countrymen.
As for rendering into English, the NJPS ‘as one man’ is not idiomatic; rather, it is “Bible English.” (NRSV ‘as one’ is not in common use, either.) Ordinary parlance would employ a more specific term, depending upon what is being profiled against the situational background. The revised rendering conveys that idea in everyday terms. (Meanwhile, the fact that women are not in view is self-evident from the military context, and thus can go without saying.)