3 And Jonathan made an attack on the armed force of the Philistines stationed at Gibeah; and news was given to the Philistines that the Hebrews were turned against them. And Saul had a horn sounded through all the land,
After that you will come to Gibeah, the hill of God, where an armed force of the Philistines is stationed: and when you come to the town, you will see a band of prophets coming down from the high place with instruments of music before them; and they will be acting like prophets:
And when he came there, he had a horn sounded in the hill-country of Ephraim, and all the children of Israel went down with him from the hill-country, and he at their head.
And Chephar-Ammoni and Ophni and Geba; twelve towns with their unwalled places;
And from the tribe of Benjamin they gave Gibeon and Geba with their grass-lands;
Now one day Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who was with him, looking after his arms, Come, let us go over to the Philistine force over there. But he said nothing to his father. And Saul was still waiting in the farthest part of Geba, under the fruit-tree in Migron: there were about six hundred men with him; And Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, who had the ephod. And the people had no idea that Jonathan had gone. Now 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. The one rock went up on the north in front of Michmash and the other on the south in front of Geba. And Jonathan said to his young servant who had his arms, Come, let us go over to the armies of these men who have no circumcision: it may be that the Lord will give us help, for there is no limit to his power; the Lord is able to give salvation by a great army or by a small band.
So Joab had a horn sounded, and all the people came to a stop, and gave up going after Israel and fighting them.
And at that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem.
They have gone across the mountain; Geba will be our resting-place tonight, they say: Ramah is shaking with fear; Gibeah of Saul has gone in flight.
And all the land will become like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she will be lifted up and be living in her place; from the doorway of Benjamin to the place of the first doorway, to the doorway of the angle, and from the tower of Hananel to the king's wine-crushing places, men will be living in her.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Samuel 13
Commentary on 1 Samuel 13 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 13
Those that desired a king like all the nations fancied that, when they had one, they should look very great and considerable; but in this chapter we find it proved much otherwise. While Samuel was joined in commission with Saul things went well (ch. 11:7). But, now that Saul began to reign alone, all went to decay, and Samuel's words began to be fulfilled: "You shall be consumed, both you and your king;' for never was the state of Israel further gone in a consumption than in this chapter.
1Sa 13:1-7
We are not told wherein it was that the people of Israel offended God, so as to forfeit his presence and turn his hand against them, as Samuel had threatened (ch. 12:15); but doubtless they left God, else he would not have left them, as here it appears he did; for,
1Sa 13:8-14
Here is,
1Sa 13:15-23
Here,