1 Saul H7586 reigned H4427 one year; H1121 H8141 and when he had reigned H4427 two H8147 years H8141 over Israel, H3478
2 Saul H7586 chose H977 him three H7969 thousand H505 men of Israel; H3478 whereof two thousand H505 were with Saul H7586 in Michmash H4363 and in mount H2022 Bethel, H1008 and a thousand H505 were with Jonathan H3129 in Gibeah H1390 of Benjamin: H1144 and the rest H3499 of the people H5971 he sent H7971 every man H376 to his tent. H168
3 And Jonathan H3129 smote H5221 the garrison H5333 of the Philistines H6430 that was in Geba, H1387 and the Philistines H6430 heard H8085 of it. And Saul H7586 blew H8628 the trumpet H7782 throughout all the land, H776 saying, H559 Let the Hebrews H5680 hear. H8085
4 And all Israel H3478 heard H8085 say H559 that Saul H7586 had smitten H5221 a garrison H5333 of the Philistines, H6430 and that Israel H3478 also was had in abomination H887 with the Philistines. H6430 And the people H5971 were called together H6817 after H310 Saul H7586 to Gilgal. H1537
5 And the Philistines H6430 gathered themselves together H622 to fight H3898 with Israel, H3478 thirty H7970 thousand H505 chariots, H7393 and six H8337 thousand H505 horsemen, H6571 and people H5971 as the sand H2344 which is on the sea H3220 shore H8193 in multitude: H7230 and they came up, H5927 and pitched H2583 in Michmash, H4363 eastward H6926 from Bethaven. H1007
6 When the men H376 of Israel H3478 saw H7200 that they were in a strait, H6887 (for the people H5971 were distressed,) H5065 then the people H5971 did hide H2244 themselves in caves, H4631 and in thickets, H2337 and in rocks, H5553 and in high places, H6877 and in pits. H953
7 And some of the Hebrews H5680 went over H5674 Jordan H3383 to the land H776 of Gad H1410 and Gilead. H1568 As for Saul, H7586 he was yet in Gilgal, H1537 and all the people H5971 followed H310 him trembling. H2729
8 And he tarried H3176 H3176 seven H7651 days, H3117 according to the set time H4150 that Samuel H8050 had appointed: but Samuel H8050 came H935 not to Gilgal; H1537 and the people H5971 were scattered H6327 from him.
9 And Saul H7586 said, H559 Bring hither H5066 a burnt offering H5930 to me, and peace offerings. H8002 And he offered H5927 the burnt offering. H5930
10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end H3615 of offering H5927 the burnt offering, H5930 behold, Samuel H8050 came; H935 and Saul H7586 went out H3318 to meet H7125 him, that he might salute H1288 him.
11 And Samuel H8050 said, H559 What hast thou done? H6213 And Saul H7586 said, H559 Because I saw H7200 that the people H5971 were scattered H5310 from me, and that thou camest H935 not within the days H3117 appointed, H4150 and that the Philistines H6430 gathered themselves together H622 at Michmash; H4363
12 Therefore said H559 I, The Philistines H6430 will come down H3381 now upon me to Gilgal, H1537 and I have not made supplication H2470 unto H6440 the LORD: H3068 I forced H662 myself therefore, and offered H5927 a burnt offering. H5930
13 And Samuel H8050 said H559 to Saul, H7586 Thou hast done foolishly: H5528 thou hast not kept H8104 the commandment H4687 of the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 which he commanded H6680 thee: for now would the LORD H3068 have established H3559 thy kingdom H4467 upon Israel H3478 for H5704 ever. H5769
14 But now thy kingdom H4467 shall not continue: H6965 the LORD H3068 hath sought H1245 him a man H376 after his own heart, H3824 and the LORD H3068 hath commanded H6680 him to be captain H5057 over his people, H5971 because thou hast not kept H8104 that which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 thee.
15 And Samuel H8050 arose, H6965 and gat him up H5927 from Gilgal H1537 unto Gibeah H1390 of Benjamin. H1144 And Saul H7586 numbered H6485 the people H5971 that were present H4672 with him, about six H8337 hundred H3967 men. H376
16 And Saul, H7586 and Jonathan H3129 his son, H1121 and the people H5971 that were present H4672 with them, abode H3427 in Gibeah H1387 of Benjamin: H1144 but the Philistines H6430 encamped H2583 in Michmash. H4363
17 And the spoilers H7843 came out H3318 of the camp H4264 of the Philistines H6430 in three H7969 companies: H7218 one H259 company H7218 turned H6437 unto the way H1870 that leadeth to Ophrah, H6084 unto the land H776 of Shual: H7777
18 And another H259 company H7218 turned H6437 the way H1870 to Bethhoron: H1032 and another H259 company H7218 turned H6437 to the way H1870 of the border H1366 that looketh H8259 to the valley H1516 of Zeboim H6650 toward the wilderness. H4057
19 Now there was no smith H2796 found H4672 throughout all the land H776 of Israel: H3478 for the Philistines H6430 said, H559 Lest the Hebrews H5680 make H6213 them swords H2719 or spears: H2595
20 But all the Israelites H3478 went down H3381 to the Philistines, H6430 to sharpen H3913 every man H376 his share, H4282 and his coulter, H855 and his axe, H7134 and his mattock. H4281
21 Yet they had a file H6477 H6310 for the mattocks, H4281 and for the coulters, H855 and for the forks, H7969 H7053 and for the axes, H7134 and to sharpen H5324 the goads. H1861
22 So it came to pass in the day H3117 of battle, H4421 that there was neither sword H2719 nor spear H2595 found H4672 in the hand H3027 of any of the people H5971 that were with Saul H7586 and Jonathan: H3129 but with Saul H7586 and with Jonathan H3129 his son H1121 was there found. H4672
23 And the garrison H4673 of the Philistines H6430 went out H3318 to the passage H4569 of Michmash. H4363
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 13
Commentary on 1 Samuel 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
1Sa 13:1, 2. Saul's Selected Band.
1. Saul reigned one year—(see Margin). The transactions recorded in the eleventh and twelfth chapters were the principal incidents comprising the first year of Saul's reign; and the events about to be described in this happened in the second year.
2. Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel—This band of picked men was a bodyguard, who were kept constantly on duty, while the rest of the people were dismissed till their services might be needed. It seems to have been his tactics to attack the Philistine garrisons in the country by different detachments, rather than by risking a general engagement; and his first operations were directed to rid his native territory of Benjamin of these enemies.
1Sa 13:3, 4. He Calls the Hebrews to Gilgal against the Philistines.
3, 4. And Jonathan—that is, "God-given."
smote the garrison of the Philistines … in Geba—Geba and Gibeah were towns in Benjamin, very close to each other (Jos 18:24, 28). The word rendered "garrison" is different from that of 1Sa 13:23; 14:1, and signifies, literally, something erected; probably a pillar or flagstaff, indicative of Philistine ascendency. That the secret demolition of this standard, so obnoxious to a young and noble-hearted patriot, was the feat of Jonathan referred to, is evident from the words, "the Philistines heard of it," which is not the way we should expect an attack on a fortress to be noticed.
Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land—This, a well-known sound, was the usual Hebrew war-summons; the first blast was answered by the beacon fire in the neighboring places. A second blast was blown—then answered by a fire in a more distant locality, whence the proclamation was speedily diffused over the whole country. As the Philistines resented what Jonathan had done as an overt attempt to throw off their yoke, a levy, en masse, of the people was immediately ordered, the rendezvous to be the old camping-ground at Gilgal.
1Sa 13:5. The Philistines' Great Host.
5. The Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen—Either this number must include chariots of every kind—or the word "chariots" must mean the men fighting in them (2Sa 10:18; 1Ki 20:21; 1Ch 19:18); or, as some eminent critics maintain, Sheloshim ("thirty"), has crept into the text, instead of Shelosh ("three"). The gathering of the chariots and horsemen must be understood to be on the Philistine plain, before they ascended the western passes and pitched in the heart of the Benjamite hills, in "Michmash," (now Mukmas), a "steep precipitous valley" [Robinson], eastward from Beth-aven (Beth-el).
1Sa 13:6-8. The Israelites' Distress.
6. When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait—Though Saul's gallantry was unabated, his subjects displayed no degree of zeal and energy. Instead of venturing an encounter, they fled in all directions. Some, in their panic, left the country (1Sa 13:7), but most took refuge in the hiding-places which the broken ridges of the neighborhood abundantly afford. The rocks are perforated in every direction with "caves," and "holes," and "pits"—crevices and fissures sunk deep in the rocky soil, subterranean granaries or dry wells in the adjoining fields. The name of Michmash ("hidden treasure") seems to be derived from this natural peculiarity [Stanley].
8. he—that is, Saul.
tarried seven days—He was still in the eastern borders of his kingdom, in the valley of Jordan. Some bolder spirits had ventured to join the camp at Gilgal; but even the courage of those stout-hearted men gave way in prospect of this terrible visitation; and as many of them were stealing away, he thought some immediate and decided step must be taken.
1Sa 13:9-16. Saul, Weary of Waiting for Samuel, Sacrifices.
9-14. Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings—Saul, though patriotic enough in his own way, was more ambitious of gaining the glory of a triumph to himself than ascribing it to God. He did not understand his proper position as king of Israel; and although aware of the restrictions under which he held the sovereignty, he wished to rule as an autocrat, who possessed absolute power both in civil and sacred things. This occasion was his first trial. Samuel waited till the last day of the seven, in order to put the constitutional character of the king to the test; and, as Saul, in his impatient and passionate haste knowingly transgressed (1Sa 13:12) by invading the priest's office and thus showing his unfitness for his high office (as he showed nothing of the faith of Gideon and other Hebrew generals), he incurred a threat of the rejection which his subsequent waywardness confirmed.
15, 16. Samuel … gat him … unto Gibeah … and Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah—Saul removed his camp thither, either in the hope that, it being his native town, he would gain an increase of followers or that he might enjoy the counsels and influence of the prophet.
17, 18. the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies—ravaging through the three valleys which radiate from the uplands of Michmash to Ophrah on the north, through the pass of Beth-horon on the west, and down the ravines of Zeboim ("the hyænas"), towards the Ghor or Jordan valley on the east.
19, 20. Now there was no smith found throughout … Israel—The country was in the lowest state of depression and degradation. The Philistines, after the great victory over the sons of Eli, had become the virtual masters of the land. Their policy in disarming the natives has been often followed in the East. For repairing any serious damage to their agricultural implements, they had to apply to the neighboring forts.
21. Yet they had a file—as a kind of privilege, for the purpose of sharpening sundry smaller utensils of husbandry.