Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1 Samuel 13

Introduction

1  Saul's select band.
3  He calls the Hebrews to Gilgal against the Philistines, whose garrison Jonathan had smitten.
5  The Philistines' great host.
6  The distress of the Israelites.
8  Saul, weary of staying for Samuel, sacrifices.
11  Samuel reproves him.
17  The three spoiling bands of the Philistines.
19  The policy of the Philistines, to suffer no smith in Israel.
Verse 1

Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
A. M. 2911. B.C. 1093. An. Ex. Is. 398
reigned one year
Heb. the son of one year in his reigning. This verse is variously interpreted; but probably it only means, according to the Hebrew idiom, that, during the first year nothing remarkable occurred; but after two years, (or in the second year of his reign,) the subsequent events took place.
Exodus 12:5, Micah 6:6; *marg:
Verse 2

Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
chose
8:11, 14:52
Michmash
Michmash was situated east of Bethaven, or Bethel; and Eusebius says it was in his time a considerable place, about nine miles from Jerusalem, towards Rama.
5,23, 14:5,31, Isaiah 10:28
in Gibeah
10:26, 15:34, Joshua 18:28, Judges 19:12, 2 Samuel 21:6, Isaiah 10:29
Verse 3

And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
the garrison
10:5, 14:1-6, 2 Samuel 23:14
Geba
or, the hill.
Joshua 18:24
Gaba
Joshua 21:17, Isaiah 10:29, Zechariah 14:10
blew
Judges 3:27, 6:34, 2 Samuel 2:28, 20:1
Verse 4

And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
was had in abomination
Heb. did stink.
Genesis 34:30, 46:34, Exodus 5:21, Zechariah 11:8
to Gilgal
10:8, 11:14,15, Joshua 5:9
Verse 5

And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
thirty thousand chariots
The Philistines had no doubt collected troops in this emergency, from all the surrounding nation; but the number of chariots is immensely large beyond any example, and wholly disproportioned to the number of their cavalry. It is probable, therefore, that for sheloshim aileph, "thirty thousand," we should read shelosh aileph, "three thousand," with the Syriac and Arabic.
as the sand
Genesis 22:17, Joshua 11:4, Judges 7:12, 2 Chronicles 1:9, Isaiah 48:19, Jeremiah 15:8, Romans 9:27
Beth-aven
14:23, Joshua 7:2, 18:12, Hosea 4:15, 5:8, 10:5
Verse 6

When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
in a strait
Exodus 14:10-12, Joshua 8:20, Judges 10:9, 20:41, 2 Samuel 24:14, Philippians 1:23
in caves
14:11, 23:19, 24:3, Judges 6:2, Isaiah 42:22, Hebrews 11:38
Verse 7

And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
the Hebrews
Leviticus 26:17,36,37, Deuteronomy 28:25
Gad
Numbers 32:1-5,33-42, Deuteronomy 3:12, Joshua 13:24-31
followed him trembling
Heb. trembled after him.
Deuteronomy 20:8, Judges 7:3, Hosea 11:10,11
Verse 8

And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
tarried
10:8
Verse 9

And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
he offered
12,13, 14:18, 15:21,22, Deuteronomy 12:6, 1 Kings 3:4, Psalms 37:7, Proverbs 15:8, Proverbs 20:22, 21:3,27, Isaiah 66:3
Verse 10

And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
Saul
15:13
salute him
Heb. bless him.
15:13, Ruth 2:4, Psalms 129:8
Verse 11

And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
What hast
Genesis 3:13, 4:10, Joshua 7:19, 2 Samuel 3:24, 2 Kings 5:25
Michmash
2,5,16,23, 14:5, Isaiah 10:28
Verse 12

Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
said I
1 Kings 12:26,27
made supplication unto
Heb. intreated the face of, etc. I forced.
21:7, Psalms 66:3, Amos 8:5, 2 Corinthians 9:7
Verse 13

And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
Thou hast done
2 Samuel 12:7-9, 1 Kings 18:18, 21:20, 2 Chronicles 16:9, 19:2, 25:15,16, Job 34:18, Proverbs 19:3, Matthew 14:3,4
hast not kept
15:11,22,28, Psalms 50:8-15
Verse 14

But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
But now
2:30, 15:28
the Lord
16:1,12, 2 Samuel 7:15,16, Psalms 78:70, 89:19,20-37, Acts 13:22
captain over
9:16, 2 Samuel 5:2, 2 Kings 20:5, Hebrews 2:10
Verse 15

And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.
Samuel
The LXX. have, "Samuel arose and went away from Gilgal, and the remainder of the people went up along with the men of war after Samuel from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin." This is probably the true reading; for it does not appear that Samuel went to Gibeah, which was Saul's usual residence; and the Hebrew copyist, as Dr. Wall observes, seems to have missed a line, and added to the sentence concerning Samuel, that which ended the sentence concerning Saul. One MS. instead of Samuel, in the beginning of the sentence, reads Saul.
present
Heb. found. about six.
2,6,7, 14:2
Verse 16

And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
Gibeah
Heb. Gebah.
Verse 17

And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:
in three companies
11:11
Ophrah
Joshua 18:23
Shual
Joshua 19:3
Verse 18

And another company turned the way to Bethhoron: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
Beth-horon
Joshua 10:11, 16:3,5, 18:13,14, 1 Chronicles 6:68, 2 Chronicles 8:5
Zeboim
Genesis 14:2, Nehemiah 11:34, Hosea 11:8
Verse 19

Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
there was no
It is probable that the Philistines in the former wars had carried away all the smiths from Israel.
Judges 5:8, 2 Kings 24:14, Isaiah 54:16, Jeremiah 24:1
Verse 21

Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
a file
Heb. a file with mouths. sharpen. Heb. set.
Verse 22

So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
there was neither
17:47,50, Judges 5:8, Zechariah 4:6, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, 2 Corinthians 4:7
Verse 23

And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
garrison
or, standing camp.
3, 14:4
passage
2,5, 14:1,4,5, Isaiah 10:28

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