1 Samuel 13:1-7. Revolt of the Israelites under Saul from the Philistines 1. _Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel_ The Hebrew cannot be thus translated. It is the common formula for denoting the age of a king at his accession, and the length of his reign. See 2 Samue... [ Continue Reading ]
_Saul chose him three thousand men_ AND SAUL CHOSE, &C. The formation of a _standing army_marks an important epoch in the history of a nation. It was a natural result of the election of a king, who was to be a military leader. Cp. 1 Samuel 14:52. This body was only large enough to form a nucleus for... [ Continue Reading ]
_the garrison of the Philistines_ See note on 1 Samuel 10:5. _Saul blew the trumpet_ Heralds blowing trumpets to attract attention carried the news of Jonathan's daring exploit throughout the country to prepare the people for a speedy summons to fight for their liberty. Cp. Judges 3:27; Jdg 6:34; 2... [ Continue Reading ]
_heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison_ HEARD SAYING, SAUL HATH SMITTEN THE GARRISON OF THE PHILISTINES. The first blow in the war of independence was doubtless struck by Jonathan under Saul's direction. _was had in abomination_ The same word meaning literally, "to make one's self stink" occur... [ Continue Reading ]
_thirty thousand chariots_ This reading, though as old as the Sept., is certainly wrong. The number of chariots was always less than that of horsemen, and such an enormous force of chariots is not only quite unparalleled, but would be useless in the mountainous country. Possibly the numeral 30, expr... [ Continue Reading ]
_in a strait_ In distress and danger: as it were, hemmed in and unable to turn in any direction. _the people did hide themselves_ Cp. Judges 6:2. _in high places_ The word thus translated occurs elsewhere only in Judges 9:46; Judges 9:49 (E. V. hold), and is supposed to mean "a fortified tower," l... [ Continue Reading ]
some of the _Hebrews_ The soundness of the text is rendered doubtful by the peculiarity of the construction, and the use of the term "Hebrews" without apparent reason. The Sept., changing the vowels of the word _Hebrews_, renders, "And they who went over went over Jordan, &c.;" but this can hardly b... [ Continue Reading ]
Saul's disobedience and its penalty 8. _the set time that Samuel had appointed_ It seems clear that the historian intends to refer to Samuel's injunction in 1 Samuel 10:8, although in all probability the interview there recorded had taken place many years before. But the command may have been repea... [ Continue Reading ]
_Bring hither a burnt offering_, &c. "Bring hither to me THE burnt-offering and THE peace-offerings," which were ready, awaiting Samuel's arrival. _he offered the burnt offering_ The same phrase is used of David (2 Samuel 24:25), and Solomon (1 Kings 3:4), and probably does not mean that they actua... [ Continue Reading ]
_Samuel came_ Perhaps before Saul had had time to offer the peace-offerings.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Because I saw_, &c. The situation was critical in the extreme. Saul's army was hourly melting away. Scarcely ten miles distant was the Philistine host, ready to pour down and crush him. How could he take the field without entreating God's favour? Was not this sufficient excuse for his conduct?... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou hast done foolishly_ Saul's sin seems excusable and scarcely deserving of so heavy a punishment. But it involved the whole principle of the subordination of the theocratic king to the Will of Jehovah as expressed by His prophets. On the one hand it shewed a distrust of God, as though God after... [ Continue Reading ]
_a man after his own heart_ Quoted by St Paul in his discourse at Antioch (Acts 13:22). Cp. Psalms 89:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Philistine invasion 15. _And Samuel arose_ The Sept. has a fuller text, which gives the connexion more clearly thus; "And Samuel arose and departed from Gilgal. And the remnant of the people went up after Saul to join the men of war [or, to the battle after the men of war]: and when they were c... [ Continue Reading ]
_in Gibeah of Benjamin_ Heb. IN GEBA OF BENJAMIN. The positions of 1 Samuel 13:2 are now reversed, the Philistines occupying Michmash on the northern side of the valley, Saul and Jonathan holding Geba on the southern side.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the spoilers came out_ Lit. THE DESTROYER, the part of the army sent out to harry the country. (_a_) One band of marauders turned northwards to _Ophrah_, A city of Benjamin (Joshua 18:23), conjecturally placed by Robinson at _et Taiyibeh_, 4 miles N. E. of Bethel, in the land of _Shual_(jackal) pos... [ Continue Reading ]
The disarmament of the Israelites 19. _Now there was no smith found_, &c. A signal proof of the severity of the Philistine oppression, and the difficulties against which Saul had to contend. This general disarmament clearly points to the lasting subjugation of a large district in the later years of... [ Continue Reading ]
_to sharpen_ The word signifies "to sharpen _by forging_." _his share_, &c. The agricultural implements mentioned cannot be identified with any certainty. The words rendered "share" and "mattock" are derived from the same root meaning _to cut_, and are almost identical in form. That rendered "coult... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yet they had a file_ So the Targum and some Rabbinic commentators. If the rendering is correct, the meaning will be that for the ordinary sharpening of tools they had files, but for any forging work they had to go to the Philistines. But the best rendering appears to be either, "WHEN THE EDGES, &C.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the passage of Michmash_ By "the passage of Michmash," mentioned also In the description of Sennacherib's march upon Jerusalem in Isaiah 10:29, is meant the deep ravine now known as the _Wady es-Suweinit_(1 Samuel 13:2, note). The Philistines threw out an advanced post from their main camp to one o... [ Continue Reading ]