1 Samuel 13:17-23

The Battle Pitched. 1 Samuel 13:17-23

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:

18 And another company turned the way to Beth-horon: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

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:

20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
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.
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.

23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

13.

Where was Beth-horon? 1 Samuel 13:18

Two towns bear the name of Beth-horon. One is known as the upper, and the other nether (Joshua 16:3; Joshua 16:5; 1 Chronicles 7:24; 2 Chronicles 8:5). They lie off the road from Gibeon to Azekah (Joshua 10:10-11) on the way to the Philistine plain. These locations lay on the boundary lines between Benjamin and Ephraim (Joshua 16:3; Joshua 16:5; Joshua 18:13-14). They were assigned to Ephraim and given to the Kohathites as Levitical cities (Joshua 21:22). Reference is made to an enlargement of these locations in later Israelite history (1 Chronicles 7:24). The building referred to was not the establishment, but the rebuilding and enlarging. Sherah was no doubt an heiress who had received these places as her inheritance. The road running between the two Beth-horons is one of the roughest and steepest in Palestine, but is still used as the road from the coast. In effect, the road is a key to the country. The Philistines naturally used this road as an access against Israel.

14.

What had become of the smiths? 1 Samuel 13:19

The Philistines had made it illegal for a blacksmith to practice his art. Many of them had no doubt been taken out of the country. Some may have been slain. The Philistines forced an Israelite to go down into their country to sharpen his plowshare and the coulter of his plow. Even his ax and his mattock had to be sharpened by the Philistine lords. The only tool left for the Israelite to use was a file. He could use this instrument to keep an edge on his mattocks, coulters, pitchforks, axes, and goads. When the edge was worn away, however, he had to depend upon his captors to repair his tools and implements. This kind of regulation would keep an Israelite from forging swords and spears.

15.

How were Saul's men armed? 1 Samuel 13:22

Only meager implements were in the possession of the Israelites. They could defend themselves only with such tools as were normally used in peaceful pursuits. Some of them probably had axes; others used goads and forks. Only Saul and Jonathan were equipped with normal weapons. These verses describe a people that are completely beaten. It explains why the loss of the Ark was such a catastrophe and indicates how low Israel had been brought by the Philistines. As a matter of fact, this period in Israel's history is known as the captivity of the land (Judges 18:30). This condition prevailed all the time until Saul began to win some decisive and permanent victories. The victories were not complete in the days of David, and it was left to him to be a man of war and firmly establish the Israelite kingdom in Palestine.