CHAPTER XIII _Saul chooses a body of troops_, 1, 2. _Jonathan smites a garrison of the Philistines_, 3, 4. _The Philistines gather together an immense host against Israel_, 5. _The Israelites are afraid; and some hide themselves in caves,_ _and others flee over Jordan_, 6, 7. _Samuel delaying... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:2. _TWO THOUSAND WERE WITH SAUL_] Saul, no doubt, meditated the redemption of his country from the Philistines; and having chosen three thousand men, he thought best to divide them into companies, and send one against the Philistine garrison at _Michmash_, another against that at _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:3. _JONATHAN SMOTE_] He appears to have taken this garrison by surprise, for his men had no arms for a regular battle, or taking the place by storm. This is the first place in which this brave and excellent man appears; a man who bears one of the most amiable characters in the Bibl... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:4. _THE PEOPLE WERE CALLED TOGETHER_] The smiting of this garrison was the commencement of a war, and in effect the shaking off of the Philistine yoke; and now the people found that they must stand together, and fight for their lives.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:5. _THIRTY THOUSAND CHARIOTS, AND SIX THOUSAND HORSEMEN_] There is no proportion here between the _chariots_ and the _cavalry_. The largest armies ever brought into the field, even by mighty emperors, never were furnished with _thirty thousand_ chariots. I think שלשים _sheloshim_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:6. _THE PEOPLE DID HIDE THEMSELVES_] They, being few in number, and totally unarmed as to _swords_ and _spears_, were terrified at the very numerous and well-appointed army of the Philistines. Judea was full of _rocks, caves, thickets_, c., where people might shelter themselves fro... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:8. _HE TARRIED SEVEN DAYS ACCORDING TO THE SET TIME_] Samuel in the beginning had told Saul to wait _seven days_, and he would come to him, and _show him what to do_, 1 Samuel 10:8. What is here said cannot be understood of that appointment, but of a different one. Samuel had at t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:9. _AND HE OFFERED THE BURNT-OFFERING._] This was most perfectly unconstitutional; he had no authority to offer, or cause to be offered, any of the Lord's sacrifices.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:10. _BEHOLD, SAMUEL CAME_] Samuel was punctual to his appointment; one hour longer of delay would have prevented every evil, and by it no good would have been lost. How often are the effects of _precipitation_ fatal!... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:11. _AND SAUL SAID_] Here he offers _three_ excuses for his conduct: 1. The people were fast leaving his standard. 2. Samuel did not come _at the time_, למועד lemoed; at the very _commencement_ of the time he did not come, but _within_ that time he did come. 3. The Philistines w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:12. _I FORCED MYSELF_] It was with great reluctance that I did what I did. In all this Saul was sincere, but ha was rash, and regardless of the _precept of the Lord_, which precept or command he most evidently had received, 1 Samuel 13:13. And one part of this precept was, that the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:14. _THE LORD HATH SOUGHT HIM A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART_] That this man was _David_ is sufficiently clear from the sequel. But in what sense was he _a man after God's own heart_? Answer: 1. In his strict attention to the law and worship of God. 2. In his admitting, in the whole o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:15. _AND SAMUEL AROSE_] Though David, in the Divine purpose, is appointed to be _captain over the people_, yet Saul is not to be removed from the government during his life; Samuel therefore accompanies him to Gibeah, to give him the requisite help in this conjuncture. _ABOUT SIX... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:17. _THE SPOILERS CAME OUT_] The Philistines, finding that the Israelites durst not hazard a battle, divided their army into three bands, and sent them in three different directions to pillage and destroy the country. Jonathan profited by this circumstance, and attacked the remains... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:19. _NOW THERE WAS NO SMITH FOUND_] It is very likely that in the former wars the Philistines carried away all the smiths from Israel, as Porsenna did in the peace which he granted to the Romans, not permitting any iron to be forged except for the purposes of agriculture: "Ne ferro... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:20. _BUT ALL THE ISRAELITES WENT DOWN TO THE PHILISTINES_] We find from this that they did not grant them as much as Porsenna did to the Romans; he permitted the people to manufacture the implements of _husbandry_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:21. _YET THEY HAD A FILE_] The Hebrew פצירה _petsirah_, from פצר _patsar_, to _rub hard_, is translated very differently by the versions and by critics. Our translation may be as likely as any: they permitted them the use of _files_, (I believe the word means _grindstone_), to rest... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Samuel 13:22. _IN THE DAY OF BATTLE - THESE WAS NEITHER SWORD NOR_ _SPEAR_] But if the Israelites enjoyed such profound peace and undisturbed dominion under Samuel, how is it that they were totally destitute of _arms_, a state which argues the lowest circumstances of oppression and vassalag... [ Continue Reading ]