INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 13 This chapter relates how Saul disposed of his army, 1 Samuel 13:1 that Jonathan his son smote a garrison of Philistines, which provoked them to come out with a large army against them, to the great terror of the Israelites, many of whom fled to secret places, and to... [ Continue Reading ]
SAUL REIGNED ONE YEAR,.... "Or the son of a year in his reigning" s; various are the senses given of these words: some interpret them, Saul had a son of a year old when he began to reign, Ishbosheth, and who was forty years of age when his father died, 2 Samuel 2:10, others, who understand the words... [ Continue Reading ]
SAUL CHOSE HIM THREE THOUSAND MEN OF ISRAEL,.... Out of the 300,000 that went with him to fight the Ammonites, and returned with him to Gilgal, where he now was, and had stayed as may be supposed about a year, since now he had reigned two years. These 3000 men some of them doubtless were appointed a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JONATHAN SMOTE THE GARRISON OF THE PHILISTINES THAT WAS IN GEBA,.... Not the same with Gibeah of Benjamin, as Jarchi; for it can hardly be thought that Jonathan should place himself with his thousand men where the Philistines had a garrison; or that if this was the same with that in the precedin... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL ISRAEL HEARD SAY THAT SAUL HAD SMITTEN A GARRISON OF THE PHILISTINES,.... For though it was smitten by Jonathan, yet it was by the order of Saul, and so ascribed to him; it seems to be a concerted thing to fall upon the garrisons of the Philistines, and get them out of their hands, and so de... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PHILISTINES GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER TO FIGHT WITH ISRAEL,.... To prevent their further encroachments on them, and designs against them; for they perceived they intended to cast off their yoke, and free themselves entirely from them: THIRTY THOUSAND CHARIOTS, AND SIX THOUSAND HORSEMEN;... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THE MEN OF ISRAEL SAW THEY WERE IN A STRAIT, FOR THE PEOPLE WERE DISTRESSED,.... By reason of the vast army that the Philistines brought into the field, greatly superior to theirs, and were likely to be encompassed by them on every side; so that nothing but destruction was expected, which gave... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SOME OF THE HEBREWS WENT OVER JORDAN TO THE LAND OF GAD AND GILEAD,.... As far off as they could from the Philistines, who lay on the west of the land of Israel, and these countries were to the east. Kimchi observes, that the land of Reuben is not mentioned, which was on the other side Jordan al... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TARRIED SEVEN DAYS, ACCORDING TO THE SET TIME THAT SAMUEL HAD APPOINTED,.... He tarried to the seventh day, but not to the end of it, or towards the close of it, as he should have done: BUT SAMUEL CAME NOT TO GILGAL; so soon as Saul expected: AND THE PEOPLE WERE SCATTERED FROM HIM; many des... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL SAID,.... Being impatient, and seeing the people deserting him apace, and unwilling to engage in a battle without first sacrificing to God, and imploring his help and assistance: BRING HITHER A BURNT OFFERING TO ME; that is, a creature for a burnt offering, a bullock, sheep, goat, or lamb:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT AS SOON AS HE HAD MADE AN END OF OFFERING THE BURN OFFERING,.... And before he could offer the peace offerings: BEHOLD, SAMUEL CAME; and it was told Saul that he was come: AND SAUL WENT OUT TO MEET HIM; left off sacrificing, and would proceed no further, leaving the rest... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAMUEL SAID, WHAT HAST THOU DONE? This question he put to bring him to a confession of what he had done, otherwise he guessed at it by his countenance; or rather, by the prophetic spirit he was endowed with, he knew it certainly that he had offered the sacrifices without waiting for him: AND SA... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE SAID I..... That is, within himself: THE PHILISTINES WILL COME DOWN NOW UPON ME TO GILGAL; on a sudden, unprepared for them, especially in a religious way: AND I HAVE NOT MADE SUPPLICATION TO THE LORD; for his direction and assistance, and for success in the war; which it seems went alon... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAMUEL SAID TO SAUL, THOU HAST DONE FOOLISHLY,.... Not by intruding himself into the priest's office, with that he is not charged, but not waiting the full time till Samuel came; which showed his impatience, disregard to Samuel, and distrust of God; and though he thought he had acted wisely, and... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NOW THY KINGDOM SHALL NOT CONTINUE,.... That is, in his family, nor in his tribe, but be removed to another: THE LORD HATH SOUGHT HIM A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART: who was David; though as yet Samuel knew him not, he knew by divine revelation that there was another one chosen, to whom the kingdom... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAMUEL AROSE,.... Seemingly in wrath and displeasure, not staying to offer up the peace offerings which remained; and though no mention is made of Saul's going with him, yet it seems as if he did, or at least quickly followed him, as appears from the next verse: AND GOT HIM UP FROM GILGAL UNTO... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAUL, AND JONATHAN HIS SON,.... Who were now joined to their men, on Saul's coming to Gibeah: AND THE PEOPLE THAT WERE PRESENT WITH THEM; the six hundred men before numbered: abode in Gibeah of Benjamin; being perhaps a strong fortified place, not choosing to go forth to meet the army of the Ph... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SPOILERS CAME OUT OF THE CAMP OF THE PHILISTINES IN THREE COMPANIES,.... Saul not daring to come out to fight them, and there being none throughout the land to oppose them, they sent out three companies of soldiers to ravage and spoil the country; of so little use and service was a king to I... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ANOTHER COMPANY TURNED THE WAY TO BETHHORON,.... Of which name there were two cities, the upper and nether, and both in the tribe of Ephraim, of which see Joshua 16:3 this lay northwest from the camp of the Philistines at Michmash; eight miles from it, according to Bunting d: AND ANOTHER COMPAN... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THERE WAS NO SMITH FOUND THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND OF ISRAEL,.... The Philistines, when they ruled over them, having removed them into their own country, and forbid any to learn or exercise that trade in Israel: FOR THE PHILISTINES SAID, LEST THE HEBREWS MAKE SWORDS OR SPEARS: this they did to pr... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT ALL THE ISRAELITES WENT DOWN TO THE PHILISTINES,.... Were obliged to go into Palestine, into some one or other of the cities of the Philistines, or to their garrisons, where the trade of a smith was exercised: TO SHARPEN EVERY MAN HIS SHARE, AND HIS COULTER; which are the parts of the plough ma... [ Continue Reading ]
YET THEY HAD A FILE FOR THE MATTOCKS, AND FOR THE COULTERS, AND FOR THE FORKS, AND FOR THE AXES,.... Those that would not go to the Philistines, or were not able, or thought it too much trouble, these kept files by them to sharpen those several instruments with upon occasion; though the words are by... [ Continue Reading ]
SO IT CAME TO PASS IN THE DAY OF BATTLE,.... When that drew near, and they were called to it, and obliged to fight or flee, or surrender: THAT THERE WERE NEITHER SWORD NOR SPEAR FOUND IN THE HAND OF ANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE WITH SAUL AND JONATHAN: which was not owing to their leaving them behind... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE GARRISON OF THE PHILISTINES WENT OUT TO THE PASSAGE OF MICHMASH. According to Jarchi, these two places, Michmash where the Philistines were, and Gibeah where Saul and Jonathan were, lay on two hills over against each other, and there was a valley between them; and the garrison of the Philist... [ Continue Reading ]