1 Samuel 13:1-23 - Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

1 Samuel 13:1. One year two years. The Seventy have not translated this verse. Something is wanting to fill up the sense; and it is supposed to be, that Saul was so many years of age when he began to reign over Israel, (probably about fifty) and when he had reigned two years, Saul chose three thousand guards, as was the case with other kings. These were disciplined for war, as well as to attend the king.

1 Samuel 13:5. Thirty thousand chariots. The Syriac and Arabic versions read three thousand, which is more than the number of chariots mentioned in the army of any other ancient kings. The Tyrians were in alliance with them.

1 Samuel 13:8. According to the set time. The Lord is perfect in keeping promise with man: but the carnal heart has not patience with providence. Aaron must make a calf before the forty days were quite expired. This was Saul's sin. Samuel will not come; and when he did come, Saul laid all the blame upon the people. The Lord saw that seven days were requisite for the trial and purification of Saul, and his army. Being unarmed, except the guards, deliverance must now be expected from the Lord alone.

1 Samuel 13:14. A man after God's own heart. David's heart was perfect with the Lord, in the encouragement and preservation of the true religion. His moral errors were temporary, and he rose above them with all the becoming fruits of repentance. What is one dark shade, compared with a whole life of brilliant virtues. Fallen men should be encouraged to rise again.

REFLECTIONS.

The Philistines, though defeated by the Lord's thunder in Mizpeh, had not relinquished their claims of sovereignty over Israel; nor had they paid much regard to the anointing of Saul. Their ancient garrison in strong places they still retained; and on the western border of the land they had taken away all the smiths, and disarmed the people. Samuel, meanwhile, seems to have retired to his private duties of prophet and judge, or rather to have enjoyed the retreat of age, seeing a king was now on the throne. Israel was thus circumstanced when Jonathan, by his father's command, gave the first and very illustrious stroke towards the emancipation of his country, by smiting the Philistian garrison in the hill of Geba. This was the signal for the renewal of war. It provoked the enemy to invade the land with all his strength. The people trembled, and fled in all directions. But Saul was commanded to go to Gilgal, and wait the set time of seven days. Here was the trial of his faith: here was the test of his obedience. God saw that this precise period was necessary for the assembling of the army, and for their purification. But here, as in the desert, the patience of Saul and of the people completely failed. The seventh morning arrived; but Samuel was not come. And what then? The day was not expired; it was not yet the time of evening sacrifice. Yes, but unbelief suggested that Samuel would not come; that God's word was not to be trusted, and that the enemy would come and cut them in pieces. So Saul, disbelieving God by his prophet, sacrificed to him on his altar. But scarcely had the untimely altar smoked, before the prophet appeared. The sin of Saul was consequently greater than it appears on the first reading of his case. It was a full act of distrust and unbelief. Learn then, oh my soul, to fear the Lord in all things. Learn fidelity to his word; for the want of fidelity will provoke him to anger, and deprive thee of confidence in his mercy and protection. And did this glaring act of unbelief and impatience, connected with Saul's other sins, forfeit the kingdom to him and his heirs? Then let the christian church be sanctified by the thought. Every covenant, as we have seen in the case of Eli, 1 Samuel 2:30, has its conditions, and every promise has its correspondent obedience implied. That Saul, and his fainting company, while in Gilgal, were placed in a very trying situation, is admitted. But men, when so tried, must never relinquish their confidence. Promises of divine support are the anchor-hold of the soul; and if the anchor go in the day of tempest, without a miracle of mercy, shipwreck must be the consequence.

Related Commentaries of 1 Samuel 13:1

1 Samuel 13:1-23

1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

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.

3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba,a and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

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.

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.

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.

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 followedb him trembling.

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.

9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.

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 salutec him.

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;

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.

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.

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.

15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were presentd with him, about six hundred men.

16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were presente with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

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 Bethhoron: 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 filef 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 garrisong of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.