1 Samuelchapter 13

A.Jonathan strikes Geba; the people hide in caves and pitsvv. 1-7

1 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years. 2 He chose for himself three thousand men of Israel: Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the troops he sent away, each to his own home. 3 Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 And all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines!” Then the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal. 5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven. 6 Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul, however, remained at Gilgal, and all his troops were quaking in fear.

B.Saul offers what was not his; the kingdom shall not continuevv. 8-15

8 And Saul waited seven days for the time appointed by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the troops began to desert Saul. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 11 “What have you done?” Samuel asked. And Saul replied, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me, and that you did not come at the appointed time and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash, 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” 13 “You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.” 15 Then Samuel set out from Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin. And Saul numbered the troops who were with him, about six hundred men.

C.No smith in Israel — the Philistine hold on ironvv. 16-23

16 Now Saul and Jonathan his son and the troops with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash. 17 And raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three divisions. One headed toward Ophrah in the land of Shual, 18 another toward Beth-horon, and the third down the border road overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the wilderness. 19 And no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews must not be allowed to make swords or spears.” 20 Instead, all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles. 21 The charge was a pim for sharpening a plowshare or mattock, a third of a shekel for sharpening a pitchfork or an axe, and a third of a shekel for repointing an oxgoad. 22 So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hands of the troops with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons. 23 And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Jonathan smites the Philistine garrison at Geba, and Israel becomes an abomination to the Philistines, who muster chariots and horsemen and people as the sand on the sea shore.

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Jonathan smites the Philistine garrison at Geba, and Israel becomes an abomination to the Philistines, who muster chariots and horsemen and people as the sand on the sea shore. Israel hides in caves, thickets, rocks, and pits. Waiting seven days at Gilgal and watching his army melt away, Saul offers the burnt-offering himself, and Samuel arrives as he finishes. Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment. Thy kingdom shall not continue: 'Jehovah hath sought him a man after his own heart' (13:14, quoted of David in Acts 13:22). An ominous note closes it: no smith was found in Israel, and only Saul and Jonathan carried sword or spear.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Samuel, Nathan, Gad — 1 Samuel overview

A. 1–7 Jonathan strikes Geba; the people hide in caves and pits
B. 8–15 Saul offers what was not his; the kingdom shall not continue
C. 16–23 No smith in Israel — the Philistine hold on iron

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

1 Samuel 146 verses
- 1 Samuel 14:1One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But Jonathan did not tell his father.
- 1 Samuel 14:2Meanwhile, Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. And the troops who were with him numbered about six hundred men,
- 1 Samuel 14:4Now there were cliffs on both sides of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh.
- 1 Samuel 14:15Then terror struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked and panic spread from God.
- 1 Samuel 14:23So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth-aven.
- 1 Samuel 14:31That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, the people were very faint.
- Read 1 Samuel 14 →
1 Samuel 135 verses
- 1 Samuel 13:2He chose for himself three thousand men of Israel: Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the troops he sent away, each to his own home.
- 1 Samuel 13:3Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
- 1 Samuel 13:5Now the Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
- 1 Samuel 13:6Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns.
- 1 Samuel 13:16Now Saul and Jonathan his son and the troops with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash.
- Read 1 Samuel 13 →
1 Samuel 153 verses
- 1 Samuel 15:13When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions.”
- 1 Samuel 15:22But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.
- 1 Samuel 15:28So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.
- Read 1 Samuel 15 →
1 Samuel 103 verses
- 1 Samuel 10:5After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres, and they will be prophesying.
- 1 Samuel 10:8And you shall go before me to Gilgal, and surely I will come to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Wait seven days until I come to you and show you what you are to do.”
- 1 Samuel 10:26Saul also went to his home in Gibeah, and the men of valor whose hearts God had touched went with him.
- Read 1 Samuel 10 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Joshua 183 verses
- Joshua 18:12On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
- Joshua 18:13From there the border crossed over to the southern slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth-addar on the hill south of Lower Beth-horon.
- Joshua 18:23Avvim, Parah, Ophrah,
- Read Joshua 18 →
Judges 62 verses
- Judges 6:2and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds.
- Judges 6:34So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, who blew the ram’s horn and rallied the Abiezrites behind him.
- Read Judges 6 →
1 Samuel 172 verses
- 1 Samuel 17:47And all those assembled here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give all of you into our hands.”
- 1 Samuel 17:50Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
- Read 1 Samuel 17 →
Judges 51 verse
- Judges 5:8When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel.
- Read Judges 5 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.