1 Samuel 13:12
in 1 Samuel 13I 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
therefore said I, Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of Jehovah: I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt-offering.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 13
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings--Saul, though patriotic enough in his own way, was more ambitious of gaining the glory of a triumph to himself than ascribing it to God.
This site's exposition
Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived
on 1 Samuel 13:10-12
Samuel arrives just as the offering ends, so the text measures the wait Saul could not finish. Saul's answer stacks three complaints before he names his act: the troops deserting, Samuel's lateness, and the Philistines gathering at Michmash. His own words, "I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering," are those of a man who knew the act was not his to perform.
This site's exposition
I have not sought the favor of the LORD
John Wesley took the phrase as a word for supplication, and drew from it that sacrifice went with solemn prayer. Samuel had done the same before the battle at Mizpah, offering a lamb and crying out to the LORD at 7:9. Saul copied the act without the prophet.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
A commentator
Apostolic ConstitutionsCONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 8.5.46 · Written before 380.
proposed
Now this we all in common do charge you, that every one remain in that rank which is appointed him, and do not transgress his proper bounds; for they are not ours but God's.… And those things which are allotted for the high priests to do, those might not be meddled with by the priests; and what things were allotted to the priests, the Levites might not meddle with; but every one observed those ministrations which were written down and appointed for them. And if any would meddle beyond the tradition, death was his punishment. And Saul's example does show this most plainly, who, thinking he might offer sacrifice without the prophet and high priest Samuel, drew upon himself a sin and a curse without remedy. Nor did even his having anointed him king discourage the prophet.
Saul also was dishonored because he did not wait for Samuel the high priest. It behooves you, therefore, also to reverence your superiors.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 86.3 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
And mark it, he [the devil] desired to bring Saul into [the] superstition of witchcraft. But if he had counseled this at the beginning, the other would not have given heed; for how should he, who was even driving them out? Therefore gently and by little and little he leads him on to it. For when he had disobeyed Samuel and had caused the burnt offering to be offered, when he was not present, being blamed for it, he says, "The compulsion from the enemy was too great," and when he ought to have bewailed, he felt as though he had done nothing.Again God gave him the commands about the Amalekites, but he transgressed these too. Then he proceeded to his crimes about David, and thus slipping easily and little by little he did not stop, until he came to the very pit of destruction and cast himself in.
The Medieval Church2 voices
I said: Now the Philistines will come down upon me to Gilgal, etc. The Pharisees and scribes, fearing that they might be either submerged by demons or in the mire of vices, or rendered useless in the revelation of the given law, began to have …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistCommentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 3 · Written before 604.
proposed
17. Behold, he who is accused of the recklessness of a great transgression is not afraid to assert great reasons of justice. "I saw," he says, "that the people were slipping away from me." Here he asserts that he was abandoned by the people. "Furthermore, you had not come within the appointed days." Here he shows himself cheated of the prophet's promise. "Furthermore, the Philistines had gathered at Michmash." Here he likewise brings up the imminent danger of battle. Therefore, drawing a conclusion from his own action, he says: "Compelled by necessity, I offered the burnt offering."
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Supplication - Thence it appears, that sacrifices were accompanied with solemn prayers.
He charges him with being an enemy to himself and his interest-- Thou hast done foolishly, and a rebel to God and his government--" Thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, that commandment wherewith he intended to try thy obedience." Note, Those that disobey the commandments of God do foolishly for themselves. Sin is folly, and sinners are the greatest fools.
Therefore said I.....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
I forced myself - It was with great reluctance that I did what I did. In all this Saul was sincere, but he was rash, and regardless of the precept of the Lord, which precept or command he most evidently had received, 1Sa 13:13. And one part of this precept was, that the Lord should tell him what he should do. Without this information, in an affair under the immediate cognizance of God, he should have taken no step.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
So I forced myself. I overcame my will, for my heart told me to wait for you, and against my will I suppressed my heart, and offered the burnt-offering. 8 Shaul realized that it was not proper for him to offer the sacrifice.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
What have you done? Did I not say to you, "I will go down to you to offer the burnt-offering?" I will offer it up, and not you.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וָאֹמַ֗ר | vaomar | and I said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| עַ֠תָּה | ʾatah | now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| יֵרְד֨וּ | yeredu | they will come down | H3381 → | 381 times |
| פְלִשְׁתִּ֤ים | felishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| אֵלַי֙ | ʾelai | against me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל | hagilgal | <the> Gilgal | H1537 → | 41 times |
| וּפְנֵ֥י | ufenei | and [the] face of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| חִלִּ֑יתִי | chiliti | I have entreated | H2470 → | 76 times |
| וָֽאֶתְאַפַּ֔ק | vaetapak | and I forced myself | H662 → | |
| וָאַעֲלֶ֖ה | vaaaleh | and I offered up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| הָעֹלָֽה׃ ס | haolah | the burnt offering | H5930 → | 287 times |
וָאֹמַ֗רand I said
vaomarH559 →5305 times
עַ֠תָּהnow
ʾatahH6258 →433 times
יֵרְד֨וּthey will come down
yereduH3381 →381 times
פְלִשְׁתִּ֤ים[the] Philistines
felishtimH6430 →287 times
אֵלַי֙against me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל<the> Gilgal
hagilgalH1537 →41 times
וּפְנֵ֥יand [the] face of
ufeneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
חִלִּ֑יתִיI have entreated
chilitiH2470 →76 times
וָֽאֶתְאַפַּ֔קand I forced myself
vaetapakH662 →
וָאַעֲלֶ֖הand I offered up
vaaalehH5927 →890 times
הָעֹלָֽה׃ סthe burnt offering
haolahH5930 →287 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 9:7Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 8:12
For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
- Acts 20:35
In everything, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus Himself: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
- 1 Chronicles 29:17
I know, my God, that You test the heart and delight in uprightness. All these things I have given willingly and with an upright heart, and now I have seen Your people who are…
- Proverbs 11:25
A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
- Exodus 25:2
“Tell the Israelites to bring Me an offering. You are to receive My offering from every man whose heart compels him.
- 2 Corinthians 8:12
Through
Psalms 66:3Say to God, “How awesome are Your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies cower before You.
it leads to
- Psalms 18:44
When they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cower before me.
- Psalms 65:5
With awesome deeds of righteousness You answer us, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.
- Psalms 18:44
Through
Amos 8:5asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us…
it leads to
- Nehemiah 13:15–21
In those days I saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, along with wine, grapes, and figs. All kinds of goods were being…
- Nehemiah 13:15–21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Apostolic Constitutions, CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 8.5.46; Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 86.3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Pseudo-Ignatius, LETTER TO THE MAGNESIANS 3.