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1 Samuel 13:19

in 1 Samuel 13

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.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:

KJV

Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:

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This verse in 1 Samuel 13

Commentary

8 notes on this verse

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

They put down all the smiths' shops, transplanted the smiths into their own country, and forbade any Israelite, under severe penalties, to exercise the trade or mystery of working in brass or iron, though they had rich mines of both ( Deut. viii. 9 ) in such plenty that it was said of Asher, his shoes shall be iron and brass, Deut. xxxiii.

This site's exposition

no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel

on 1 Samuel 13:19-21

The Philistine fear is stated as policy, "The Hebrews must not be allowed to make swords or spears," and the older commentators read it as a deliberate embargo. Every plowshare, mattock and axe had to go down to a Philistine smith to be sharpened, at a price verse 21 records. The same disarmed nation stands behind Jonathan’s exploit in chapter 14 and David’s answer to Goliath.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Sulpicius Severus

SACRED HISTORY 1.33 · Written before 425.

proposed

For, as a result of the king's sin [Saul's offering of the sacrifice], fear had pervaded the whole army. The camp of the enemy, which was lying at no great distance, showed them how real the danger was, and no one had the courage to …

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bede

Commentary on Samuel · Written before 735.

proposed

Moreover, a blacksmith was not to be found, etc. It is indeed clear what chiefly provides the enemy the space to ravage the land of promise, that is, the virtues of the Church: namely, if it lacks a teacher and the maker of spiritual arms, …

A commentator

Gregory the Dialogist

Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 3 · Written before 604.

proposed

30. All these things are indeed described so that the manner of the victory that followed might be made clear. For armed men were conquered by the unarmed, so that everything that is overcome might be attributed to the praises of Almighty God. But if we pursue these things spiritually in our customary manner, we will not find them devoid of mysteries. What then does it mean when it says: "No blacksmith was found in Israel," except that for spiritual battles we are instructed not through secular letters but through divine ones?

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel,....

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

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, nisi in agricultura, uterentur.” The Chaldeans did the same to the Jews in the time of Nebuchadnezzar; they carried away all the artificers, 2Ki 24:14; Jer 24:1; Jer 29:2. And in the same manner did Cyrus treat the Lydians, Herod. lib. i., c. 145. See several examples in Calmet.
1 more voice on this verse

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

There was no smith - This was the result of the fierce inroads described in the preceding verses, and the method adopted to make the Philistine conquests permanent.

The words behind it

15 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וְחָרָשׁ֙and a craftsman

    vecharashH2796 →

  • לֹ֣אnot

    lo'H3808 →5168 times

  • יִמָּצֵ֔אhe was found

    yimatze'H4672 →455 times

  • בְּכֹ֖לin all

    bekholH3605 →5413 times

  • אֶ֣רֶץ[the] land of

    ʾeretzH776 →2504 times

  • יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael

    yisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • כִּֽי־for

    ki-H3588 →4482 times

  • אָמְר֣וּthey said

    ʾamarH559 →5305 times

  • פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים[the] Philistines

    felishtimH6430 →287 times

  • פֶּ֚ןlest

    penH6435 →133 times

  • יַעֲשׂ֣וּthey should make

    yaasuH6213 →2628 times

  • הָעִבְרִ֔יםthe Hebrews

    haivrimH5680 →34 times

  • חֶ֖רֶבa sword

    cherevH2719 →413 times

  • א֥וֹor

    ʾoH176 →321 times

  • חֲנִֽית׃a spear

    chanitH2595 →47 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

8 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

2 Kings 24:14He carried into exile all Jerusalem—all the commanders and mighty men of valor, all the craftsmen and metalsmiths—ten thousand captives in all. Only the poorest people of the land remained.5 worksJudges 5:8When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel.4 worksJeremiah 24:1After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, as well as the officials of Judah and the craftsmen and metalsmiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD.4 worksIsaiah 54:16Behold, I have created the craftsman who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its task; and I have created the destroyer to wreak havoc.2 worksPsalms 129:1Many a time they have persecuted me from my youth— let Israel now declare—2 worksPsalms 73:8They mock and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression.2 works
The other 2 cross-references, with their words ▾
Psalms 83:3With cunning they scheme against Your people and conspire against those You cherish,2 worksPsalms 106:43Many times He rescued them, but they were bent on rebellion and sank down in their iniquity.1 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Isaiah 54:16

    Behold, I have created the craftsman who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its task; and I have created the destroyer to wreak havoc.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 16:4

      The LORD has made everything for His purpose—even the wicked for the day of disaster.

    • Exodus 9:16

      But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power to you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

  • Through

    2 Kings 24:14

    He carried into exile all Jerusalem—all the commanders and mighty men of valor, all the craftsmen and metalsmiths—ten thousand captives in all. Only the poorest people of the land remained.

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 52:28

      These are the people Nebuchadnezzar carried away: in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;

    • 2 Kings 25:12

      But the captain of the guard left behind some of the poorest of the land to tend the vineyards and fields.

    • 2 Kings 24:16

      The king of Babylon also brought into exile to Babylon all seven thousand men of valor and a thousand craftsmen and metalsmiths—all strong and fit for battle.

  • Through

    Jeremiah 24:1

    After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, as well as the officials of Judah and the craftsmen and metalsmiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to…

    it leads to

    • Jeremiah 29:2

      (This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had been exiled from Jerusalem.)

    • 2 Chronicles 36:10

      In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned Jehoiachin and brought him to Babylon, along with the articles of value from the house of the LORD. And he made Jehoiachin’s relative Zedekiah king over Judah and…

  • Through

    Judges 5:8

    When they chose new gods, then war came to their gates. Not a shield or spear was found among forty thousand in Israel.

    it leads to

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Samuel

Anointing of David by Samuel, Félix-Joseph Barrias, 1842, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris. Public domain.
Anointing of David by Samuel, Félix-Joseph Barrias, 1842, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris. Public domain.
1 Samuel: the study guide →Read 1 Samuel 13 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Gregory the Dialogist, Commentary on 1 Kings, Book 5, Chapter 3; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Sulpicius Severus, SACRED HISTORY 1.33.

Read on in 1 Samuel 13 →