1 Samuel 13:11-21

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 assembled at Michmash;

12 Therefore said I, the Philistines will now come down upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to 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 went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people [that were] present with him, about six hundred men.

16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people [that were] present 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 to the way [that leadeth to] Ophrah, to the land of Shual:

18 And another company turned the way [to] Beth-horon: and another company turned [to] the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim towards 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 colter, and his ax, and his mattock.

21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the colters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.

1 Samuel 13:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 13

This chapter relates how Saul disposed of his army, 1Sa 13:1,2 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 distant parts, 1Sa 13:3-7, that Saul tarried at Gilgal waiting for Samuel, but he not coming so soon as expected, offered sacrifice himself, 1Sa 13:8-10 for which Samuel, when he came, reproved him, and told him the kingdom should not continue with him, but be given to another man, 1Sa 13:11-14 on which Saul departed to Gibeah, where he continued, the Philistines being encamped at Michmash, 1Sa 13:15,16 from whence went out spoilers, in three companies, into the land of Israel, where they met with no opposition; for there were no weapons in the hands of any but Saul and Jonathan, the Philistines having taken care that there should be no smith in the land of Israel to make them any, so that they were defenceless, 1Sa 13:17-23.