1 Samuele 13:6

6 Or gl’Israeliti, vedendosi ridotti a mal partito, perché il popolo era messo alle strette, si nascosero nelle caverne, nelle macchie, tra le rocce, nelle buche e nelle cisterne.

1 Samuele 13:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 13:6

When the men of Israel saw they were in a strait, for the
people were distressed
By reason of the vast army that the Philistines brought into the field, greatly superior to theirs, and were likely to be encompassed by them on every side; so that nothing but destruction was expected, which gave them the utmost anxiety and uneasiness; though Abarbinel refers this last clause, not to the people of Israel, but to the people of the Philistines, and takes it in this sense,

for the people drew nigh;
the army of the Philistines was approaching, and got near to them; and so they were in great danger of being quickly attacked by them, and destroyed, their numbers being so great:

then the people did hide themselves in caves;
of which there were many in the land of Judea, capable of receiving a large number, as the cave of Adullam, the cave of Engedi and such as the Israelites made to hide themselves when oppressed by the Midianites, ( Judges 6:2 )

and in thickets;
woods and forests, or among thorns, as Jarchi; where there was a very great number of brambles and thorn bushes; some, as Kimchi, interpret the word of munitions, garrisons, and fortified places, to which they betook themselves:

in rocks, and in high places, and in pits;
in the holes of rocks and mountains, particularly in Mount Ephraim; see ( 1 Samuel 14:22 ) and where there were any pits or ditches, high or deep places, where they might be out of sight, and be sheltered from their enemies.

1 Samuele 13:6 In-Context

4 E tutto Israele sentì dire: "Saul ha battuto la guarnigione de’ Filistei, e Israele è venuto in odio ai Filistei". Così il popolo fu convocato a Ghilgal per seguir Saul.

5 E il Filistei si radunarono per combattere contro Israele; aveano trentamila carri, seimila cavalieri, e gente numerosa come la rena ch’è sul lido del mare. Saliron dunque e si accamparono a Micmas, a oriente di Beth-Aven.

6 Or gl’Israeliti, vedendosi ridotti a mal partito, perché il popolo era messo alle strette, si nascosero nelle caverne, nelle macchie, tra le rocce, nelle buche e nelle cisterne.

7 Ci furon degli Ebrei che passarono il Giordano, per andare nel paese di Gad e di Galaad. Quanto a Saul, egli era ancora a Ghilgal, e tutto il popolo che lo seguiva, tremava.

8 Egli aspettò sette giorni, secondo il termine fissato da Samuele; ma Samuele non giungeva a Ghilgal, e il popolo cominciò a disperdersi e ad abbandonarlo.