1 Samuel 13:6

6 And when [the] men of Israel had seen, that they were set in straitness, for (this) the people was tormented, (and) they hid themselves in dens (and they hid themselves in caves), and in privy places, and in stones, and in ditches, and in cisterns.

1 Samuel 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 Samuel 13:6 In-Context

4 And all Israel heard such a fame, (that) Saul smote the station of Philistines; and Israel raised up himself against the Philistines; then the people cried after Saul in Gilgal. (And all Israel heard the report, that Saul had struck the Philistines? station; and also that the people of Israel were loathed by all the Philistines. And the people came together in Gilgal to follow Saul.)

5 And the Philistines were gathered together to fight against Israel; thirty thousand of chariots, and six thousand of knights, and the tother common people, as gravel which is full much in the brink of the sea (and the common people, as innumerable as the sand which is on the seashore); and they went up, and setted their tents in Michmash, at the east coast of Bethaven.

6 And when [the] men of Israel had seen, that they were set in straitness, for (this) the people was tormented, (and) they hid themselves in dens (and they hid themselves in caves), and in privy places, and in stones, and in ditches, and in cisterns.

7 Soothly (some of the) Hebrews passed (over) Jordan, into the land of Gad and of Gilead. And when Saul was yet in Gilgal, all the people was afeared that followed him (And when Saul was still in Gilgal, all the people who followed him were afraid).

8 And seven days he abode Samuel by [the] covenant, and Samuel came not into Gilgal; and the people went away from Saul. (And for seven days he waited for Samuel, as by their pact, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and then the people began to go away from Saul.)