1 Samuel 13:3-13

3 And Jonathan smote the station, that is, (the) forcelet, either stronghold, of (the) Philistines, that was in Geba. And when (the) Philistines had heard (of) this, Saul sounded with a clarion in all the land, and said, Hebrews, hear. (And Jonathan struck the station, that is, the fortress, or the stronghold, of the Philistines, that was in Geba; and all the Philistines heard about it. And Saul sounded with a trumpet in all the land, and said, Hebrew men, hear this!)
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.)
9 Therefore Saul said, Bring ye to me (a) burnt sacrifice, and peaceable offerings (and peace offerings); and he offered (the) burnt sacrifice.
10 And when he had ended offering the burnt sacrifice, lo! Samuel came; and Saul went out against him, to greet him (and Saul went out to greet him).
11 And Samuel said to Saul, What hast thou done? Saul answered, Lo! for I saw that the people went away from me, and thou camest not by the days of (our) covenant; and the Philistines were gathered together in Michmash;
12 I said, Now (the) Philistines shall come down to me in(to) Gilgal, and I have not pleased the face of the Lord; (and so) I was compelled by need, and I offered (a) burnt sacrifice to the Lord.
13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done follily, and thou hast not kept the behests of thy Lord God, which he commanded to thee (Thou hast done foolishly, and thou hast not obeyed the command of the Lord thy God, which he commanded to thee); and if thou haddest not done this thing, right now the Lord had made ready thy realm upon Israel [into] without end;

1 Samuel 13:3-13 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.