1 Samuel 13

Chapter context

What is happening in 1 Samuel 13?

leadershipanointingobediencekingship

1 Samuel 13 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as Saul’s rise and failure. First Samuel traces the fall of Eli’s house, the ministry of Samuel, the failure of Saul, and the painful emergence of David. Read this chapter with the wider themes of leadership, anointing, and obedience in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, ² Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. ³ And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. ⁴ And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal. ⁵ And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven. ⁶ When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. ⁷ And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. ⁸ And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. ⁹ And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. ¹⁰ And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. 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 gathered themselves together at Michmash; ¹² Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto 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 gat him up from Gilgal unto 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 unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: ¹⁸ And another company turned the way to Bethhoron: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward 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 coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. ²¹ Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. ²² So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. ²³ And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

Study helps

Glossary

Saul Person v. 1-4, 7, 9-11, 13, 15-16, 22: Asked for. (1. ) A king of Edom ( Gen. 36:37 , 38); called Shaul in 1 Chr. 1:48 .
Benjamin Person v. 2, 15-16: Son of my right hand. (1. ) The younger son of Jacob by Rachel ( Gen. 35:18 ). His birth took place at Ephrath, on the road between Bethel and Bethlehem, at a short distance from the latter place.
Bethel Place v. 2: House of God. (1. ) A place in Central Palestine, about 10 miles north of Jerusalem, at the head of the pass of Michmash and Ai. It was originally the royal Canaanite city of Luz ( Gen. 28:19 ). Modern identification: Beitin.
Gibeah Place v. 2, 15: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tel el Ful.
Jonathan Person v. 2-3, 16, 22: Whom Jehovah gave, the name of fifteen or more persons that are mentioned in Scripture. The chief of these are, (1. ) A Levite descended from Gershom ( Judg. 18:30 ). His history is recorded in 17:7-13 and 18:30.
Michmash Place v. 2, 5, 11, 16, 23: Something hidden, a town of Benjamin ( Ezra 2:27 ), east of Bethel and south of Migron, on the road to Jerusalem ( Isa. 10:28 ). Modern identification: Mukhmas.
Geba Place v. 3-4, 16: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jaba.
Gilgal Place v. 4, 7-8, 12, 15: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Khirbet el Mefjir.
Beth-aven Place v. 5: House of nothingness; i. e., “of idols”, a place in the mountains of Benjamin, east of Bethel ( Josh. 7:2 ; 18:12 ; 1 Sam. 13:5 ). In Hos. 4:15 ; 5:8 ; 10:5 it stands for “Bethel”. Modern identification: Tell Maryam.
Gad Person v. 7: Fortune; luck. (1. ) Jacob’s seventh son, by Zilpah, Leah’s handmaid, and the brother of Asher ( Gen. 30:11-13 ; 46:16 , 18). In the Authorized Version of 30:11 the words, “A troop cometh: and she called,” etc.
Gilead Place v. 7: Biblical region. Modern identification: Tell edh Dhahab esh Sherqiyeh.
Jordan Place v. 7: Biblical river. Modern identification: Jordan River.
Samuel Person v. 8, 10-11, 13, 15: Heard of God. The peculiar circumstances connected with his birth are recorded in 1 Sam. 1:20 .
Ophrah Place v. 17: A fawn. 1 Chr. 4:14 . (1. ) A city of Benjamin ( Josh. 18:23 ); probably identical with Ephron ( 2 Chr. 13:19 ) and Ephraim ( John 11:54 ). (2. ). Modern identification: Taybeh.
Shual Place v. 17: Biblical region. Modern identification: Taybeh.
Beth-horon Place v. 18: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Beit Ur al Tahta.
Valley of Zeboim Place v. 18: Biblical valley. Modern identification: Wadi Abu ed Diba.