1Sa 13:1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
Saul reigned one year - A great deal of learned labor has been employed and lost on this verse, to reconcile it with propriety and common sense. One scholar thinks this clause belongs to the preceding chapter, either as a part of the whole, or a chronological note added afterwards; as if the writer had said, These things (related in 1 Samuel 12:1-25) took place in the first year of Saul’s reign: and then he proceeds in the next place to tell us what took place in the second year, the two most remarkable years of Saul’s reign. In the first he is appointed, anointed, and twice confirmed, viz., at Mizpeh and at Gilgal; in the second, Israel is brought into the lowest state of degradation by the Philistines, Saul acts unconstitutionally, and is rejected from being king. These things were worthy of an especial chronological note.
And when he had reigned - This should begin the chapter, and be read thus: “And when Saul had reigned two years over Israel , he chose him three thousand,” etc. The Septuagint has left the clause out of the text entirely, and begins the chapter thus: 1 Sam 13:1 And Saul chooses for himself three thousand men of the men of Israel: (Septuagint)
when he had reigned two years over Israel - Some interpret it he reigned two years well, and the rest in a tyrannical way; or that at the end of two years, when David was anointed, the kingdom was not reckoned to him, but to David; that he had been king one year from his first anointing by Samuel at Ramah, to his second anointing by him at Gilgal; and he reigned after this two years more, before the Lord cast him off, and anointed David; and the time he ruled after that was not a rule, but a tyranny and persecution; another scholar gives it the best view of all, that one year had passed from the time of his being anointed, to the time of the renewal of the kingdom at Gilgal; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, then he did what follows, chose 3000 men, &c. In the first year of his reign was done all that is recorded in the preceding chapter; and when he had reigned two years, not two years more, but two years in all, then he did what is related in this chapter.
reigned one year - Heb. literally the son of one year in his reigning, This verse is variously interpreted; but probably it only means, according to the Hebrew idiom, that, during the first year nothing remarkable occurred; but after two years (or in the second year of his reign), the subsequent events took place. The transactions recorded in the eleventh and twelfth chapters were the principal incidents comprising the first year of Saul's reign; and the events about to be described in this happened in the second year.
1Sa 13:2 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.
The state of things which preceded the events described in this chapter seems to have been a comparative peace between Israel and the Philistines, since Saul had only 3,000 men under arms. At the same time Philistine garrisons continued to occupy the country of the Israelites in certain strong places, whereof one was at Geba (Jeba), in the immediate neighborhood of Gibeah 1Sa_10:5; 1Sa_13:3, and exactly opposite Michmash.
Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel - Saul, no doubt, meditated the redemption of his country from the Philistines; and having chosen three thousand men, he thought best to divide them into companies, and send one against the Philistine garrison at Michmash, another against that at Beth-el, and the third against that at Gibeah: he perhaps hoped, by surprising these garrisons, to get swords and spears for his men, of which we find, (1Sa_13:22), they were entirely destitute.
the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent - to their own houses; or, as the Targum, to their cities; these were they that came at his summons, and were numbered at Bezek, and went with him to the relief of Jabeshgilead, and had been with him ever since, and now dismissed.
Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel--This band of picked men was a bodyguard, who were kept constantly on duty, while the rest of the people were dismissed till their services might be needed. It seems to have been his tactics to attack the Philistine garrisons in the country by different detachments, rather than by risking a general engagement; and his first operations were directed to rid his native territory of Benjamin of these enemies.
Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel - The war with the Philistines (1 Samuel 13-14) certainly falls, at least so far as the commencement is concerned, in the very earliest part of Saul's reign. This we must infer partly from the fact, that at the very time when Saul was seeking for his father's asses, there was a military post of the Philistines at Gibeah (1Sa_10:5), and therefore the Philistines had already occupied certain places in the land; and partly also from the fact, that according to this chapter Saul selected an army of 3000 men out of the whole nation, took up his post at Michmash with 2000 of them, placing the other thousand at Gibeah under his son Jonathan, and sent the rest of the people home (1Sa_13:2), because his first intention was simply to check the further advance of the Philistines.
1Sa 13:3 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.
Jonathan smote - He appears to have taken this garrison by surprise, for his men had no arms for a regular battle, or taking the place by storm. This is the first place in which this he appears.
Let the Hebrews hear - Probably this means the people who dwelt beyond Jordan , who might very naturally be termed here haibrim, from abar, he passed over; those who are beyond the river Jordan : as Abraham was called Ibri because he dwelt beyond the river Euphrates .
and the Philistines heard of it - which alarmed them, and made them prepare for war:
Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land - not he in person, for he was at Gilgal, as the next verse shows; but he ordered it to be blown, being aware of the preparations the Philistines were making to attack him: He sent messengers to tell them all what Jonathan had done, and how the Philistines were enraged at it, and therefore what necessity there was of gathering themselves together for their own defense.
Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land--This, a well-known sound, was the usual Hebrew war-summons; the first blast was answered by the beacon fire in the neighboring places. A second blast was blown--then answered by a fire in a more distant locality, whence the proclamation was speedily diffused over the whole country. As the Philistines resented what Jonathan had done as an overt attempt to throw off their yoke, a levy, en masse, of the people was immediately ordered, the rendezvous to be the old camping-ground at Gilgal.
let the Hebrews hear - both what his son had done, and what the Philistines were doing.
the garrison that was in Geba - Geba and Gibeah were towns in Benjamin, very close to each other (Jos_18:24, Jos_18:28). The word rendered "garrison" is different from that of 1Sa_13:23; 1Sa_14:1, and signifies, literally, something erected; probably a pillar or flagstaff, indicative of Philistine ascendency. That the secret demolition of this standard, so obnoxious to a young and noble-hearted patriot, was the feat of Jonathan referred to, is evident from the words, "the Philistines heard of it," which is not the way we should expect an attack on a fortress to be noticed.
the garrison that was in Geba - probably the military post mentioned in 1Sa_10:5, which had been advanced in the meantime as far as Geba. For Geba is not to be confounded with Gibeah, from which it is clearly distinguished in 1Sa_13:16 as compared with 1Sa_13:15.
1Sa 13:4 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.
The people were called together - The smiting of this garrison was the commencement of a war, and in effect the shaking off of the Philistine yoke; and now the people found that they must stand together, and fight for their lives.
And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten - For though it was smitten by Jonathan, yet it was by the order of Saul, and so ascribed to him.
Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines - who were highly incensed against them by this action, and vowed revenge; the name of an Israelite was abhorred by them; and so their name was made to stink among them, as the word signifies:
1Sa 13:5 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.
thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen - it may seem incredible that so small a people as the Philistines were, who only were possessed of five cities, or lordships, with the villages belonging to them, except what they had taken from Israel; this must either be understood of 30,000 men that fought in chariots (10 men per chariot which seems to be the usual number by comparing 2Sa_10:18 And the Syrians fled before Israel. And David killed the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, who died there with 1Ch_19:18 But the Syrians fled before Israel. And David killed seven thousand of the Syrians in chariots, and forty thousand footmen; and he killed Shophach the commander of the army), as one scholar interprets it, or else of some sort of carriages, not chariots of war; but what were brought to carry the baggage of their infantry, which was very large, and to carry away the goods and substance of the Israelites; some scholars have thought that there is a mistake of the copier, for never any people in the world was known to have so many chariots of war; Pharaoh in his large host had but six hundred, Exo_14:7 Jabin king of Canaan had indeed nine hundred, Jdg_4:3 and David took from the king of Zobah one thousand chariots; but whether they were all chariots of war is not certain, 2Sa_8:4. Solomon indeed had one thousand and four hundred chariots, but they do not appear to be chariots of war, but some for use, and some for state and grandeur.
Eastward from Bethaven - Or more simply “to the east of Bethaven,” which Jos_7:2 lay “on the east side of Bethel .” Bethaven lay between Bethel and Michmash, which had been evacuated by Saul.
and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven - where Saul, before he went to Gilgal, had his quarters, 1Sa_13:2. Bethaven was a place near Bethel , on the east of it, Jos_7:2 though Bethel itself was afterwards so called when Jeroboam had set up the worship of the calves there, Hos_4:15 it signifying the house of vanity or iniquity. The gathering of the chariots and horsemen must be understood to be on the Philistine plain, before they ascended the western passes and pitched in the heart of the Benjamite hills, in Michmash, a steep precipitous valley eastward from Beth-aven (Beth-el).
the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight - To prevent their further encroachments on them, and designs against them; for they perceived they intended to cast off their yoke, and free themselves entirely from them:
and the people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude - the infantry was so large as not to be numbered; however, the phrase denotes a great multitude of them.
1Sa 13:6 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.
In thickets - literally, “among thorns.”
High places - Not the high places for worship, but holds or towers Jdg_9:46, Jdg_9:49; that particular kind of tower which was the work of the old Canaanite inhabitants, and which remained as ruins in the time of Saul.
The people did hide themselves - They, being few in number, and totally unarmed as to swords and spears, were terrified at the very numerous and well-appointed army of the Philistines. Judea was full of rocks, caves, thickets, etc., where people might shelter themselves from their enemies. While some hid themselves, others fled beyond Jordan : and those who did cleave to Saul followed him trembling.
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.
When the men of Israel saw they were in a strait - Notwithstanding their former presumption that if they had a king, they should be free from all such straits. And hereby God intended to teach them the vanity of confidence in men; and that they did not one jot less need the help of God now, than they did when they had no king. And probably they were the more discouraged, because they did not find Samuel with Saul.
When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait--Though Saul's gallantry was unabated, his subjects displayed no degree of zeal and energy. Instead of venturing an encounter, they fled in all directions. Some, in their panic, left the country (1Sa_13:7), but most took refuge in the hiding-places which the broken ridges of the neighborhood abundantly afford. The rocks are perforated in every direction with "caves," and "holes," and "pits"--crevices and fissures sunk deep in the rocky soil, subterranean granaries or dry wells in the adjoining fields. The name of Michmash ("hidden treasure") seems to be derived from this natural peculiarity.
1Sa 13:7 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.
And some of the Hebrews - The words “some of,” which are the emphatic words in the King James Version, as distinguishing those who crossed the Jordan from those who hid themselves, are not in the Hebrew at all. The “Hebrews” seem to be distinguished from the “men of Israel ” in 1Sa_13:6.
And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead - As far off as they could from the Philistines, who lay on the west of the land of Israel , and these countries were to the east.
as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal - where he stayed till Samuel should come to him, as directed, 1Sa_10:8 to have his advice and counsel:
1Sa 13:8 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.
He tarried seven days according to the set time - This appointment has of course nothing whatever to do with that made years before 1Sa_10:8, the keeping of which is expressly mentioned at the natural time 1Sa_11:15. But Samuel had again, on this later occasion, made an appointment at the end of seven days. It seems to have been as a trial of faith and obedience, under which, this time, Saul unhappily broke down. Samuel had at this time promised to come to him within seven days, and he kept his word, for we find him there before the day was ended; but as Saul found he did not come at the beginning of the seventh day, he became impatient, took the whole business into his own hand, and acted the parts of prophet, priest, and king; and thus he attempted a most essential change in the Israelite constitution. In it the king, the prophet, and the priest, are in their nature perfectly distinct.
Saul's untimely sacrifice - Saul waited seven days for Samuel's coming, according to the time appointed by Samuel, before proceeding to offer the sacrifices through which the help of the Lord was to be secured for the approaching campaign; and as Samuel did not come, the people began to disperse and leave him. Saul broke the order expressly given by Samuel, see 1Sa_10:8, as to what should be done in cases of extremity. Saul offered sacrifice without Samuel, and did it himself, though he was neither priest nor prophet. When charged with disobedience, he justified himself in what he had done, and gave no sign of repentance for it. He would have this act of disobedience pass for an instance of his prudence, and as a proof of his piety. Men destitute of inward piety, often lay great stress on the outward performances of religion. Samuel charges Saul with being an enemy to himself. Those that disobey the commandments of God, do foolishly for themselves. Sin is folly, and the greatest sinners are the greatest fools. Our disposition to obey or disobey God, will often be proved by our behavior in things which appear small. Men see nothing but Saul's outward act, which seems small; but God saw that he did this with unbelief and distrust of his providence, with contempt of his authority and justice, and with rebellion against the light of his own conscience.
1Sa 13:9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
And he offered the burnt-offering - There is a difference of opinion among commentators whether Saul himself offered the sacrifices prepared for Samuel, thus entrenching upon the priest’s office; or whether he ordered the priests to sacrifice, as Solomon did. In the latter case his sin consisted in disobeying the word of God, who had bidden him wait until Samuel came. And this is, on the whole, the more probable; since Samuel’s rebuke says nothing of any assumption of priesthood, such as we read in the case of Uzziah 2Ch_26:18.
And he offered the burnt-offering - This was most perfectly unconstitutional; he had no authority to offer, or cause to be offered, any of the Lord’s sacrifices, according to some scholars, while others think that in this unsettled time, while the tabernacle, altar, and ark, were at different places, and not yet fixed, it is thought that such who were not priests might offer, and that in high places, and where the tabernacle and altar were not.
And Saul said - Being impatient, and seeing the people deserting him apace, and unwilling to engage in a battle without first sacrificing to God, and imploring his help and assistance:
Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings--Saul, though patriotic enough in his own way, was more ambitious of gaining the glory of a triumph to himself than ascribing it to God. He did not understand his proper position as king of Israel ; and although aware of the restrictions under which he held the sovereignty, he wished to rule as an autocrat, who possessed absolute power both in civil and sacred things. This occasion was his first trial. Samuel waited till the last day of the seven, in order to put the constitutional character of the king to the test; and, as Saul, in his impatient and passionate haste knowingly transgressed (1Sa_13:12) by invading the priest's office and thus showing his unfitness for his high office (as he showed nothing of the faith of Gideon and other Hebrew generals), he incurred a threat of the rejection which his subsequent waywardness confirmed.
1Sa 13:10 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.
1Sa 13:11 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;
Because I saw that the people were scattered - Saul had come from Michmash to Gilgal, expecting to gather the force of the whole nation around him. Instead of that, the people fled, leaving him in the exposed plain with only 600 men 1Sa_13:15. The Philistines occupied Michmash, and might at any moment pour down the valley upon Gilgal. Saul’s situation was obviously one of extreme peril. A few hours’ delay might prove fatal to him and his little army. He feared, if he stayed any longer, they would all leave him; this was one reason of doing what he did:
And Saul said - Here he offers three excuses for his conduct:
1. The people were fast leaving his standard.
2. Samuel did not come at the time; at the very commencement of the time he did not come, but within that time he did come.
3. The Philistines were coming fast upon him.
Saul should have waited out the time; and at all events he should not have gone contrary to the counsel of the Lord.
And Samuel said, what hast thou done - This question he put to bring him to a confession of what he had done, otherwise he guessed at it by his countenance; or rather, by the prophetic spirit he was endowed with, he knew it certainly that he had offered the sacrifices without waiting for him:
1Sa 13:12 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.
I forced myself - It was with great reluctance that I did what I did. In all this Saul was sincere, but he was rash, and regardless of the precept of the Lord, which precept or command he most evidently had received, 1Sa_13:13. And one part of this precept was, that the Lord should tell him what he should do. Without this information, in an affair under the immediate cognizance of God, he should have taken no step.
1Sa 13:13 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.
Thou hast done foolishly - Motives of worldly expediency were not to be weighed against the express commandment of God. All the circumstances and all the dangers were as well known to God as they were to Saul, and God had bidden him wait until Samuel came. Here was exactly the same sin of willful disobedience which broke out again, and was so severely reproved 1Sa_15:17-23.
And Samuel said to Saul, thou hast done foolishly - Not by intruding himself into the priest's office, with that he is not charged, but not waiting the full time till Samuel came; which showed his impatience, disregard to Samuel, and distrust of God; and though he thought he had acted wisely, and taken the proper precautions in his circumstances, yet he acted foolishly.
for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever - that is, for a long time, on his son, and son's son; and then, according to promise and prophecy, it would come to one of the tribe of Judah; but now seeing he had acted such a part, it should not continue long in his family, no longer than his own life, and quickly come into other hands.
For ever - The phrase, for ever, in scripture often signifies only a long time. So this had been abundantly verified, if the kingdom had been enjoyed by Saul, and by his son, and by his son's son; after whom the kingdom might have come to Judah .
You have not kept the commandment of Jehovah your God - when Saul proceeded with the consecrating sacrifice for that very conflict, without the presence of Samuel, he showed clearly enough that he thought he could make war upon the enemies of his kingdom without the counsel and assistance of God. This was an act of rebellion against the sovereignty of Jehovah, for which the punishment announced was by no means too severe.
1Sa 13:14 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.
The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart - That this man was David is sufficiently clear from the sequel. But in what sense was he a man after God’s own heart?
1. In his strict attention to the law and worship of God.
2. In his admitting, in the whole of his conduct, that God was King in Israel , and that he himself was but his vicegerent.
3. In never attempting to alter any of those laws, or in the least change the Israelite constitution.
4. In all his public official conduct he acted according to the Divine mind, and fulfilled the will of his Maker: thus was he a man after God’s own heart. In reference to his private or personal moral conduct, the word is never used. This is the sense alone in which the word is used here and elsewhere.
The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart - who was David; though as yet Samuel knew him not, he knew by divine revelation that there was another one chosen, to whom the kingdom would be given; a man every way agreeable to the will of God, and who would fulfil his will, though he knew not particularly who he was:
But now thy kingdom shall not continue - That is, in his family, nor in his tribe, but be removed to another:
the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people - that is, had appointed him to be king over Israel .
because thou hast not kept that which the Lord hath commanded thee - it matters not whether the thing commanded is greater or less, it is disobedience to the command that is the sin, and is resented: this might seem a small thing, since to offer the sacrifice was not criminal; but doing it before the time, a little before it should have been done, not waiting long enough for the prophet; yet it being against the command of God, or in neglect of it, it was sinful, and severely chastised; and the rather, that it might be an example to all succeeding kings how they offended, or broke the least of God's commandments; and this being the first king of Israel, he was made an example of to the rest.
1Sa 13:15 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.
Samuel arose - Saul could not return to his own station at Michmash, seeing it was occupied by the Philistines; so, perhaps by Samuel’s advice (since, according to the text, he preceded him there), he effected a junction with Jonathan at Gibeah. Some would read “Saul” instead of “Samuel.”
And Samuel arose - Though David, in the Divine purpose, is appointed to be captain over the people, yet Saul is not to be removed from the government during his life; Samuel therefore accompanies him to Gibeah, to give him the requisite help in this conjuncture.
About six hundred men - The whole of the Israelite army at this time, and not one sword or spear among them. So great a desertion was there from him, that of the 3000 first chosen by him, and of the people after called and gathered to him at Gilgal, only six hundred remained with him; a small number indeed to encounter so large an army the Philistines had brought into the field, and which therefore Saul could not face. Consequently Saul had not even accomplished the object of his unseasonable sacrifice, namely, to prevent the dispersion of the people. With this remark the account of the occurrence that decided the fate of Saul's monarchy is brought to a close.
and got him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah - it looks by Samuel's going thither, though he was displeased with Saul, yet that he did not intend to forsake him directly and entirely:
1Sa 13:16 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.
the Philistines encamped at Michmash - the old quarters of Saul before he went to Gilgal, 1Sa_13:2.
1Sa 13:17 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:
The spoilers - “The devastator:” the same word is used of the destroying Angel Exo_12:23. The verse describes the system adopted by the Philistines by which for a time they subjugated the Israelites. From their central camp at Michmash they sent out three bands to kill and lay waste and destroy. One took a northerly direction toward Ophrah - five miles east of Bethel, identified with “Ephrain” 2Ch_13:19 and the modern “Taiyibeh,” - and toward the land of Shual, possibly the same as Shalim 1Sa_9:4; the second westward to Beth-horon; and the third eastward, by the unknown valley of Zeboim, toward the wilderness, i. e., the Jordan valley, toward Jericho. The intention of the Philistines in carrying out these devastating expeditions, was no doubt to entice the men who were gathered round Saul and Jonathan out of their secure positions at Gibeah and Geba, and force them to fight.
The spoilers came out - The Philistines, finding that the Israelites dare not hazard a battle, divided their army into three bands, and sent them in three different directions to pillage and destroy the country. Jonathan profited by this circumstance, and attacked the remains of the army at Michmash, 1 Samuel 14.
unto the land of Shual - seems to have had its name from the multitude of foxes in it, Shual signifying a fox.
1Sa 13:18 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.
And another company turned the way to Bethhoron - Of which name there were two cities, the upper and nether, and both in the tribe of Ephraim, Jos_16:3, this lay northwest from the camp of the Philistines at Michmash.
1Sa 13:19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
there was no smith to be found in the whole land - The Philistines, when they ruled over them, having removed them into their own country, and forbid any to learn or exercise that trade in Israel : The Israelites could not offer a successful resistance to these devastating raids. Nebuchadnezzar, when he conquered the Jews and carried them captive, took care particularly to carry away their smiths, and left none but the poorest sort of people in the land, 2Ki_24:14.
1Sa 13:20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
all the Israelites went down to the Philistines - Were obliged to go into Palestine , into some one or other of the cities of the Philistines, or to their garrisons, where the trade of a smith was exercised:
to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter - which are the parts of the plough made of iron, with which the earth is cut and thrown up:
his axe and his mattock - or pick axe; with the one wood is felled and cut, and with the other stones are dug; and each of these for their several uses needed sharpening; and when they did, they were obliged to go to the Philistines to have them done, they having no smiths among them.
1Sa 13:21 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.
Yet they had a file - The Hebrew “to rub hard”, is translated very differently by the versions. They permitted them the use of files, grindstone, to restore the blunted edges of their tridents, axes, and goads. The word for "file" in the verse is "pim", and occurs only here in the Hebrew scriptures. It is not used elsewhere in other Hebrew writings. Therefore the translators of the 1611 Authorised Version had only the root derivation to deduce what the word meant. Literally, it means "a file with mouths". However, archaeologists have found a stone inscribed with this word. Also they found a stone inscribed with the word "shekel". Hence they deduced that the word was really a weight of measure equal to about one third of a shekel. Newer translations usually translate this as "the charge was a third of a shekel.”
1Sa 13:22 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.
In the day of battle - This seems to be mentioned here, in anticipation of the narrative in the next chapter, to enhance the victory gained, through God’s help 1Sa_14:23, by the comparatively unarmed Israelites over their enemies. What with occasional skirmishes with the Philistines, the necessity of using their arms for domestic purposes, accidental losses, and the ordinary wear and tear, coupled with the impossibility of renewing their arms from the want of smiths and forges, the people that were with Saul and Jonathan came to be very imperfectly armed. It has been observed, moreover, that the Benjamites were more famous for the use of the sling than for any other weapon Jdg_20:16, and this would be an additional cause of the paucity of swords and spears.
1Sa 13:23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
The passage of Michmash - The steep and precipitous path from Michmash to Geba, over the valley of Suweinit . The same term is used in Isa_10:28-29, where the march of the Assyrian army is described.
The passage of Michmash - According to Jarchi, these two places, Michmash where the Philistines were, and Gibeah where Saul and Jonathan were, lay on two hills over against each other, and there was a valley between them; and the garrison of the Philistines drew nigh to the passage of Michmash, which led to the side of Gibeah, to the valley between them, either with an intention to besiege Gibeah, or to dare Israel to come out and fight them: but rather it seems to be some strong pass between the rocks near Michmash, where the garrison placed themselves to guard and keep against any sudden surprise; see 1Sa_14:4.
1Sa_13:23 forms the transition to the heroic act of Jonathan described in 1 Samuel 14.
