Chapter Thirteen

Clash of the Hebrews with the Philistines. Disagreement between King Saul and the prophet Samuel.

1 Samuel 13:1. In the first year of Saul’s reign, and in the second year he reigned over Israel, as Saul had chosen three thousand from the Israelites: “In the first year of Saul’s reign, and in the second year he reigned over Israel”; that is, in the second year of Saul’s reign over Israel. “Three thousand Israelites” – as a permanent military detachment.

1 Samuel 13:2. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and on the hill of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; and the rest of the people he sent to their homes. Michmash – a city to the northeast of Gibeah of Benjamin. The height of Bethel – to the north of Gibeah of Benjamin.

1 Samuel 13:3. And Jonathan struck the Philistine garrison that was in Gibeah; and the Philistines heard of it, and Saul sounded the trumpet throughout the land, saying: let the Hebrews hear! “The Philistine garrison that was in Gibeah”: see the note to 1 Sam 9:16. Evidently, Gibeah of Benjamin had already entered the district of Philistine occupation, and there (or rather, near it) a lookout and guard detachment of the Philistines was stationed. It is no wonder that such proximity did not particularly please the king of the Hebrews.

1 Samuel 13:5. And the Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel: thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as numerous as the sand on the seashore; and they came and encamped in Michmash, on the east side of Beth-aven. Beth-aven – Aijalon (1 Sam 14:23); located to the southwest of Gibeon.

1 Samuel 13:6. The Israelites, seeing that they were in danger, because the people were hard pressed, hid in caves and ravines, and among the rocks, and in towers, and in pits; 1 Samuel 13:7. And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead; but Saul was still in Gilgal, and all the people with him were seized with fear. Whether because the war had been begun not by a unanimous outburst of popular feeling but by Saul’s personal considerations; or because the roar of the Philistines’ iron weapons struck panic fear into the Hebrews (see note to 1 Sam 9:16), the result was that the Hebrews lost heart: only part of them followed Saul to Gilgal (for sacrifice to God); the greater mass hid in caves, in thorn thickets, in mountain ravines, in towers and pits; many even fled across the Jordan” (I. Bogorodskii, “The Hebrew Kings”, p. 41).

1 Samuel 13:8. And he waited seven days, until the appointed time that Samuel had named, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people began to scatter from him. 1 Samuel 13:9. And Saul said: bring to me what is appointed for the burnt offering and for the peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 1 Samuel 13:10. But scarcely had he finished offering the burnt offering when Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, to greet him. 1 Samuel 13:11. But Samuel said: what have you done? Saul answered: I saw that the people were scattering from me, and you did not come by the appointed time; and the Philistines are gathered in Michmash; 1 Samuel 13:12. So I thought: now the Philistines will come upon me in Gilgal, and I have not yet sought the favor of the Lord; and so I resolved to offer the burnt offering. 1 Samuel 13:13. And Samuel said to Saul: you have acted foolishly, in that you have not kept the command of the Lord your God which he gave you; for now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever; 1 Samuel 13:14. But now your kingdom shall not stand; the Lord has found for himself a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be leader of his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you. See the note to 1 Sam 7:6 and to 1 Sam 10:8. By not carrying out the will of the Lord’s prophet, Saul violated not a mere formality, but one of the most essential laws that formed the foundation of the power of the Hebrew king (Deut 17:14-20). And the prophet Samuel, as a faithful guardian of the theocracy of the Hebrew people, could not leave this violation of the law without a vigorous protest and rebuke.

1 Samuel 13:17. And three companies went out from the camp of the Philistines to raid the land: one turned toward the road to Ophrah, into the land of Shual, Ophrah of Benjamin – to the north of Michmash.

1 Samuel 13:18. And another company turned toward the road of Beth-horon, and the third company turned toward the road toward the border of the valley of Zeboim, toward the wilderness. Beth-horon (Upper and Lower) – to the west of Michmash. Zeboim – to the southeast of Michmash, in the direction of the Jericho wilderness.