Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

13:1 The Hebrew text of this verse is difficult, and various solutions have been proposed. The missing words in the ESV text, Saul was . . . years old, and he reigned . . . and two years over Israel indicate (see ESV footnote) that the most likely explanation for the difficulties is that some numbers were lost from the text at a very early point in its transmission. (Most Septuagint manuscripts lack this verse completely.) Acts 13:21 says that Saul reigned for "forty years." This has led some translations to say that Saul reigned "forty years" or else "forty-two years" (taking Acts 13:21 as a round number). Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 6.378, also has Saul reigning for 40 years, but the Latin text of that passage has 20 years, as does Josephus in Jewish Antiquities 10.143. If one wishes to make sense of the Hebrew as it stands, one must guess that the meaning of the author's comment about Saul's reign is lost on today's reader. The Hebrew for "years old" (ben-shanah) could mean "one year old" or even "a certain year of age," while "two years" may possibly be an ironic expression for a very short time. The first option, represented in the ESV, seems stronger.

13:2 In ch. 9 Saul is described as a "young man," but here he has a son who can command troops, and thus a number of years may have passed. Michmash is about 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Jerusalem and 3 or 4 miles (4.8 or 6.4 km) south of Bethel. These three thousand men were his standing army.

13:3 defeated the garrison. The word translated as "garrison" here and in v. 4 is singular, while in 10:5 it is plural. ("Garrison" in 13:23 is a different word.) The trumpet also signals a revolt in Judg. 3:27 and 2 Sam. 15:10. For Hebrews, see note on 1 Sam. 4:6.

13:5 Thirty thousand chariots seems very high, and perhaps the Syriac translation (and one tradition of the Septuagint) preserves the true reading, "three thousand." Beth-aven is probably the Beth-aven near Ai (Josh. 7:2).

13:7 land of Gad and Gilead. Or "land of Gad, that is, Gilead" (cf. note on 6:4).

13:8-15 Saul had summoned the army to meet at Gilgal, the place where he had "waited" (10:8) and been crowned (11:15). Again, "waiting" at Gilgal seems to have a special religious meaning. After this period of time, however, Saul offers sacrifices and breaks the commandment of the Lord (13:13). Some interpreters take this to mean that he did not obey the Lord's word through Samuel recorded in 10:8, to the effect that Saul should wait seven days for Samuel to come and offer burnt offerings and show Saul what to do. Others think the statement in 10:8 occurred several years earlier, and that Saul violates another (unrecorded) command from Samuel, or the command that only a priest should offer sacrifices (Num. 18:7), or the general principle that he should have waited to learn God's will through the prophet. In any case, Saul knows he has done wrong, for he starts making excuses (1 Sam. 13:11-12). Apparently he had been told not to make any move until Samuel gave him the word of the Lord. Here Saul shows his tendency to be moved by circumstances and to rely on religious ritual to gain God's favor (see 14:24 and the incident in 4:3) rather than to trust and obey the word of the Lord.

13:13-14 Saul's disobedience brings a serious result--the cessation of his kingdom--for in Israel the kingship itself is under the authority of the word of God (see 12:20-25). Saul fails to acknowledge the prophet's higher role as the divine messenger and to listen to the word of God (cf. 15:11, 13, 19, 22-23).

13:16 Geba is only a mile or two from Michmash, separated from it by a deep ravine, which is an important pass from the Jordan Valley into the Ephraimite hills (see map). The Philistines were stationed at the hilltop that overlooks the ravine from the north, while Saul's army was encamped to the south. See ch. 14.

13:17-18 The raiders' division into three companies, going in different directions, recalls Saul's own earlier tactics (see note on 11:11).

13:19-22 no blacksmith (in) Israel. The Philistines apparently had been able to monopolize the production of the kind of metal (probably iron) needed for swords and spears, putting the Israelites at a great disadvantage. Thus the Israelite victory at Michmash (ch. 14) was indeed the Lord's doing. (Iron plow points have been found, however, in Israelite contexts as early as the 11th century b.c. at the site of Gibeah.) As the ESV footnote explains, the Hebrew text refers to a weight called a "pim" (taken to be two-thirds of a shekel). A number of weights marked "pim" have been found.

14:2-3 The outskirts of Gibeah may mean "the edge of the hill." Migron may mean "threshing floor." Court was often held under a tree (22:6; Judg. 4:5) or on threshing floors (1 Kings 22:10). For ephod, see note on 1 Sam. 2:27-28.

14:4 Bozez means "the gleaming one," and Seneh means "the thorny one."

14:6 Jonathan's trust contrasts with Saul's concern about numbers (13:11, 15). Uncircumcised was a customary derogatory epithet used of the Philistines (cf. Judg. 14:3; 15:18; 1 Sam. 17:26; 31:4; 2 Sam. 1:20).

14:10 if they say, "Come up to us." This would give Jonathan and the armor-bearer the opportunity to get into the Philistine camp at what was probably its most thinly protected point, without raising an alarm. The guards' words in v. 12 suggest that an attack by these two lone men was the last thing on their mind.

14:14 The Hebrew "yoke" (ESV footnote) was a unit for measuring area.

14:15 A very great panic is literally "a trembling of God," suggesting divine intervention.

14:16 Though Saul was in Gibeah, about 4 miles (6.4 km) from Michmash, his watchmen were probably stationed nearer, watching Michmash.

14:18 The ark had apparently been brought from Kiriath-jearim to be with the army for some special reason, and Saul wanted Ahijah, who carried the sacred lots in the ephod, to cast the lots before the ark.

14:21-22 These verses describe several groups who earlier distanced themselves from Israel. Some people called Hebrews had previously defected to the Philistines (cf. 29:3) while others had hidden themselves during this time of war. Now that the conflict goes favorably, both groups commit to fighting for Israel.

14:23 beyond Beth-aven. This battle seems to have driven the Philistines from the central mountain areas.

14:24 so Saul had laid an oath. Jonathan, of course, had not been present at the time.

14:27 His eyes became bright suggests renewed vitality (cf. Ezra 9:8; Ps. 13:3; 19:8; 38:10; Prov. 29:13).

14:28 this day. See v. 24 ("until it is evening"). The day began at sunset.

14:32-33 When evening comes (v. 34) and the people are once again free to eat (cf. v. 24), they are in such a hurry that they do not put the animals they kill on a stone in order to drain the blood properly from them (v. 33). Eating meat with blood is strictly prohibited in the law (Gen. 9:4; Lev. 7:26; 17:10-14; Deut. 12:16).

14:39 he shall surely die. Saul assumes that the Lord's silence regarding Saul's prior question (v. 37) is due to some unknown sin (v. 38). Just as it was Saul's own willful (and faulty) decision to impose the ban on eating (v. 24), it is also his decision to kill the person, whoever it is, whose guilt has prevented the Lord from answering him.

14:41-42 give Urim. . . . give Thummim. . . . Cast the lot. The Urim and Thummim (or just Urim) are mentioned also in Ex. 28:30; Num. 27:21; Deut. 33:8; 1 Sam. 28:6; and Ezra 2:63. They may have been two stones of two different colors--a bright color and a dark color, perhaps--one representing a positive and the other a negative answer, that were kept in the "breastpiece of judgment" of the priest's ephod (see Ex. 28:30; Lev. 8:8). They were the only legitimate means of directly seeking a "yes" or "no" answer from the Lord, apart from God's speaking directly to people.

14:45 Shall Jonathan die . . . ? . . . ? . . . As the Lord lives . . . The people use the same oath that Saul used in v. 39. They obviously think God spoke much more clearly in Jonathan's victory than in Saul's rash oath (v. 24).

14:47-48 These countries are mentioned in 2 Sam. 8:12 as having been subdued by David.

14:49 It is possible, but not certain, that Ishvi is a variation of the name Ish-bosheth (2 Sam. 2:8; he is called "Eshbaal" in 1 Chron. 8:33).

14:50-51 Abner's father was Ner, his brother was Kish, and his nephew (Kish's son) was Saul. When 9:1 says that Kish was the "son of Abiel," it probably means "grandson of Abiel (Jiel)" (cf. 1 Chron. 9:39).

15:2 Thus says the Lord. See note on 2:27. what Amalek did to Israel. The Amalekites, a nomadic tribe that inhabited the desert south of Judah (Num. 13:29), are the archetypal plunderers in biblical tradition. They attacked Israel at Rephidim (Ex. 17:8), and the Lord declared war on them (Ex. 17:14-16; Deut. 25:17-19). They joined other groups against Israel in Num. 14:41-45; Judg. 3:13; 6:3; 10:12. They attacked David's city of Ziklag (1 Samuel 30), and David subdued them in 2 Sam. 8:12.

15:3 devote to destruction. This practice, known also as "imposing the ban," denotes setting aside something as the Lord's share. Usually such a ban meant that all living things--men, women, children, and livestock--were to be killed (cf. Deut. 20:16-17; Josh. 6:17, 21; see also 1 Sam. 22:19, where Saul unjustly carries this out on the priestly town of Nob). One purpose of such total destruction was to stop the spread of the "abominable practices" of paganism (Deut. 20:16-18). The ban against Amalek is based on Deut. 25:19.

15:4 Although the army of Judah is mentioned separately (as also in 11:8), it seems that Judahites in general considered themselves part of the nation. This is suggested by David (a Judahite) going to serve Saul (16:14-23), the presence of David's brothers in Saul's army (ch. 17), and Saul's search for David in the Judahite region of Ziph (23:14-29; 26:1-4). It is not surprising that Judah was heavily involved in the battle against Amalek, since the territory of Judah was near the Amalekites and therefore must have been particularly subject to their raids (30:14).

15:6 Kenites. Moses' father-in-law Jethro was a Kenite (Judg. 1:16), and he and his son had been helpful to the Israelites (Exodus 18; Num. 10:29-32). depart; . . . lest I destroy you with them. The Kenites had settled among the Amalekites. David likewise spared them during his time in Ziklag (1 Sam. 27:8-10; 30:29). Saul's action in this situation is commendable.

15:9 Spared is in sharp contrast to Samuel's instructions ("Do not spare," v. 3). Saul and the people places most of the responsibility for this disobedience on Saul himself.

15:11 I regret (also vv. 29, 35). Here, as in Gen. 6:6, the Lord "regrets" a decision. This means that God feels genuine sorrow when contemplating Saul's sin. But it does not mean that God thinks his decision to make Saul king was a mistake in the overall course of his plans for history (cf. Isa. 46:9-10). For more on divine regret, see note on 1 Sam. 15:29.

15:12 Carmel here is a town in Judah about 7 miles (11 km) south of Hebron. It is the setting for ch. 25. That Saul has gone there to set up a monument for himself raises further suspicions about his character.

15:15 Saul's excuse for his disobedience (the people spared) contrasts with the facts ("Saul and the people spared," v. 9). to sacrifice to the Lord your God. They probably did intend to sacrifice the animals, or there would have been no reason to go to Gilgal. But they were probably also planning to share in eating the sacrifices, contrary to the decree of destruction (see note on v. 3).

15:17 Samuel reminds Saul here again (see v. 1) that the Lord anointed you king over Israel. Why should Saul, as God's anointed, yield to the people's opinion over God's? He became king because the people asked for a king; now he is rejected because he listened to them (cf. Prov. 29:25) rather than leading them to obey God.

15:20-21 I have obeyed . . . but the people. Cf. note on v. 15.

15:22 The Lord himself does not need sacrifices like gods in other religions. Rather, the people need to bring sacrifices in order to approach the holy God (see Leviticus 1-5). Even the best sacrifice without obedience gains nothing.

15:23 Rebellion (cf. 12:15) and presumption mean rejecting the Lord, equivalent to apostasy. The Hebrew word terapim, here translated idolatry, refers to either "household gods" (Gen. 31:19; Judg. 17:5; 1 Sam. 19:13) or "ancestor figurines" used as aids to divination (Ezek. 21:21; Hos. 3:4; Zech. 10:2). Saul is rejected as king here and also in 1 Sam. 15:26 (see 13:13-14).

15:24-26 Saul confesses, "I have sinned." At least he admits the basic issue in v. 24 (I feared the people); but instead of being struck with the awfulness of his sin, the guilt of which can be taken away by God alone, Saul is more concerned with his standing with the people and the elders (v. 30). the Lord has rejected you from being king. In 13:13 Saul's dynasty was rejected, while here he himself is rejected as king.

15:27 Saul seizes the skirt of Samuel's robe as a final, deferential plea for mercy.

15:28 The term this day is used in a legal sense: the rejection is final and has already taken effect (see Ruth 4:9-10; Ps. 2:7). In God's sight, God has already torn and given (past tense), though the actual realization is yet to come.

15:29 The term "regret" poses a difficulty, since vv. 11 and 35 say that God did regret making Saul king, while here Samuel denies that God will ever lie or have regret (cf. Num. 23:19). The term for "have regret" (Hb. nakham) can be translated "relent" or "change one's mind" (e.g., Ex. 32:12, 14; Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 24:16 [1 Chron. 21:15]; Ps. 106:45; Jer. 15:6; 18:8, 10; 26:3, 13, 19; 42:10; Ezek. 24:14; Joel 2:13-14; Amos 7:3, 6; Jonah 3:9-10; 4:2) or "have pity or compassion" (Deut. 32:36; Judg. 2:18; Ps. 90:13; 135:14) as well as "be sorry" or "have regret" (cf. Gen. 6:6-7). Thus the term as used in 1 Sam. 15:11, 35 describes God's own feeling of sorrow or regret that Saul had turned out as he did (and does not even address the question whether God knew of it beforehand), while in v. 29 God will not regret or change his mind concerning a decision once he has made it. For further discussion of God's "relenting" from sending good or disaster on a people, see note on Jonah 3:10.

15:30 honor me now. What Saul wants most is now clearly seen (cf. vv. 24-25).

15:31 Samuel, who is a man (cf. "is not a man," v. 29), changes his mind and stays with Saul, whether out of concern for Saul personally (v. 35) or for the peace of the nation.

15:32-33 Bring here to me Agag. Samuel himself takes on the task that Saul failed to finish. Hacked . . . to pieces was not the normal means of putting to death. Usually slaying before the Lord involves sacrificing an animal (cf. Ex. 29:11; Lev. 1:5), but in this case Agag himself is the sacrifice, justly put to death for his own sin (see note on 1 Sam. 15:3).

15:34 Ramah is only 2 miles (3.2 km) from Gibeah.

15:35 Formerly angry, Samuel now grieved over Saul. On the Lord regretted, see notes on vv. 11 and 29.