1 Samuel Chapter 13
In the early years of his 40-year reign, Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, two thousand of them with him in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent. Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines which was in Geba without his father Saul’s knowledge.
Later, Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” All Israel heard it said Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal. (13:1-4)
Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-Aven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger, for the people were distressed, they hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. Then he waited seven days according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him. So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. Now it happened as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him that he might greet him. (13:5-10)
And Samuel said, ‘What have you done?” Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”
And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people present with him about six hundred men. (13:11-15)
Saul, Jonathan his son, and the people present with them remained in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines encamped in Michmash. Then raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned onto the road to Ophrah to the land of Shuai, another company turned to the road to Beth Horon, and another company turned to the road of the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. (13:16-18)
Now there were no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.” But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man’s plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle; and the charge for a sharpening was a pim for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads.
So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son. (13:19-22) And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass at Michmash (v23).
COMMENTARY
1. While Saul was at Michmash, his son Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines at Geba. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had become an abomination to the Philistines. Jonathan had acted unilaterally and not under Saul’s order when he attacked the Philistines, but Saul took credit for his son’s victory.
Saul withdrew his army to Gilgal according to Samuel’s instruction at his anointing. Samuel had instructed Saul, ‘You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do.” (10:8)
2. The Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, 30000 chariots, 6000 horsemen and people as the sand on the seashore in multitude. They encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-Aven.
When the men of Israel saw that they were in great danger, they were distressed and hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes and in pits. Some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
Saul was still in Gilgal, and the people followed him trembling. He waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal and the people were scattered from Saul. So Saul had a burnt offering and peace offerings brought to him, and he offered the burnt offering.
As soon as he finished presenting the burnt offering, Samuel came. Saul went out to meet him that he might greet him. Samuel asked Saul, “What have you done?” Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering (v5-12). Variably Saul intruded into the duty of priests in presenting the burnt sacrifice.
3. Samuel rebuked Saul, saying, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.” (v 13-14) The man after the heart of the LORD whom He had commanded to be commander over His people was David the son of Jesse (Ps. 89:20, Acts 13:22).
4. There was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.” The Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares and mattocks, forks and axes. So it came about on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son (v19-22).
In chapter 17, David fought with Goliath the champion of the Philistines, going out with a sling and five stones. He said to Goliath, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” and “This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you…….Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.” (17:45-47)
TEACHINGS
1. Respect the office of the anointed ministers of the church and never intrude into the holy duties which the Lord Jesus Christ has appointed for them to perform (Heb. 13:17).
Never intrude into the office or duties of the anointed priests to make offerings of burnt sacrifices for whatever reasons or in any circumstance. Saul presented the burnt offering when Samuel did not come within the appointed time of seven days. He said that the people were scattered from him and that the Philistines encamped at Michmash would come down on him at Gilgal, also he had not made supplication to the LORD. He was compelled to make the burnt offering.
Saul did not keep the commandment which the LORD commanded him. The consequence was that his kingdom over Israel did not continue forever but was taken away and given to David a man after the heart of the LORD (Ps. 89:20; Acts 13:22).
2. Employ the gifts and strength that the Lord Jesus bestows upon us to serve Him (I Pet. 4:10-11).
Fight the good fight of the faith with weapons that are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, that is, the word of truth and the Holy Spirit (II Cor. 10:3-4).
Only Saul and Jonathan had weapons in their hands to fight against the Philistines but the people had not. Yet Jonathan and his armour bearer killed twenty of the enemies because he trusted the LORD. Jonathan said, “For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.” (I Sam. 14:6-14)