1 SAMUEL CHAPTER 13 Saul and Jonathan's select band. Jonathan smiteth the garrison of the Philistines at Gibeah: the people are called together at Gilgal, 1 SAMUEL 13:1. The Philistines great host: the Israelites run into caves; and tremble, 1 SAMUEL 13:5. Saul offereth before Samuel cometh to him;... [ Continue Reading ]
SAUL CHOSE, Heb. _and_ (i.e. then, as that adverb is oft used, as GENESIS 3:5, GENESIS 18:10, &c.) SAUL CHOSE. THREE THOUSAND MEN OF ISRAEL; which he thought sufficient for constant attendance and service, intending to summon the rest when need should be. MICHMASH; a tract of ground near Ramah and B... [ Continue Reading ]
The first design of Saul and Jonathan was to free then land from the garrisons which the Philistines had in it; and they first begin to clear their own country of Benjamin. GEBA; not the same place called Gibeah, 1 SAMUEL 13:2, (for if the place were the same, why should he vary the name of it in th... [ Continue Reading ]
SAUL HAD SMITTEN, i.e. Jonathan by Saul's direction and encouragement. The actions of an army are commonly ascribed to their general. GILGAL; the place before appointed b Samuel, 1 SAMUEL 10:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIRTY THOUSAND CHARIOTS: this number seems incredible to infidels; to whom it may be sufficient to reply, that it is far more rational to acknowledge a mistake in him that copied out the sacred text in such numeral or historical passages, wherein the doctrine of faith and good life is not directly... [ Continue Reading ]
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 all carnal confidence in men; and that they did not one jot less need the help and favour of God now than they did b... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE PEOPLE, to wit, his whole army, opposed to the common people, 1 SAMUEL 13:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
SEVEN DAYS; not seven complete days; for that the last day was not finished plainly appears from Samuel's reproof, which had then been groundless and absurd, and he had falsely charged Saul with breaking God's command therein, 1 SAMUEL 13:13. And as Samuel came on the seventh day, and that with inte... [ Continue Reading ]
Either himself; or rather by the priest, as Solomon is said to offer, 1 KINGS 3:4. Compare 1 SAMUEL 1:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, SAMUEL CAME, i.e. it was told Saul, Behold, Samuel is coming. SALUTE HIM, i.e. congratulate his coming. This he did, partly out of custom; and partly, that by this testimony of his affection and respect to Samuel, he might prevent that rebuke which his guilty conscience made him expect.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT HAST THOU DONE? he suspected that Saul had transgressed, either by his dejected countenance, or some words uttered by him, though not here expressed; but he asks him, that he might be more fitly and certainly informed, and that Saul might be brought to an ingenuous confession of his sin, and tr... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE NOT MADE SUPPLICATION TO THE LORD; hence it appears that sacrifices were accompanied with solemn prayers. I FORCED MYSELF; I did it against my own mind and inclination. My conscience told me I should forbear it, and punctually obey God's command delivered to me by Samuel, but my necessity urg... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST DONE FOOLISHLY in that very thing wherein thou thinkest thou hast done wisely and politicly, in disobeying my express command upon a pretended necessity, or reason of state. THE LORD THY GOD; not only upon common grounds, as thou art his creature, and one of his people; but in a special ma... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH SOUGHT, i.e. hath found or discovered, as men do by seeking, an anthropopathy. A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART, i.e. such a man as he desires, one who will fulfil all the desires of his heart, and not oppose them, as thou dost. HATH COMMANDED, i.e. hath appointed or decreed, as the word _command_ is... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO GIBEAH OF BENJAMIN; whither Saul also followed him, as appears from the next verse; either because it was better fortified than Gilgal; or because he expected a greater increase of his army there, it being in his own tribe, and nearer the heart of his kingdom; or because he hoped for Samuel's a... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THREE COMPANIES; that they might march several ways, and so waste several parts of the country. OPHRAH; a city of Benjamin, JOSHUA 18:23, south-west from Michmash.... [ Continue Reading ]
BETH-BORON; a city of Ephraim, JOSHUA 16:3. north-west from Michmash. THE WILDERNESS, i.e. the wilderness of Jordan, eastward.... [ Continue Reading ]
This was a politic course of the Philistines, which also other nations have used. So the Chaldeans took away their smiths, 2 KINGS 24:14 JEREMIAH 24:1, JEREMIAH 30:2; and Porsenna obliged the Romans by covenant, that they should use no iron but in the tillage of their lands.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE PHILISTINES; not to the land of the Philistines, for it is not said so, and that was too remote; but to the stations and garrisons which the Philistines yet retained in several parts of Israel's land, though Samuel's authority had so far overawed them, that they durst not give the Israelites... [ Continue Reading ]
So the sense is, They allowed them some small helps to make their mattocks, and in some sort to serve their present use. But these words may be otherwise translated, and are so by some learned, both ancient and modern, translators: thus, _Therefore the mouths or edges of the mattocks a coulters_, &.... [ Continue Reading ]
QUEST. How could the Israelites smite either the garrison of the Philistines, above, 1 SAMUEL 13:3, or the host of the Ammonites, 1 SAMUEL 11:11, without arms? And when they had conquered them, why did they not take away their arms, and reserve them to their own use? ANSW. 1. This want of swords and... [ Continue Reading ]
A place so called, because it was near to Michmash, and led towards Gibeah, which, it seems, they designed to besiege, and in the mean time to waste the adjoining country.... [ Continue Reading ]