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Summarized Bible Commentary

1 Samuel 13:1-23

Contents: The self-will of Saul. He intrudes into the priests office. His divine rejection announced.

Characters: God, Samuel, Saul, Jonathan.

Conclusion: Some lay great stress upon the external performances of religion, thinking thereby to excuse their ignorance of God Himself. Though enemies press, we are powerless to engage them without God Himself. We will make progress if we wait upon Him and become assured of divine power.

Key Word: Disobedience, 1 Samuel 13:13.

Strong Verses: 1 Samuel 13:14.

Striking Facts: 1 Samuel 13:11. Scoffers of the latter days think the promise of Christ's return is broken because He does not come in their time, though it is certain that He will come «in such an hour as we think not.»

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See also 1 Samuel 13:1-23 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XIII _Saul chooses a body of troops_, 1, 2. _Jonathan smites a garrison of the Philistines_, 3, 4. _The Philistines gather together an immense host against Israel_, 5. _The Israelites are...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    The text of this verse, omitted by the Septuagint, is held to be corrupt, and the numerals denoting Saul’s age at his accession as well as the duration of his reign, are thought to be omitted or fault...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    6. THE FIRST FAILURE OF SAUL AND ITS RESULTS CHAPTER 13 _ 1. The failure of Saul (1 Samuel 13:1)_ 2. Samuel's sentence (1 Samuel 13:10) 3. Israel's deplorable condition (1 Samuel 13:15)

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 SAMUEL 13, 14. SAUL'S EARLY STRUGGLES WITH THE PHILISTINES. (J), chiefly from the ancient narrative concerning Saul. Editorial notes, or additions from other sources, are 1 Samuel 13:1; 1 Samuel 7_...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    1 Samuel 13:1-7. Revolt of the Israelites under Saul from the Philistines 1. _Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel_ The Hebrew cannot be thus translated. It is the comm...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    SAUL REIGNED ONE YEAR, &C.— The Hebrew here literally is, _Saul was the son of a year, and he reigned two years._ A passage which almost all the versions render differently, and upon which the comm en...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE REIGN OF SAUL. 1 Samuel 13:1 to 1 Samuel 31:13 The early days of Saul's reign, 1 Samuel 13:1 to 1 Samuel 14:52. Saul's Campaign Aga

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _SAUL REIGNED ONE YEAR; AND WHEN HE HAD REIGNED TWO YEARS OVER ISRAEL,_ Saul reigned one year - literally, a son of a year (was) Saul in 'reigning;' i:e., he had been a king for a year. The transacti...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    13:1 ... (e-3) Critics in general suppose a hiatus, from the difficulty there is in translating the present text, which would mean, 'Saul was a year old when he became king.' The whole verse is wantin...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    SAUL'S WAR AGAINST THE PHILISTINES 1. The age of Saul at his accession has fallen out of the text and also one of the two numbers representing the length of his reign. Our present text is 'Saul was.....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ISRAEL’S FIRST KING 1 SAMUEL _HELEN POCOCK_ CHAPTER 13 JONATHAN ATTACKS THE *PHILISTINES V1 Saul was 30 years old when he became king. He was the king of *Israel for 42 years. V2 Saul chose 300...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SAUL REIGNED ONE YEAR. — The only possible literal translation of the Hebrew of this verse is, “Saul was the son of one year (_i.e.,_ one year old); he began to reign, &c.” In several places in the Bo...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    בֶּן ־שָׁנָ֖ה שָׁא֣וּל בְּ מָלְכֹ֑ו וּ שְׁתֵּ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER XVIII _ SAUL AND SAMUEL AT GILGAL_ 1 Samuel 13:1. THE first thing that claims our attention in connection with this chapter is the question of dates involved in the first verse. In the Autho...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    SAUL'S FIRST ACT OF FOLLY 1 Samuel 13:1 The story of a great tragedy! Here was the overcasting of a bright sunrise. The king was certainly subjected to a tremendous test. He had been bidden to wait u...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    There is some difficulty concerning the opening sentences of this chapter. Some words seem to be omitted, which make it difficult to place the events recorded in their chronological setting. The Autho...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Saul reigned (a) one year; and when he had reigned (b) two years over Israel, (a) While these things were done. (b) Before he took upon himself the state of a king....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Of one year. That is, he was good, and like an innocent child, and for two years continued in that innocency. (Challoner) (St. Gregory) (Worthington) --- Israel. This verse is omitted in some copies o...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS In this Chapter the history of Saul's reign opens, and a sad opening of it is recorded. He is invaded by foes from abroad, and disorders at home, His subjects desert him, and the enemy advanc...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have already seen that the desire and deliberate decision of the people for a king was a direct blow at the government of God in Israel; but the time was come to permit the will of the people to ha...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE END OF A YOUNG MAN OF PROMISE_ ‘Saul reigned.’ 1 Samuel 13:1 We know little of Saul except as king. I propose to speak about his history and his character. It seems to me fitting to take for o...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Saul reigns two years. He then selects three thousand men: two thousand are with him, and one with Jonathan. Jonathan, a man of faith, acts with energy against the enemies of God's people, and smites...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    SAUL REIGNED ONE YEAR,.... "Or the son of a year in his reigning" s; various are the senses given of these words: some interpret them, Saul had a son of a year old when he began to reign, Ishbosheth,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, Ver. 1. _Saul reigned one year,_] _i.e., _ Well and orderly; he reigned the two first years, till he was rejected of God, and ber...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Sauls selected band. 3 Hee calleth the Hebrewes to Gilgal against the Philistines, whose garrison Ionathan had smitten. 5 The Philistines great hoste. 6 The distresse of the Israelites. 8 Saul w...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE INVASION OF THE PHILISTINES...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Saul reigned one year, literally, "A son of [probably forty] years was Saul when he became king"; AND WHEN HE HAD REIGNED TWO YEARS OVER ISRAEL (he was king, as nearly as can be estimated, twenty-two...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Hebrew scholars consider that either something is missing from verse 1 in the Hebrew manuscripts or that the whole verse was not originally in the text. After Saul's victory at Jabesh-Gilead he sent m...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    REIGNED ONE YEAR: _ Heb._ the son of one year in his reigning...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-7 Saul reigned one year, and nothing particular happened; but in his second year the events recorded in this chapter took place. For above a year he gave the Philistine time to prepare for war, and...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    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: th...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Samuel 13:1 Saul H7586 reigned H4427 (H8800) one H1121 year H8141 reigned H4427 (H8804) two H8147 years...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Samuel 13:1. _One year two years._ The Seventy have not translated this verse. Something is wanting to fill up the sense; and it is supposed to be, that Saul was so many years of age when he began t...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel._ THE WAR OF INDEPENDENCE The sacred historian prefaces the account of the War of Independence with a statement as to Saul’s age...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1 SAMUEL 13:1 In preparing for battle, Saul disobeys God’s commands given through Samuel. God cannot endure such a king over Israel. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    1 Samuel 13:1. A literal rendering of the Hebrew text in this verse would stand thus—_Saul was years old when he began to reign, and he reigned, and two years over Israel_. The Hebrew numerals have ev...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    SAUL'S PROBATION AND FAILURE (CHS. 13-15.). EXPOSITION WAR AGAINST THE PHILISTINES (verse 1-14:46). 1 SAMUEL 13:1 Saul's age and length of reign. SAUL REIGNED ONE YEAR. This verse lit

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now Saul reigned for one year over Israel; and in the second year of his reign, He chose three thousand men of Israel; and he took two thousand under his command in Michmash and a thousand were given...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Exodus 12:5; Micah 6:6...

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    What is the correct number in this verse? PROBLEM: Among the several translations of the OT, 1 Samuel 13:1 is rendered as “one year” in the NKJV, by “forty” in the NASB, by “thirty” for the first num...

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