1 Samuel 13:1-23
1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba,a and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followedb him trembling.
8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salutec him.
11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were presentd with him, about six hundred men.
16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were presente with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17 And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:
18 And another company turned the way to Bethhoron: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
21 Yet they had a filef for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
23 And the garrisong of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
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 most of his army home, but chose 3000 from among them, 2000 to remain with him and 1000 to be under the leadership of his son Jonathan. The case of Jabesh-Gilead was a one time matter quickly accomplished, though there had been no previous organization. But a standing army would require capable organization. Saul confined this likely so as not to attract too much attention from the Philistines who were at this time strong enough to consider Israel virtually under their domination.
Immediately we hear of Jonathan, however, he is seen attacking a garrison of the Philistines. His faith stands in refreshing contrast to his father's rationalizing and indecision. Typically the Philistines speak of mere formal religion, a form of godliness with no spiritual power. Can faith submit to this? Certainly not. But of course Jonathan's action awakened the displeasure of the Philistines. Saul, however, who had not the faith to initiate this, blew the trumpet to inform Israel: he is ready to take advantage of Jonathan's faith to the extant that Israel understood that it was Saul who had taken the action. Israel then gathers to Saul in Gilgal, while the Philistines gather a great army that would seem invincible by its very size. Today too we know that formal religion gains multitudes in contrast to the few who claim Christ as their Center. Yet Jonathan had not been afraid to attack this formidable foe. It seems amazing that they could gather 30,000 chariots, six thousand horsemen and footmen virtually unnumbered.
This array strikes fear into the hearts of the men of Israel, and they seek every possible hiding place, whether caves, thickets rocks, high places or pits. Why should the faith of God's people be so weakened because of being outnumbered? "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). Would faith not cry to God in firm confidence? Some of Israel even deserted their own land, choosing to cross the Jordan to avoid possible conflict. Let us remember that God does not provide us with armour for our backs! (Ephesians 6:11). Those who remained with Saul did so trembling! Yet there was the courage to follow in spite of fear.
Samuel had told Saul to wait for him at Gilgal for seven days -- "till I come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings" (ch.10:8). Saul waited just the seven days, then instead of depending on the word of Samuel, took matters into his own hands and offered a burnt offering. Samuel arrived just as he had finished sacrificing.
Samuel's question, "What hast thou done?" seems to indicate that he realized something was amiss. Saul's answer, however, is prefaced by rationalistic excuses. He was alarmed because the people were being scattered while the Philistines were gathering ready for battle, and that Samuel had not arrived more quickly. He realized that if the Philistines attacked he would need the help of God; but instead of simply asking God's direction as to this matter, he says, "I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering." He ignored any thought of HEART DEPENDENCE on God, but forced himself to resort to the outward formality of worshipping God, as though that would be of some magical value. Such is man in the flesh: he recognizes nothing but formalism in the worship of God and thinks he is honoring God while disobeying His plain word.
Samuel solemnly reproves this disobedience, telling Saul that he had done foolishly; for certainly at any time disobeying God's commands is foolishness. The issue is deeply serious. If Saul had simply obeyed, his kingdom would have been permanently established; but his disobedience to God settled the fact that his kingdom would not continue. So soon after the beginning of his reign Saul is forewarned that the Lord has sought a man after His own heart, to make him captain over His people. This refers directly to David, as we see in Chapter 16; but it is typical of the fact that the kingdoms of men must all be set aside by God, who will eventually bring in the Man after His own heart, the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone can be trusted with the responsibility of reigning fully for God.
Though God had given sentence that Saul was to lose his kingship, yet he was not deposed immediately: he was allowed to remain for some years in the place of rule. In fact, David was not yet pointed out as the man to succeed him: this awaited Chapter 16 where David was anointed, though not reigning for some time.
Samuel then left Saul, going to Gibeah, and Saul is seen now to have only six hundred men, over two-thirds depleted from the former number. Vastly outnumbered by the Philistines, he has no heart whatever to proceed to the attack. The Philistines, on the other hand, do not seem inclined to attack Saul, but use maneuvers evidently intended to intimidate Israel without direct confrontation three companies of "spoilers" came from their camp, going in different directions, evidently to plunder the villages of Israel. Saul's army was no protection for these oppressed people: the Philistines had them at their mercy while Saul was trembling under a threat of an attack by the camp of the Philistines.
A major complication also was that the Philistines had deprived Israel of metal workers, so that Israel's army had no swords or spears. Even to sharpen their farm implements they had to go to the Philistines, except for those that could be sharpened with a file. There is of course a serious spiritual lesson in this. Mere formalistic religion will always deprive us of any true spiritual defense. Forms are substituted for the pure truth of God, "the sword of the Spirit", and in this case the people of God are left powerless. In the day of battle, therefore, only the two leaders, Saul and Jonathan, possessed weapons. How similar to formalistic religion! Only clergymen are expected to have any knowledge of the Word of God. The laity depend on the clergy to interpret the Bible for them, so that they can only follow blindly and helplessly, having no clear grasp of the Word of God for themselves. They are virtually under the domination of the Philistines.