1 Samuel 13
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
1 Samuel 13
NJB (MT versing) War with the Philistines Saul's Unlawful Sacrifice Saul Begins the War with the Philistines War Against the Philistines Revolt Against the Philistines 13:1 13:1-4 13:1 13:1-2 13:1-2 13:2-4 13:2-4 13:3-4 13:3-7a 13:5-7 13:5-7 13:5-7 13:5-7a Samuel Breaks with Saul 13:7b-11a 13:7b-15a Saul's Ritual Sin and Rejection by God 13:8-14 13:8-15 13:8-15c Continuation of the Philistine War 13:11b-12 (13:15b-14:52) 13:13-14 13:15-18 13:15d-18 13:15-18 13:15b-d No Weapons for the Army Preparations for Battle 13:16-18 13:16-18 13:19-23 13:19-23 13:19-22 13:19-22 13:19-22 13:23 13:23 13:23 Etc.
1 Samuel 13:1
13:1 The MT has "Saul (was). . .years old when he became king and he was king over Israel two years." The UBS Text Project, p. 171, gives this an "A" rating but obviously a defective text. Other translations add different numbers. "40. . .32" "1. . .2" "30. . .22" "30. . .40" "1 or 2" This verse is missing in the LXX. JPSOA assumes that the MT has lost two numbers. Saul's age at coronation how long he reigned; it was some number plus "2," as NASB's "32" or REB's "22" Paul (quoting Jewish tradition, i.e., Josephus) gives the length of Saul's reign as "40 years" (cf. Acts 13:21).
1 Samuel 13:2-4
13:2 These were to be Israel's standing army, the rest were volunteers when needed. ▣ "to his tent" This was an idiom for "return home." It went back to the Exodus and Conquest period, or even before, in the Patriarchal Period. 13:3 Saul starts a war with the Philistines. He signals all Israel to muster to him for battle. SPECIAL TOPIC: HORNS USED BY ISRAEL 13:4 NASB, NRSV "odious" "an abomination" "hated" "antagonized" "offensive" "incurred the wrath of" "shame" "prevailed over" The MT has the VERB (BDB 92, KB 107, Niphal PERFECT, NIDOTTE, vol. 1, pp. 580-581), which means "to smell bad" or "stink" (cf. 2 Sam. 10:6; 16:21). The Peshitta translates it as parallel to the earlier VERB "had smitten" (BDB 645, KB 697, Hiphil PERFECT) but no ancient text supports this. Remember, the MT is not the original text.
1 Samuel 13:5-7
13:5 Notice how the Philistine army is contrasted to Saul's army (v. 2). 30,000 chariots (LXX and NJB, 3,000; some scholars suggest 300) 6,000 calvary foot soldiers like the sand on the seashore (cf. Josh. 11:4; Jdgs. 7:12; 2 Sam. 17:11) ▣ "chariot" See SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARIOTS. 13:6-7 Israel reacted by hiding in caves hiding in thickets hiding in cliffs hiding in cellars hiding in pits running away to Gad running away to Gilead Josephus (Antiq. 6.6.1) says most of the Israelites fled across the Jordan to the tribal lands of Gad and Reuben.
1 Samuel 13:8-14
13:8 Saul was to wait for Samuel seven days (cf. 1 Sam. 10:8). 13:11 "What have you done?" The problem was twofold. did not obey Samuel's (i.e., YHWH's) word (v. 13) offered a sacrifice when he was not authorized (cf. 2 Chr. 26:18) He surely had good reason based on the situation but it showed a lack of faith in YHWH. 13:12 NASB, NRSV, JPSOA "So I forced myself" NKJV, TEV, REB "I felt compelled" "I felt obligated" "I ventured" The MT has the VERB (BDB 67, KB 80 II, Hiphil IMPERFECT with waw) which denotes someone who restrains oneself feels compelled This is Saul's first of many excuses why he disobeyed YHWH's expressed will. 13:13 "You have acted foolishly" This VERB (BDB 698, KB 754, Niphal PERFECT) in the Niphal stem is also used in 2 Chr. 16:9). SPECIAL TOPIC: FOOLISH PEOPLE (terms) 13:14 This is the first of several reasons why Saul is rejected as king. disobedient to YHWH's word through Samuel disobedient to YHWH by offering a sacrifice disobedient by not killing all of the Amalekites and their flocks (1 Samuel 15) slaughter of the priests at Nob (1 Samuel 22) seeking direction from the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28) ▣ YHWH was seeking a king who was obedient to His commands. A man with a "whole heart" (cf. Acts 13:22). When one reads the life of David, this surely does not mean "sinless" or "without faithless acts"!
1 Samuel 13:19-23
13:19-22 This clearly shows the superior metallurgical knowledge of the Philistines. They had "blacksmiths" (BDB 360) but Israel had none (1 Sam. 13:22); only Saul and Jonathan had an iron weapon. 13:20 All of Israel's agricultural implements had to be sharpened by Philistines. plowshares (BDB 361) mattock (BDB 88 III) axe (BDB 899) goad (BDB 201) forks (BDB 887, v. 21) 13:21 "had to sharpen the edge" NKJV, REB, JPSOA "the charge for sharpening" NRSV, TEV "for sharpening" "price. . .for sharpening" KJV, Peshitta "a broad file" The MT has a FEMININE NOUN, which occurs only here. Its meaning is uncertain KB 954 ‒ "charge," "fee" BDB 823 ‒ "bluntness" (NASB) The next word (see next item) supports #1. ▣ — omitted — NKJV, JPSOA, RSV "pim" NRSV, NJB, REB "two-thirds of a shekel" "one small coin" "three shekels" The word in the MT (BDB 804, KB 921) is found only here. The root appears on some stones used for commerce scales in Canaan. The weight of these stones equals about "two-thirds" of a shekel. The KB calls the root letters (KB 922 II) "thin plate of metal" (cf. Exod. 39:3; Num. 17:3). Here, it seems to refer to the price the Philistine smiths charged to sharpen the Israeli agricultural implements. The NET footnote suggests the root may mean "price" and not the specific weight or cost of the service. Apparently the Philistine smiths charged a large sum!