Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 13:12

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.

1Sa 13:12

I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

The right and the wrong of Sauls conduct

I forced myself therefore; could not help it; my poverty but not my will consents. This not tenable in Christian morality. (Rom 12:1-21 fin.; 1Co 10:13.) The prophet was mouthpiece of Divine law: the king its administrator and executor. Prophet superior to king in respect of religious observances. Sauls difficulty continually recurs, plain commands of God not to be slighted or disobeyed for less plain ones. In this incident we find something right in Saul, and something wrong.

I. Where Saul was right. He was in great distress, and felt need of Divine aid. (Psa 60:11.) He was for seeking it in ordinances appointed. Christs sacrifice on cross our great peace offering, to be presented in faithful, intelligent prayer. (St. Joh 14:6 fin.) Do not stay at a mere dull, diffused sense of wanting pardon. So, if need enlightenment, seek it in Holy Scripture (St. Joh 5:39); if spiritual refreshment, at Holy Communion. Ordinances have their proper value, rightly used. Thus Saul was right.

II. Where Saul was wrong. Elements of his fault: Want of faith; contrast Gideon (Isa 28:16); superstition as to sacrifice. Nowadays, many value ordinance of religion quite independently of state of heart in the person using it. Saul relied on the form only. Sacrifice must be offered! No! It is not the objective but the subjective that is of highest importance; the formal is useless without the spiritual. Heart first. (Isa 1:10-20; Jam 4:3; St. Joh 4:24; Psa 51:9-10.) Saul misapprehended the object and effect of religious ordinances. It is not the thing done, but the obedient spirit of the doer which obtains. (Psa 50:18.) No mechanical influence upon God by prayer, etc. Ordinances are not charms, but channels of grace when rightly used. Therefore Saul disobeyed. Sin never necessary. Contrary notion arises from cowardice, or from superstition, or from some other want of intelligence Since Sauls fault was superstitious distrustfulness, seek from Holy Spirit an intelligent reliance on the general promises of God, and an intelligent obedience to the plain commands. (Cornelius Witherby, M. A.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 12. I forced myself] It was with great reluctance that I did what I did. In all this Saul was sincere, but ha was rash, and regardless of the precept of the Lord, which precept or command he most evidently had received, 1Sa 13:13. And one part of this precept was, that the Lord should tell him what he should do. Without this information, in an affair under the immediate cognizance of God, he should have taken no step.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

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 Gods command delivered to me by Samuel, but my necessity urged me to make haste.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Therefore said I….. That is, within himself:

the Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal; on a sudden, unprepared for them, especially in a religious way:

and I have not made supplication to the Lord; for his direction and assistance, and for success in the war; which it seems went along with sacrifices, or was implied in them:

I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering; it was reluctant to him, it was against his will as well as the command of Samuel, to offer before he came, he suggests; but such were the circumstances he was in, that he was obliged to it; these are the reasons or excuses he made, and some of them have a specious appearance in them.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

12. I forced myself I did violence to my conscience, and with great reluctance did this act. But all his apology is very feeble in the face of a broken commandment, and of the most plain and solemn counsels of his great spiritual father.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1Sa 13:12 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.

Ver. 12. And I have not made supplication unto the Lord. ] Saul dared not enter the battle without this armour: but the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord, Pro 15:8 how much more when it is brought with an evil heart! Pro 21:27 But the devil had taught the Athenians also when they began the battle to cry out Io Paean, which is the same in force as Jehovahpeneh, that is, Lord look upon us. And it is storied of Pausanias, king of Sparta, that when he fought against the Persians at Platea, he would not suffer a blow to be given till he had sacrificed, and had an auspicious answer. a

I forced myself therefore. ] Or, I restrained or contained myself: sc., till I could no longer forbear. Here was a plausible pretence: hypocrisy needeth not to be taught to tell her own tale: but God is not mocked. Deus est sapiens nummularius, saith a father. b

a Macrob.

b Nummum fictum non recipiet. – Bern.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)