Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 13:15
And Samuel arose, and got him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people [that were] present with him, about six hundred men.
15 18. The Philistine invasion
15. And Samuel arose ] The Sept. has a fuller text, which gives the connexion more clearly thus; “And Samuel arose and departed from Gilgal. And the remnant of the people went up after Saul to join the men of war [or, to the battle after the men of war]: and when they were come from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin, Saul numbered, &c.” After Samuel’s departure Saul marched up and effected a junction with Jonathan at Gibeah or Geba.
about six hundred men ] Cp. 1Sa 14:2. Saul’s precipitate action failed to produce the desired result of holding the army together.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Samuel arose – Saul could not return to his own station at Michmash, seeing it was occupied by the Philistines; so, perhaps by Samuels advice (since, according to the text, he preceded him there), he effected a junction with Jonathan at Gibeah. Some would read Saul instead of Samuel.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. And Samuel arose] Though David, in the Divine purpose, is appointed to be captain over the people, yet Saul is not to be removed from the government during his life; Samuel therefore accompanies him to Gibeah, to give him the requisite help in this conjuncture.
About six hundred men.] The whole of the Israelitish army at this time, and not one sword or spear among them!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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 Samuels assistance there.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15, 16. Samuel . . . gat him . . .unto Gibeah . . . and Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people thatwere present with them, abode in GibeahSaul removed his campthither, either in the hope that, it being his native town, he wouldgain an increase of followers or that he might enjoy the counsels andinfluence of the prophet.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Samuel arose,…. Seemingly in wrath and displeasure, not staying to offer up the peace offerings which remained; and though no mention is made of Saul’s going with him, yet it seems as if he did, or at least quickly followed him, as appears from the next verse:
and got him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin; the native place of Saul, thereby directing Saul where he should go, and which might be a stronger place than Gilgal; or however where he might expect to be joined by more persons of his own tribe, as well as in the first place protect and defend that; and it looks by Samuel’s going thither, though he was displeased with Saul, yet that he did not intend to forsake him directly and entirely:
and Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men: which was done either before he left Gilgal, or as soon as he came to Gibeah; so great a desertion was there from him, that of the 3000 first chosen by him, and of the people after called and gathered to him at Gilgal, only six hundred remained with him; a small number indeed to encounter so large an army the Philistines had brought into the field, and which therefore Saul could not face.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The Israelites’ Low Condition. | B. C. 1067. |
15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present 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 Beth-horon: 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 file 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 garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
Here, 1. Samuel departs in displeasure. Saul has set up for himself, and now he is left to himself: Samuel gat him from Gilgal (v. 15), and it does not appear that he either prayed with Saul or directed him. Yet in going up to Gibeah of Benjamin, which was Saul’s city, he intimated that he had not quite abandoned him, but waited to do him a kindness another time. Or he went to the college of the prophets there, to pray for Saul when he did not think fit to pray with him. 2. Saul goes after him to Gibeah, and there musters his army, and finds his whole number to be but 600 men, 1Sa 13:15; 1Sa 13:16. Thus were they for their sin diminished and brought low. 3. The Philistines ravage the country, and put all the adjacent parts under contribution. The body of their army, or standing camp (as it is called in the margin, v. 23), lay in an advantageous pass at Michmash, but thence they sent out three separate parties or detachments that took several ways, to plunder the country, and bring in provisions for the army, 1Sa 13:17; 1Sa 13:18. By these the land of Israel was both terrified and impoverished, and the Philistines were animated and enriched. This the sin of Israel brought upon them, Isa. xlii. 24. 4. The Israelites that take the field with Saul are unarmed, having only slings and clubs, not a sword or spear among them all, except what Saul and Jonathan themselves have, 1Sa 13:19; 1Sa 13:22. See here, (1.) How politic the Philistines were, when they had power in their hands, and did what they pleased in Israel. They put down all the smiths’ shops, transplanted the smiths into their own country, and forbade any Israelite, under severe penalties, to exercise the trade or mystery of working in brass or iron, though they had rich mines of both (Deut. viii. 9) in such plenty that it was said of Asher, his shoes shall be iron and brass, Deut. xxxiii. 25. This was subtilely done of the Philistines, for hereby they not only prevented the people of Israel from making themselves weapons of war (by which they would be both disused to military exercises and unfurnished when there was occasion), but obliged them to a dependence upon them even for the instruments of husbandry; they must go to them, that is, to some or other of their garrisons, which were dispersed in the country, to have all their iron-work done, and no more might an Israelite do than use a file (1Sa 13:20; 1Sa 13:21), and no doubt the Philistines’ smiths brought the Israelites long bills for work done. (2.) How impolitic Saul was, that did not, in the beginning of his reign, set himself to redress this grievance. Samuel’s not doing it was very excusable; he fought with other artillery; thunder and lightning, in answer to his prayer, were to him instead of sword and spear; but for Saul, that pretended to be a king like the kings of the nations, to leave his soldiers without swords and spears, and take no care to provide them, especially when he might have done it out of the spoils of the Ammonites whom he conquered in the beginning of his reign, was such a piece of negligence as could by no means be excused. (3.) How slothful and mean-spirited the Israelites were, that suffered the Philistines thus to impose upon them and had no thought nor spirit to help themselves. It was reckoned very bad with them when there was not a shield or spear found among 40,000 in Israel (Judg. v. 8), and it was not better now, when there was never an Israelite with a sword by his side but the king and his son, never a soldier, never a gentleman; surely they were reduced to this, or began to be so, in Samuel’s time, for we never find him with sword or spear in his hand. If they had not been dispirited, they could not have been disarmed, but it was sin that made them naked to their shame.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Israel Grows Weaker, vs. 15-23
When Samuel left the scene of meeting with Saul he moved toward the place of action, where the Philistines were encamped, stopping off at Gibeah where Saul had his men. It is not revealed what his part was in the ensuing battle, however. Both Saul and Jonathan were then in Gibeah, and the three thousand men of their armies had dwindled to only six hundred. The camp of the Philistines at Michmash was about ten straight-line miles from Gibeah.
The Philistines had a huge army to support, and they sent out three companies of “spoilers” to forage off the land, thus destroying the crops and herds of the Israelites. One of the Philistine companies turned north toward Ophrah in the tribe of Manasseh west, the second west toward Beth-boron, and the third each toward Zeboim and the Jordan valley. No doubt the country where they came was utterly ruined, and the people left destitute. It was a terrible time.
Verse 19 introduces another condition then existent as a result of the Philistine oppression. The Philistines had deprived Israel of its smiths, so that there was none to forge their weapons or tools. This was a move to keep the Israelites from arming themselves, doubtless, but they were also compelled to carry their farm implements and tools down to the Philistine cities to have them repaired or sharpened. The share is now thought to have been a small hoe or spade, the coulter was what is today known as a plow-share, the mattock was a kind of pick-ax or grubbing hoe, the fork a pitchfork for haying, while the goad was an instrument sharpened on one end to goad the ox and guide him and flat on the other end to scrape the caked soil from the plow, the axe was the cutting instrument still known by that name. The best the Israelites had was a file to do simple sharpening of what weapons or implements they had.
Of the entire force of men under the king and his son they two alone had a sword and spear. Israel was in a very poor situation, and it was growing worse. It should have been apparent that the Lord alone could help them. Meanwhile the Philistine garrison at Michmash was maneuvering itself to attack the Israelites.
From this chapter should be learned 1) God’s people need to understand that their hope of success against the enemy is in Him alone; 2) the opposition of the world and Satan will always look formidable and frightening, but God’s people ought not to flee from the conflict; 3) there are no situations where God’s people are justified in disobeying His commands for what seems to be expedient to them; 4) the longer one waits for strength in himself the weaker he becomes and the less likely to succeed.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(15) And Samuel arose.Although the close union between the prophet and the king was thus disturbed by the unhappy self-willed conduct of Saul, by which he virtually threw away the power which had been conferred on him, still Samuel does not as yet break off friendly relations with Saul. Perhaps the noble old man still hoped that the brilliant and gallant king would recognise his fatal error.
From Gilgal, we read, Samuel passed to Gibeah of Benjamin, the home of Saul: there, no doubt, he took counsel with and encouraged Jonathan, who was stationed there, and whose splendid gallantry was soon after to be called into action again.
And Saul numbered the people.The disobedience of Saul had availed nothing. Instead of being able to lead a host against the Philistine army, the camp of Israel became deserted. Even his small division of regulars seems to have melted away; only six hundred answered to the despairing kings roll-call. It would seem as though the Divine punishment had begun already.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. About six hundred men Alas! Whither had gone the two thousand select warriors that were with him on the heights of Michmash? Fled to the thickets and the caves. Ammonites they can boldly fight and conquer; but when the Philistines threaten with numbers as the sand of the sea, their memory is filled with past oppressions, and they cower and tremble at the thoughts of battle.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Events Subsequent To Saul’s Disobedience ( 1Sa 13:15-18 ).
We should note that God in His mercy did not desert Israel. He would at this time still give them the means of driving out the Philistines for the time being, but in the event it would only be to a limited extent because of the failures of Saul. Here we have described for us the initial movements towards that end.
1Sa 13:15
‘ And Samuel arose, and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.’
The impression we have is that Samuel has now left Saul on his own. He has left Gilgal and made for Gibeah of Benjamin, and is no more heard of in 1 Samuel 13-14. However, his being in Gibeah does indicate that he is still available as a last resort, for Gibeah is Saul’s home town, not Samuel’s. It is in clear contrast with 1Sa 15:34 where Samuel returns to Ramah and sees Saul’s face no more. So while Saul is now left to see to his own affairs there is still a chink of light for him. He is not totally deserted. (If only he had known how to repent like David did all might have been made well. But that was foreign to Saul, and he chose rather to trust in ‘the Priest’ – 1Sa 14:3).
Meanwhile Saul has counted up what was left of his army and it has come to six hundred men. This may indicate that even many of his standing army (1Sa 13:2) had deserted him and were hiding in the hills, or it may simply mean that the three ‘units’ of 1Sa 13:2 are to be seen as consisting of two hundred men per unit.
1Sa 13:16
‘ And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.’
With his six hundred men Saul, along with Jonathan, made camp in Geba because the Philistines were in Michmash. This meant that the position in 1Sa 13:2-3 was now reversed. The two sites were separated by a deep ravine and each was observable by the other, although neither could easily reach the other. Saul had to be constantly on the move in this way because his army was not strong enough to meet the Philistines face to face.
1Sa 13:17-18
‘ And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual; and another company turned to the way to Beth-horon; and another company turned to the way of the border which looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.’
Meanwhile the Philistines went out looking for spoil, but Saul’s force was not strong enough to be able to do anything about it, and thus all he and his men could do was watch while time and again spoilers came out of their camp and went in three directions seeking booty. One marauding party would regularly take the road that led to Ophrah and the land of Shual. One would take the road to Beth-horon. And the third would take the route to the border road between Judah and Benjamin which looked down on Zeboim. Israel were thus being despoiled. The Philistines’ hope was presumably that by doing this they would draw Saul out of his strong position on Geba. But he knew that such a move would have been folly. While his men were in their strong position at Geba the Philistines could not touch them. Let them be seen to leave their position and they would be lucky if any survived. He had little trust in his ‘host’ hidden in the hills.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
(15) And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. (16) And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
The departure of Samuel from Saul, was a sad presage of ruin. Yet we read of no compunction on the part of Saul. Alas! when men are hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, what awful examples do they afford, of indifferency under the sorest judgments!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 13:15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people [that were] present with him, about six hundred men.
Ver. 15. Unto Gibeah of Benjamin. ] Whither also went Saul and his forces: either with Samuel, or soon after him. For though Samuel had sharply reproved and threatened Saul, yet he would not leave him in that distress. Some think that Samuel therefore went before to Gibeah, where the company of the prophets was, that he might there, together with them, pray to God for Saul’s better success.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gilgal. The Septuagint preserves a Homceoteleuton here, adding after “Gilgal [and the rest of the people went up after Saul to meet the army when they arrived from] Gilgal “; the eye of the scribe going back to this last “Gilgal” instead of to the one in 1Sa 13:15.
present = found.
men. Hebrew. ‘ish. App-14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Samuel: The LXX have, “Samuel arose and went away from Gilgal, and the remainder of the people went up along with the men of war after Samuel from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin.” This is probably the true reading; for it does not appear that Samuel went to Gibeah, which was Saul’s usual residence; and the Hebrew copyist, as Dr. Wall observes, seems to have missed a line, and added to the sentence concerning Samuel, that which ended the sentence concerning Saul. One manuscript instead of Samuel, in the beginning of the sentence, reads Saul.
present: Heb. found
about six: 1Sa 13:2, 1Sa 13:6, 1Sa 13:7, 1Sa 14:2
Reciprocal: Jos 18:28 – Gibeath 1Sa 11:8 – the children 1Sa 15:4 – two 1Sa 19:13 – a pillow 2Ki 13:7 – fifty horsemen
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 13:15-17. Saul numbered the people, about six hundred men A strange alteration since the last year, when, going out against the Ammonites, he had three hundred thousand with him, besides those of Judah, chap. 1Sa 11:6. Saul, and the people, abode in Gibeah This was a strong place, in which they could defend themselves better than in the open field. The spoilers came out, in three companies The Philistines sent out parties three several ways, to ravage the country, there being none to oppose them. This, we find from sundry instances, was the method which the enemies of Israel usually took to distress them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
13:15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto {l} Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people [that were] present with him, about six hundred men.
(l) And went to his city Ramah.