17<\/strong>. the spoilers came out<\/em> ] Lit. the destroyer<\/strong>, the part of the army sent out to harry the country. ( a<\/em>) One band of marauders turned northwards to Ophrah<\/em>, a<\/strong> city of Benjamin (Jos 18:23<\/span>), conjecturally placed by Robinson at et Taiyibeh<\/em>, 4 miles N. E. of Bethel, in the land of Shual<\/em> (= jackal) possibly the same as Shalim<\/em> (1Sa 9:4<\/span>). ( b<\/em>) Another band took a westerly direction to Beth-horon<\/em> (= house of caverns) on the main pass from the hill country of Judaea into the plain of Philistia. ( c<\/em>) A third band went eastwards to “the way of the border,” probably that between Judah and Benjamin, by “ the valley of Zeboim<\/em> ” (Neh 11:34<\/span>) = “the ravine of hyenas,” “towards the wilderness” or uncultivated district between the central district of Benjamin and the Jordan valley. Mr Grove went from Jericho to Michmash up a wild gorge bearing the name Shuk-ed-Dubba<\/em>, or “ravine of the hyena,” the exact Arabic equivalent of “the valley of Zeboim,” and possibly the same. Dict. of Bible<\/em>, iii. 1819.<\/p>\n Southwards, Saul’s camp in Geba protected the country. The tense of the verbs “turned” expresses repeated action, indicating that these ravages were continued for some time. The Philistines hoped to draw Saul out from his strong position, and force him to an engagement.<\/p>\n The spoilers – <\/B>The devastator: the same word is used of the destroying Angel Exo 12:23<\/span>. The verse describes the system adopted by the Philistines by which for a time they subjugated the Israelites. From their central camp at Michmash they sent out three bands to kill and lay waste and destroy. One took a northerly direction toward Ophrah – five miles east of Bethel, identified with Ephrain 2Ch 13:19<\/span> and the modern Taiyibeh, – and toward the land of Shual, possibly the same as Shalim 1Sa 9:4<\/span>; the second westward to Beth-horon; and the third eastward, by the unknown valley of Zeboim, toward the wilderness, i. e., the Jordan valley, toward Jericho.<\/P><\/p>\n 1Sa 13:17<\/span><\/p>\n The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The spoilers<\/strong><\/p>\n Saul is reproved for his haste, his presumption, and his disobedience. Samuel then departs to Gibeah, and the nation are for a time, notwithstanding Sauls valour, reduced to great straits under the rule of the Philistines. The spoilers, too, came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies, spreading desolation over the whole country. At last, by the brilliant valour of Jonathan and his armour bearer, a portion of the Philistine host was slain, and a sudden panic spreading throughout their camp, their entire forces were routed. Thus the children of Israel regained once more their freedom.<\/p>\n Verse 17<\/span>. The spoilers came out<\/B><\/I>] The Philistines, finding that the Israelites durst not hazard a battle, divided their army into three bands, and sent them in three different directions to pillage and destroy the country. Jonathan profited by this circumstance, and attacked the remains of the army at Michmash, as we shall see in the succeeding chapter.<\/P> <\/p>\n In three companies; <\/B>that they might march several ways, and so waste several parts of the country. <\/P> Ophrah; <\/B>a city of Benjamin, Jos 18:23<\/span>, south-west from Michmash. <\/P> <\/p>\n 17, 18. the spoilers came out of thecamp of the Philistines in three companies<\/B>ravaging through thethree valleys which radiate from the uplands of Michmash to Ophrah onthe north, through the pass of Beth-horon on the west, and down theravines of Zeboim (“the hynas”), towards the Ghor orJordan valley on the east.<\/P><\/p>\n And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies<\/strong>,…. Saul not daring to come out to fight them, and there being none throughout the land to oppose them, they sent out three companies of soldiers to ravage and spoil the country; of so little use and service was a king to Israel, they were so extremely desirous of; and this was suffered, to convince them of their vain confidence in him, and that their trust ought to be in the Lord their God; never was their country more exposed to rapine and violence than now:<\/p>\n one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah<\/strong>; a city in the land of Benjamin, of which see Jos 18:23<\/span> and lay southwest from Michmash, where the army of the Philistines were:<\/p>\n unto the land of Shual<\/strong>: which the Targum paraphrases,<\/p>\n “the land of the south;”<\/p>\n it seems to have had its name from the multitude of foxes in it, Shual signifying a fox.<\/p>\n The Battle Pitched. 1Sa. 13:17-23<\/span><\/p>\n 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:<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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:<\/p>\n 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. 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.<\/p>\n 13.<\/p>\n Where was Beth-horon? 1Sa. 13:18<\/span><\/p>\n Two towns bear the name of Beth-horon. One is known as the upper, and the other nether (Jos. 16:3<\/span>; Jos. 16:5<\/span>; 1Ch. 7:24<\/span>; 2Ch. 8:5<\/span>). They lie off the road from Gibeon to Azekah (Jos. 10:10-11<\/span>) on the way to the Philistine plain. These locations lay on the boundary lines between Benjamin and Ephraim (Jos. 16:3<\/span>; Jos. 16:5<\/span>; Jos. 18:13-14<\/span>). They were assigned to Ephraim and given to the Kohathites as Levitical cities (Jos. 21:22<\/span>). Reference is made to an enlargement of these locations in later Israelite history (1Ch. 7:24<\/span>). The building referred to was not the establishment, but the rebuilding and enlarging. Sherah was no doubt an heiress who had received these places as her inheritance. The road running between the two Beth-horons is one of the roughest and steepest in Palestine, but is still used as the road from the coast. In effect, the road is a key to the country. The Philistines naturally used this road as an access against Israel.<\/p>\n 14.<\/p>\n What had become of the smiths? 1Sa. 13:19<\/span><\/p>\n The Philistines had made it illegal for a blacksmith to practice his art. Many of them had no doubt been taken out of the country. Some may have been slain. The Philistines forced an Israelite to go down into their country to sharpen his plowshare and the coulter of his plow. Even his ax and his mattock had to be sharpened by the Philistine lords. The only tool left for the Israelite to use was a file. He could use this instrument to keep an edge on his mattocks, coulters, pitchforks, axes, and goads. When the edge was worn away, however, he had to depend upon his captors to repair his tools and implements. This kind of regulation would keep an Israelite from forging swords and spears.<\/p>\n 15.<\/p>\n How were Sauls men armed? 1Sa. 13:22<\/span><\/p>\n Only meager implements were in the possession of the Israelites. They could defend themselves only with such tools as were normally used in peaceful pursuits. Some of them probably had axes; others used goads and forks. Only Saul and Jonathan were equipped with normal weapons. These verses describe a people that are completely beaten. It explains why the loss of the Ark was such a catastrophe and indicates how low Israel had been brought by the Philistines. As a matter of fact, this period in Israels history is known as the captivity of the land (Jdg. 18:30<\/span>). This condition prevailed all the time until Saul began to win some decisive and permanent victories. The victories were not complete in the days of David, and it was left to him to be a man of war and firmly establish the Israelite kingdom in Palestine.<\/p>\n (17) And the spoilers came out.<\/strong>The compiler of these Books of Samuel does not profess to give a detailed account of this or any of the wars of Saul It would seem that the Philistines, with their great armed demonstration (1Sa. 13:5<\/span>), had completely cowed the Israelites, certainly in the southern part of Canaan. Probably the allied forces were now suffered to leave the Philistine host, and we next hear of the old raids re-commencing. The three companies spoken of in this and the next verse were directed to ravage districts in the tribe of Benjamin, for in that locality are situated all the places mentioned. Unchecked, they seem to have carried out their plans. These armed companies swept away all the smithies in the south part of the land. The fortunes of Saul now reached their lowest ebb. The heights of his own tribe . . . and the passes of his own tribe were occupied by hostile garrisons. We see him leaning on his gigantic spear, whether it be on the summit of the Rock Rimmon . . . or under the tamarisk of Ramah . . . or on the heights of Gibeah. There he stood with his small band, the faithful six hundred, and as he wept aloud over the misfortunes of his country . . . another voice swelled the wild, indignant lamentthe voice of Jonathan, his son.Dean Stanley: Lectures on the Jewish Church. 17<\/strong>. <\/strong> The spoilers <\/strong> Marauding parties, whose object was to spy out the land and condition of the enemy, and do him all the injury possible. <\/p>\n Ophrah <\/strong> Located at the modern Taiyibeh, five or six miles north of Michmash. This also was a city of Benjamin. Jos 18:23<\/span>. <\/p>\n The land of Shual <\/strong> This must have been the territory around, and more probably somewhat to the north of, Ophrah, though its exact position is unknown. If, as some suppose, it be the same as the land of Sha-lim, <\/em> (1Sa 9:4<\/span>,) it confirms our conjecture as to the route of Saul when in search of the asses.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/strong> The Oppression of the Philistines<\/p>\n v. 17. And the spoilers,<\/strong> soldiers to whom was assigned the task of plundering and devastating the land of Israel, 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,<\/strong> toward the northeast, through the territory of Benjamin and Ephraim; <\/p>\n v. 18. and another company turned the way to Beth-horon,<\/strong> toward the west; and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness,<\/strong> in a southeasterly direction. <\/p>\n v. 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;<\/strong> so the Philistines had removed all smiths out of the whole country; <\/p>\n v. 20. but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock. <\/strong> So all the agricultural implements which the Israelites used, plowshares, hoes, axes, were sharpened by Philistine smiths, upon whom the subject people were altogether dependent. <\/p>\n v. 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. <\/strong> The verses have lately been rendered: “But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen every man his plowshare, and his ax, and his adze, and his hoe, and the price was a pim<\/em> for the plowshares, and for the axes, and for the three-tined forks, and for the adzes, and for the setting of the goads. ” Whenever the implements became dull and needed sharpening, and whenever the ox-goads needed new setting, it was necessary to make the trip to the lowlands occupied by the Philistines, who permitted the Hebrews to carry on the tillage only of the highlands and of the valley of the Jordan, and incidentally charged the Israelites a high price for all the work done by them. 3) <\/p>\n v. 22. So it came to pass in the day of battle,<\/strong> which is described in the next chapter, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan,<\/strong> they were unprovided with real weapons of war, being dependent upon their farm implements for arms against the enemy; but with Saul and with Jonathan, his son, was there found,<\/strong> they were the only ones that had real weapons. <\/p>\n v. 23. And the garrison of the Philistines,<\/strong> a post or vanguard from the main army, went out to the passage,<\/strong> or pass, of Michmash,<\/strong> as a protection against the Israelites, who might otherwise have slipped up through some of the valleys converging at this point and surprised the Philistine camp. The invariable result of forsaking the Lord is distress and tribulation, the object of such visitations being to cause the backsliders to repent of their sins and to place their full reliance upon the Lord. <\/p>\n (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 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.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Nothing can demonstrate more fully the low and impoverished state of Israel, than what is here said of the ravages of the enemy, and their being destitute of even the common weapons of defence. It should seem, from their having no smith in all the territories of Israel, that the policy of the Philistines in times past, (probably in the wars when they had been victorious over Israel) had compelled them not to exercise this art among them. And, as while they were at peace, the Israelites found the Philistines not unwilling to sharpen or repair their instruments of husbandry, the Israelites did not trouble themselves to keep in order their weapons of war. Indeed, while the Lord was their King, and humbled the nations before them, they needed none. But now, when they have by sin, made God their enemy, to what a humbled state are they reduced, before their foes! No weapon (God saith) formed against his people, shall prosper. But when his people transgress against him, he can make our very blessings become weapons of evil, and convert our comforts into the artillery of his displeasure. See Isa 54:17<\/span> . Compared with Deu 28:1-25<\/span> .<\/p>\n 1Sa 13:17 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:<\/p>\n Ver. 17. And the spoilers came out of the camp.<\/strong> ] This is one of the woes of war, that hell of this world, – as one calleth it, wherein there is no measure or satiety of blood and spoil; witness our late stripping and bleeding times.<\/p>\n in three companies: 1Sa 11:11 <\/p>\n Ophrah: Jos 18:23 <\/p>\n Shual: Jos 19:3 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: 1Sa 14:15 – the spoilers 2Sa 7:10 – as beforetime 2Ki 5:2 – by companies Psa 144:14 – no breaking in<\/p>\n 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: 17. the spoilers came out ] Lit. the destroyer, the part of the army sent out to harry the country. ( a) One band of marauders … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 13:17”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7514","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7514"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7514\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
I. <\/strong>That it is when men are unprepared that temptations come. When there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people, that was the time that the spoilers came out. Temptations assail us on our weakest side, and at the most unexpected moment. The sin that most easily besets us is the sin that comes upon us when we are in idleness and ease, in no way prepared for a spiritual conflict.<\/p>\n
II. <\/strong>That temptations, though very distinct, are often difficult to separate from each other, and to individualise. These spoilers came out of the camp in three companies, and they are not named nor individualised. Sins glide so into each other that it is frequently difficult to analyse any particular offence amidst so confused a mass. Lavish benefactions, for instance, may be given from thoughtless generosity, from true charity, or from ostentation. Who can tell which of these is the actuating motive in any particular case? Not even, often, the doer himself. It is the same with our sins and vices. It is difficult to assign the true place, and therefore the real guilt, of any particular one amongst them.<\/p>\n
III. <\/strong>That temptations come from three main causes, the world, the flesh, and the devil. The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. The world is too much with us; its pleasures and its pains continually affect us. The lusts of the flesh unceasingly tend to drag us down. The temptations of Satan, too, are craftily devised to overwhelm us.<\/p>\n
IV. <\/strong>That these temptations often arise from our superabundance of worldly riches. These spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines, and this camp was situated at Michmash, which name means treasure. Money is useful if it be usefully employed. Wealth is a great trust, which, if a man employs rightly, he may be a benefactor to his fellow men, and may receive a blessing from God. But it is a great snare, more especially if it has been acquired without much personal merit or much personal exertion on the part of its possessor<\/p>\n
V. <\/strong>That these temptations have their starting point frequently from wilful and conceited ignorance. The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines. A modern author, Matt, hew Arnold, has taken the term Philistine as descriptive of self-satisfied and offensive want of culture. From the fields of ignorance and of thoughtlessness no harvest but a crop of tares can be expected. Evil is wrought from want of thought, as well as want of heart.<\/p>\n
VI. <\/strong>That obedience is the garrison that keeps these companies of evil passions in check. The spoilers did not come out of the camp of the Philistines to spread like devouring grasshoppers over the land of the children of Israel until Saul had disobeyed the Divine command given to him through Samuel. So, as long as we follow the plain line of duty, and act in obedience to the strict letter as well as to the real spirit of the law of God, we shall be little liable to the assaults of sin. It is when we palter with truth, equivocate with conscience, enter into dalliance with some evil passion, that we are ensnared by temptation. In the Pilgrims Progress, as long as Christian kept on the highway, he was safe; it was only when he strayed into the byways of error that he fell into the power of Giant Despair, and was immured in the dungeons of Doubting Castle. (R. Young, M. A.<\/em>)<\/p>\nFuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
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.<\/p>\nFuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
<\/em><\/p>\nFuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"