1 Samuel 13 Study Notes

13:1 Ancient manuscripts differ on exactly how many years Saul reigned. Based on a comparison of these manuscripts and Ac 13:21, where Paul gives the round number of forty years, forty-two years seems the most likely.

13:2 Israel’s new king began to establish a standing military presence for his kingdom. In light of the army’s larger size mentioned earlier (11:8), the three thousand men from Israel may have represented an elite fighting force to protect the king and local interests. Michmash lay about four and one-half miles northeast of Gibeah of Benjamin, Saul’s hometown and new capital. Bethel’s hill country describes the rugged terrain around the ancient site of Jacob’s dream (Gn 28:10-22). Jonathan was one of Saul’s sons who would befriend David and become significant later in the narrative (18:1-3; 19:1-3; 20:1-42; 23:16-18).

13:3 The presence of a Philistine garrison . . . in Geba less than three miles from Gibeah posed a significant threat to Israel’s heartland and to Saul’s kingdom. News of the Philistines’ defeat at the hands of Jonathan quickly reached the coast, and Saul blew the ram’s horn to alert Israel that a larger battle was certainly coming.

13:4 More troops joined the king at Gilgal (see notes at 7:16 and 10:8) to ready themselves for a Philistine counter offensive.

13:5 The Philistines responded with chariots and horsemen. Saul’s departure from Michmash (vv. 1-4) left the area open for his enemies again.

13:6 The men of Israel . . . were in trouble. The Philistines controlled the high ground—a clear military advantage. Further, their push to Michmash meant they controlled much of the central Benjamin plateau, effectively cutting Israel in half and limiting Saul’s access to the coast. Saul’s decision to retreat to Gilgal gave his enemies control of this region; the situation was indeed serious.

13:7 Many of Saul’s citizens even crossed the Jordan River and moved northward to the land of Gad and Gilead. They calculated that the Philistines would be content with the territory west of the Jordan River.

13:8 Samuel had told Saul to wait seven days at Gilgal, at which time he would come and provide further instructions (10:8). Saul, however, looked around and saw the troops were deserting him as morale weakened.

13:9 Saul offered the burnt offering himself—a task Samuel should have done as Israel’s priest. Years later, King Uzziah also would usurp the priest’s duties and receive God’s judgment for his act (2Ch 26:16-21).

13:10-11 Samuel’s ominous question What have you done? recalls God’s questions to Eve and to Cain (Gn 3:13; 4:10) as well as the sailors’ terrified question to Jonah (Jnh 1:10).

13:12 Saul rightly estimated the seriousness of the Philistine threat. If they reached Gilgal, they would control territory from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. However, the Lord’s favor did not come through sacrifice but through faithfulness, a fact Samuel would later drive home to Saul (15:22).

13:13 Foolish is a word that also would describe later kings who failed to put their trust in the Lord (2Sm 24:10; 2Ch 16:9).

13:14 God’s purposes would continue for Israel despite Saul’s failures because the Lord had found a man after his own heart. The phrase the Lord has appointed him as ruler indicates how from God’s perspective, his work was already moving ahead and was as good as done, even though David would not become king for several years.

13:15 From Gilgal to Gibeah was a distance of about fifteen miles upward—a gain in elevation of about three thousand feet. Meanwhile, only six hundred men (cp. v. 2) remained with the king.

13:16 On Geba of Benjamin, see note at v. 3. Only about two miles separated Saul’s forces from the Philistines . . . at Michmash.

13:17-18 Raiding parties secured the access roads to Michmash. The Ophrah road ran northwest of Michmash. Beth-horon lay to the west, an important ridge route toward the coast. Zeboim Valley was located to the east toward the wilderness region leading to the Jordan Valley.

13:19 The presence of Philistine-imposed restrictions on metalworking, which limited weapons to those made of wood or stone, shows the extent of their domination in Israel’s heartland.

13:20-21 The Philistines also controlled the maintenance of the Israelites’ farming tools and charged the people high prices for the service.

13:22 The phrase only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons paints a dismal picture of Israel’s situation. The people desperately needed good leadership to answer the Philistine challenge.

13:23 Controlling the pass at Michmash cut off Israel’s advance northward toward that city. A large group of Philistines controlled territory only a few miles from Saul’s capital.