1Saul kraľoval rok (a skutočne kraľoval iba dva roky nad Izraelom), 2a Saul si vybral tri tisíce mužov z Izraela, z ktorých bolo dva tisíce so Saulom v Michmase a na vrchu Bét-ela, a tisíc bolo s Jonatánom v Gibei Benjaminovej, a ostatok ľudu rozpustil, každého do jeho stánu. 3A Jonatán pobil posádku Filištínov, ktorá bola v Gibei, a počuli o tom Filištíni. A Saul trúbil na trúbu po celej zemi hovoriac: Nech počujú Hebreji! 4A celý Izrael počul, že vraj Saul pobil posádku Filištínov, a že tým je aj Izrael zošklivený u Filištínov. A ľud bol svolaný za Saulom do Gilgala. 5Vtedy sa shromaždili Filištíni, aby bojovali s Izraelom, tridsať tisíc vozov a šesť tisíc jazdcov a ľudu jako piesku, ktorý je na brehu mora, čo do množstva. A vyjdúc hore rozložili sa táborom v Michmase, na východ od Bét-ávena. 6A mužovia Izraelovi videli, že im je úzko, lebo ľud bol utláčaný nepriateľom, a preto sa ľud poskrýval do jaskýň, do húštin, do skál, do hradov a do jam. 7A niektorí Hebreji, z druhej strany rieky, prešli cez Jordán do zeme Gáda a Gileáda. A Saul bol ešte vždy v Gilgale, a všetok ľud sa triasol strachom nasledujúc ho. 8A čakal tam sedem dní, na ustanovený čas, ktorý ustanovil Samuel. Ale Samuel neprichádzal do Gilgala, a ľud sa rozchádzal od neho. 9Vtedy povedal Saul: Doneste mi sem zápalnú obeť a pokojné obeti! A tak obetoval zápalnú obeť. 10A stalo sa, keď už bol doobetoval zápalnú obeť, že tu hľa, prišiel Samuel, a Saul mu vyšiel oproti, aby ho pozdravil. 11Ale Samuel riekol: Čo si to urobil?! A Saul povedal: Keď som videl, že sa ľud rozchádza odo mňa, a že si ty neprišiel na ustanovený čas tých dní, a že sa Filištíni shromaždili do Michmasa, 12povedal som: Teraz sídu Filištíni proti mne do Gilgala, a tvári JeHoVaHovej som ešte neuprosil, preto tedy som sa premohol a obetoval som zápalnú obeť. 13A Samuel riekol Saulovi: Bláznovstvo si vykonal, neostríhal si prikázania JeHoVaHa, svojho Boha, ktoré ti prikázal, lebo teraz by bol JeHoVaH pevne postavil tvoje kráľovstvo nad Izraelom, takže by bolo trvalo až na veky. 14Ale teraz neostojí tvoje kráľovstvo. JeHoVaH si už vyhľadal muža podľa svojho srdca, a JeHoVaH mu prikáže, aby bol vojvodcom nad jeho ľudom, lebo si neostríhal toho, čo ti prikázal JeHoVaH. 15Potom vstal Samuel a odišiel z Gilgala hore do Gibee Benjaminovej. A Saul spočítal ľud, ktorý sa nachádzal s ním, a bolo ho okolo šesťsto mužov. 16A Saul a Jonatán, jeho syn, i ľud, ktorý sa nachádzal s nimi, dleli v Gibei Benjaminovej, a Filištíni táborili v Michmase. 17Potom vyšiel zhubca z tábora Filištínov vo troch čatách; jedna čata sa obrátila na cestu do Ofry, do zeme Šuala, 18druhá čata sa obrátila na cestu do Bét-choróna, a tretia čata sa obrátila na cestu územia, ktoré hľadí na dolinu Cebojim, na púšť. 19A kováč sa nenašiel v celej zemi Izraelovej, lebo Filištíni boli povedali: Aby si nenarobili Hebreji mečov alebo kopíj. 20Preto chodievali všetci Izraeliti dolu k Filištínom ostriť, každý svoje čerieslo, svoju motyku, svoju sekeru a svoj rýl. 21Takým činom malo všetko štrbiny: čeriesla, motyky, trojrohé vidly, sekery; i pohonný osteň museli ta ísť napraviť. 22A tak bolo, že v deň boja nenašlo sa meča ani kopije v ničej ruke zo všetkého ľudu, ktorý bol so Saulom a s Jonatánom; našlo sa iba pre Saula a pre Jonatána, jeho syna. 23A posádka Filištínov vyšla k priechodu Michmasa.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 SAUL'S SELECTED BAND. (
1Sam 13:1-2)
Saul reigned one year--(see Margin). The transactions recorded in the eleventh and twelfth chapters were the principal incidents comprising the first year of Saul's reign; and the events about to be described in this happened in the second year.
2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel--This band of picked men was a bodyguard, who were kept constantly on duty, while the rest of the people were dismissed till their services might be needed. It seems to have been his tactics to attack the Philistine garrisons in the country by different detachments, rather than by risking a general engagement; and his first operations were directed to rid his native territory of Benjamin of these enemies.
3 HE CALLS THE HEBREWS TO GILGAL AGAINST THE PHILISTINES. (
1Sam 13:3-4)
And Jonathan--that is, "God-given."
smote the garrison of the Philistines . . . in Geba--Geba and Gibeah were towns in Benjamin, very close to each other (
Josh 18:24,
Josh 18:28). The word rendered "garrison" is different from that of
1Sam 13:23;
1Sam 14:1, and signifies, literally, something erected; probably a pillar or flagstaff, indicative of Philistine ascendency. That the secret demolition of this standard, so obnoxious to a young and noble-hearted patriot, was the feat of Jonathan referred to, is evident from the words, "the Philistines heard of it," which is not the way we should expect an attack on a fortress to be noticed.
Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land--This, a well-known sound, was the usual Hebrew war-summons; the first blast was answered by the beacon fire in the neighboring places. A second blast was blown--then answered by a fire in a more distant locality, whence the proclamation was speedily diffused over the whole country. As the Philistines resented what Jonathan had done as an overt attempt to throw off their yoke, a levy, en masse, of the people was immediately ordered, the rendezvous to be the old camping-ground at Gilgal.
5 THE PHILISTINES' GREAT HOST. (
1Sam 13:5)
The Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen--Either this number must include chariots of every kind--or the word "chariots" must mean the men fighting in them (
2Sam 10:18;
1Kgs 20:21;
1Chr 19:18); or, as some eminent critics maintain, Sheloshim ("thirty"), has crept into the text, instead of Shelosh ("three"). The gathering of the chariots and horsemen must be understood to be on the Philistine plain, before they ascended the western passes and pitched in the heart of the Benjamite hills, in "Michmash," (now Mukmas), a "steep precipitous valley" [ROBINSON], eastward from Beth-aven (Beth-el).
6 THE ISRAELITES' DISTRESS. (
1Sam 13:6-8)
When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait--Though Saul's gallantry was unabated, his subjects displayed no degree of zeal and energy. Instead of venturing an encounter, they fled in all directions. Some, in their panic, left the country (
1Sam 13:7), but most took refuge in the hiding-places which the broken ridges of the neighborhood abundantly afford. The rocks are perforated in every direction with "caves," and "holes," and "pits"--crevices and fissures sunk deep in the rocky soil, subterranean granaries or dry wells in the adjoining fields. The name of Michmash ("hidden treasure") seems to be derived from this natural peculiarity [STANLEY].
8 he--that is, Saul.
tarried seven days--He was still in the eastern borders of his kingdom, in the valley of Jordan. Some bolder spirits had ventured to join the camp at Gilgal; but even the courage of those stout-hearted men gave way in prospect of this terrible visitation; and as many of them were stealing away, he thought some immediate and decided step must be taken.
9 SAUL, WEARY OF WAITING FOR SAMUEL, SACRIFICES. (
1Sam 13:9-16)
Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings--Saul, though patriotic enough in his own way, was more ambitious of gaining the glory of a triumph to himself than ascribing it to God. He did not understand his proper position as king of Israel; and although aware of the restrictions under which he held the sovereignty, he wished to rule as an autocrat, who possessed absolute power both in civil and sacred things. This occasion was his first trial. Samuel waited till the last day of the seven, in order to put the constitutional character of the king to the test; and, as Saul, in his impatient and passionate haste knowingly transgressed (
1Sam 13:12) by invading the priest's office and thus showing his unfitness for his high office (as he showed nothing of the faith of Gideon and other Hebrew generals), he incurred a threat of the rejection which his subsequent waywardness confirmed.
15 Samuel . . . gat him . . . unto Gibeah . . . and Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah--Saul removed his camp thither, either in the hope that, it being his native town, he would gain an increase of followers or that he might enjoy the counsels and influence of the prophet.
17 the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies--ravaging through the three valleys which radiate from the uplands of Michmash to Ophrah on the north, through the pass of Beth-horon on the west, and down the ravines of Zeboim ("the hyćnas"), towards the Ghor or Jordan valley on the east.
19 Now there was no smith found throughout . . . Israel--The country was in the lowest state of depression and degradation. The Philistines, after the great victory over the sons of Eli, had become the virtual masters of the land. Their policy in disarming the natives has been often followed in the East. For repairing any serious damage to their agricultural implements, they had to apply to the neighboring forts.
21 Yet they had a file--as a kind of privilege, for the purpose of sharpening sundry smaller utensils of husbandry.