1Saulovi bylo třicet let, když se stal králem, a kraloval nad Izraelem čtyřicet dva let. 2Saul si vybral tři tisíce mužů z Izraele. Dva tisíce jich bylo se Saulem v Mikmásu a v bételském pohoří a tisíc jich bylo s Jónatanem v Gibeji Benjamínově. Zbytek lidu poslal pryč, všechny k jejich stanům. 3Jónatan pobil pelištejskou posádku, která byla v Gebě. Pelištejci o tom uslyšeli. Saul dal zatroubit na beraní roh po celé zemi se slovy: Ať to Hebrejové slyší! 4A celý Izrael uslyšel slova: Saul pobil pelištejskou posádku a Izrael se Pelištejcům zošklivil. Nato byl svolán lid za Saulem do Gilgálu. 5Pelištejci se shromáždili, aby bojovali s Izraelem — třicet tisíc vozů, šest tisíc jezdců a lidu takové množství jako písku na mořském břehu. Vytáhli a utábořili se v Mikmásu na východ od Bét-ávenu. 6Když Izraelci viděli, že jsou v tísni — neboť lid byl vystaven tlaku, lid se ukryl do jeskyní, do houští, do skal, do sklepení a cisteren. 7Někteří Hebrejové přešli Jordán do země Gád a Gileád. Saul byl ale ještě v Gilgálu a všechen lid, který šel za ním, se třásl strachy. 8Čekal sedm dnů, čas určený Samuelem. Samuel však do Gilgálu nepřišel a lid od něj postupně prchal pryč. 9Saul řekl: Přineste ke mně zápalnou a pokojnou oběť. Pak přinesl zápalnou oběť. 10Stalo se, že když dokončil přinášení zápalné oběti, tak Samuel přišel. Saul mu vyšel naproti, aby ho pozdravil. 11Samuel řekl: Co jsi to udělal? Saul odpověděl: Když jsem viděl, že lid ode mě postupně prchá pryč, že ty jsi nepřišel v určené dny a Pelištejci se shromažďují v Mikmásu, 12řekl jsem si: Teď Pelištejci sestoupí proti mně do Gilgálu a já jsem si neudobřil Hospodinovu tvář. Tak jsem se odvážil a přinesl jsem zápalnou oběť. 13Samuel řekl Saulovi: Jednal jsi bláznivě, že jsi nezachoval příkaz Hospodina, svého Boha, který ti dal. Vždyť tak by Hospodin upevnil tvé království nad Izraelem navěky. 14Teď ale tvé království neobstojí. Hospodin si vyhledal muže podle svého srdce a ustanovil ho vévodou nad svým lidem, protože jsi nezachoval to, co ti Hospodin přikázal. 15Potom Samuel vstal a vystoupil z Gilgálu do Gibeje Benjamínovy. Saul spočítal lid, který byl s ním; bylo tam asi šest set mužů. 16Saul a jeho syn Jónatan i lid, který byl s nimi, se usídlil v Gebě Benjamínově, zatímco Pelištejci se utábořili v Mikmásu. 17Z pelištejského tábora vytáhli nájezdníci ve třech oddílech. Jeden oddíl se obrátil směrem k Ofře v zemi Šúal, 18druhý oddíl se obrátil směrem k Bét-chorónu a třetí oddíl se obrátil směrem k území, které shlíží do údolí Seboím v pustině. 19V celé izraelské zemi nebyl žádný kovář, protože Pelištejci řekli: Ať si Hebrejové nedělají meče ani kopí. 20Všichni Izraelci sestupovali k Pelištejcům, aby si nechali naostřit svou radlici, motyku, sekeru či srp. 21Jeden pím bylo za naostření radlic a motyk, za trojzubec, sekery a za nasazení bodce. 22V čas boje se stalo, že u nikoho z lidu, který byl se Saulem a s Jónatanem, nebyl meč ani kopí; měl je pouze Saul a jeho syn Jónatan. 23Pelištejská hlídka vyšla k mikmáskému průsmyku.
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.