‏ 1 Samuel 13

Summary for 1Sam 13:1-14: 13:1–16:13  ^a Saul’s fall from power involved a threefold sequence, as had his rise to power (see study note on 9:1–11:15): (1) He offered the sacrifices himself and did not wait for Samuel (13:1-14  ^b); (2) he made a rash oath that put Jonathan’s life in danger (14:1-46  ^c); and (3) he failed to obey God by eliminating the Amalekites and their belongings (15:1-35  ^d). 13:1  ^e For the kings of Israel and Judah, Scripture normally records the age of ascension and the length of reign (e.g., 2 Sam 5:4-5  ^f; 1 Kgs 14:21  ^g).

• thirty years old: The number represents a plausible age for Saul’s ascension. The Hebrew text and most Greek manuscripts omit the number , making it difficult to know the original wording.

• reigned for forty-two years: See NLT textual note. Most scholars agree that something has fallen out of the original manuscript, most likely due to a copyist’s error. The majority of English translations have forty-two based on the approximate number in Acts 13:21  ^h.
13:2  ⁱ Earlier, Saul had employed 330,000 troops to fight against a much less formidable foe (11:8  ^j). The selection here of 3,000 special troops probably does not reflect overconfidence (cp. Josh 7:3-4  ^k). Rather, Saul likely recognized the need for a smaller, highly trained, elite militia to deal with the troublesome Philistines (see 1 Sam 14:52  ^l).

• Micmash was located in Benjamin about two miles northwest of Saul’s home in Gibeah.
13:3  ^m Geba was located between Jonathan’s forces at Gibeah and Saul’s forces at Micmash. A deep gorge separated Geba and Micmash (see 13:23  ⁿ; 14:5  ^o).

• The ram’s horn (Hebrew shofar) was used to raise a signal—e.g., to muster an army (Judg 3:27  ^p). For other uses, see Lev 25:9  ^q; 2 Sam 6:15  ^r; 15:10  ^s; 18:16  ^t; 20:1  ^u; Hos 5:8  ^v; Joel 2:15  ^w.

• Non-Israelites often used the term Hebrews disdainfully (see 1 Sam 14:11  ^x; 29:3  ^y; see also Gen 39:14  ^z; 43:32  ^aa). Saul might have used it to strike a nerve and arouse the people’s pride in their identity.
13:4  ^ab Saul had destroyed: The commander in chief often got credit for what his soldiers accomplished.

• Saul’s kingship had been reaffirmed at Gilgal (11:15  ^ac). Now the Lord would reject his kingship there because of his disobedience (13:7-14  ^ad).
13:5  ^ae The Israelites were massively outnumbered, hence their fearful responses.

• The Philistine army’s 3,000 chariots and 6,000 charioteers indicate Israel’s underdog status. Nowhere in 1 Samuel is Israel said to have had any chariots (see study note on 13:19-22).
13:7  ^af The land of Gad and Gilead ran the length of Transjordan (the region just east of the Jordan River).
13:8  ^ag seven days ... as Samuel had instructed: This instruction most likely was not the instruction in 10:8  ^ah but an unrecorded instruction on a separate occasion (see study note on 10:8).
13:9  ^ai the burnt offering and the peace offerings: These general-purpose offerings (see Exod 24:5  ^aj; 32:6  ^ak; Num 10:10  ^al; 15:8  ^am; Deut 27:6-7  ^an) were always offered on a solemn occasion filled with either danger or joy. Typically, only priests were to offer these sacrifices (but see study note on 1 Sam 13:13).
13:10  ^ao meet and welcome: Saul seemed unaware he had done anything wrong.
13:11  ^ap What is this you have done? Samuel’s question was a rebuke, not a request for information (cp. Gen 3:13  ^aq).
13:12  ^ar asked for the Lord’s help: The purpose of the burnt offering was to entreat God to grant victory in battle. Samuel himself had offered a similar sacrifice, which did lead to victory in battle (see 7:7-11  ^as). But Samuel, unlike Saul, served in a priestly role.
13:13  ^at the command the Lord ... gave you: Other kings offered sacrifices without censure (David, 2 Sam 6:13  ^au, 17-18  ^av; Solomon, 1 Kgs 3:15  ^aw; 8:64  ^ax; Ahaz, 2 Kgs 16:12-13  ^ay), as did judges (Gideon, Judg 6:26  ^az), illustrating that on occasion non-priests could conduct sacrifices in a way that pleased the Lord. However, Samuel, God’s prophet, had given Saul the order to wait (see study note on 1 Sam 13:8).
13:14  ^ba a man after his own heart: This prophecy pertains to David (see also Acts 13:22  ^bb) rather than to Saul’s son Jonathan. The rejection of Saul was also the rejection of his family dynasty.
13:15  ^bc only 600 were left: Most of the 3,000 troops (13:2  ^bd) had abandoned Saul (13:6-7  ^be).
Summary for 1Sam 13:17-18: 13:17-18  ^bf Armies would send out raiding parties to plunder and sow panic among the enemy. These raiders embarked north (Ophrah), west (Beth-horon), and east (Zeboim), but not south, where Israelite strength was consolidated and where the terrain did not allow easy movement of forces (see study note on 13:23).
Summary for 1Sam 13:19-22: 13:19-22  ^bg no blacksmiths: The Philistines kept the Israelites unarmed by gaining a monopoly on the iron necessary to make weapons. Iron technology had not existed long in Canaan; it might have developed in the Aegean area, and metalworking skills were possibly introduced into Canaan through seafaring peoples, including the Philistines.
13:23  ^bh The pass at Micmash was a strategic passage through the canyon that separated Micmash from Geba, Gibeah, and other towns to the south.

‏ 1 Samuel 14

Summary for 1Sam 14:1-52: 14:1-52  ^bi Saul’s behavior in this chapter further justifies his dismissal as king (13:8-14  ^bj; see also ch 15  ^bk). Saul was alienated from both Samuel and his heroic son Jonathan. Chapter 14  ^bl anticipates the significant role that Jonathan played in the transition from Saul’s kingship to David’s.
Summary for 1Sam 14:1-15: 14:1-15  ^bm Jonathan again fought in his father’s battles (see also 13:2-4  ^bn; ch 31  ^bo). 14:1  ^bp armor bearer: See study note on 16:21.

• Jonathan did not tell his father because he knew that Saul would not grant permission for the dangerous plan. But he also knew that Saul wanted no one—not even his own son—to upstage him.
14:2  ^bq camped: Saul’s inactivity contrasts with Jonathan’s initiative (see also 22:6  ^br).
14:3  ^bs Ahijah the priest was an adviser who could give Saul divine guidance through the ephod (14:18-19  ^bt; see also 2:18  ^bu and corresponding study note; 23:9-10  ^bv).

• son of Eli: Saul, the rejected king (13:13-14  ^bw), kept in his company a priest from the rejected priesthood (2:27-36  ^bx).

• Ichabod: See 4:21  ^by.
Summary for 1Sam 14:4-5: 14:4-5  ^bz The Philistines had already secured this area (13:23  ^ca), so Jonathan and his armor bearer had to move carefully.
14:6  ^cb pagans (literally uncircumcised): A disdainful term for enemies of Israel (see also 17:36  ^cc; 31:4  ^cd).

• Perhaps: Jonathan had no guarantee of survival, but he was certain that God could grant them victory despite the odds. Victory was in God’s hands; Jonathan offered himself as an instrument God could use.

• many warriors or only a few: Jonathan knew what Gideon had learned many years earlier (see Judg 7:2-8  ^ce).
14:11  ^cf Hebrews: See study note on 13:3.

• crawling out of their holes: See 13:6  ^cg.
14:15  ^ch panic broke out: This parallel with the Gideon story depicts Jonathan as a judge-like figure (cp. Judg 7:19-22  ^ci). God had not anointed or expressly gifted Jonathan to be leader, yet God used him to rescue his people.

• raiding parties: See study note on 1 Sam 13:17-18.
14:18  ^cj Bring ... Israelites: See NLT textual note; the Greek text is likely original. The Ark remained at Kiriath-jearim for twenty years (7:2  ^ck), and it was never used for getting information about the future, as the ephod was (see study note on 2:18).
Summary for 1Sam 14:21-22: 14:21-22  ^cl Previously, a large group of Israelites had gone into hiding out of fear (13:6-7  ^cm). Others might have joined the Philistine army. However, the statement that they revolted when the opportunity arose suggests they might have been taken as prisoners of war and forced into the Philistines’ service.
14:23  ^cn It was God, not Saul, who saved Israel; Jonathan was just a willing instrument in the Lord’s hands.

• Beth-aven was due west of Micmash (see 13:5  ^co). The Israelites forced the Philistines to retreat all the way to Aijalon that day (see 14:31  ^cp).
14:24  ^cq With his oath, Saul forced abstinence from food on men who were already hungry and exhausted from battle. This oath was probably a pagan-like attempt to manipulate God into giving them a favorable result (cp. notes on Exod 23:26; 25:22; 32:4).

• That Saul said my enemies rather than “our enemies” reflects his self-centered pride.
14:29  ^cr made trouble: Joshua had used this verb in speaking with Achan (Josh 7:25  ^cs), and Jephthah had used it with his innocent daughter (Judg 11:35  ^ct). Saul’s foolish oath limited Israel’s victory (1 Sam 14:30  ^cu) and put his son’s life at risk (see also Josh 6:18  ^cv; 1 Chr 2:7  ^cw).
14:31  ^cx Aijalon: If the Philistines fled along the likely route through Beth-horon, then the Israelites kept up the pursuit for close to twenty miles.
Summary for 1Sam 14:32-34: 14:32-34  ^cy The men were famished, so they ate meat without draining the blood. This act violated God’s law (see Lev 17:10-14  ^cz) and thus constituted sinning against the Lord. To prevent more sin, Saul used a large rock as a field altar so that the animals’ blood could be properly drained. The incident would never have occurred had it not been for Saul’s foolish oath.
14:35  ^da first of the altars: This altar is the only one mentioned. David later built an altar that would become the site of God’s Temple (2 Sam 24:18-25  ^db).
Summary for 1Sam 14:37-38: 14:37-38  ^dc God made no reply: Neither the “no” lot nor the “yes” lot of the Urim and Thummim appeared.
14:41  ^dd Casting sacred lots involved the Urim and Thummim (Exod 28:30  ^de; Lev 8:8  ^df), which David also used when soliciting God’s guidance (1 Sam 23:2  ^dg; 30:8  ^dh; 2 Sam 2:1  ^di). The Urim and Thummim were two small objects (perhaps flat stones, sticks, or arrows) that may have been cast like dice. They would provide a positive answer, a neutral response, or a negative answer.
14:45  ^dj The people, aware of God’s blessing on the real hero of the day, were wiser than their king.
Summary for 1Sam 14:47-52: 14:47-52  ^dk In contrast to the folly described in 14:1-46  ^dl, these verses summarize Saul’s military successes. A similar summary of achievements ends the description of each king’s reign in 1 Samuel—2 Kings. 14:47  ^dm secured his grasp: Samuel had used this verb repeatedly when speaking about what a king would do: “He will take ... take ... take” (8:10-18  ^dn).

• Moab, Ammon, Edom, ... Zobah: David confronted these same foes during his reign and expanded Israel’s territory in the process (see 2 Sam 8:1-14  ^do).
14:48  ^dp conquered the Amalekites: See 15:1-35  ^dq. The Amalekites, a nomadic group in the south, periodically raided and pillaged Israel (see Exod 17:8-16  ^dr; Num 14:45  ^ds; Judg 3:13  ^dt; 6:3  ^du, 33  ^dv; 7:12  ^dw; 10:12  ^dx).
Summary for 1Sam 14:49-51: 14:49-51  ^dy This information about Saul’s family, placed here rather than at the end of his reign, hints that his reign was essentially over and he would not be succeeded by one of his sons. 14:49  ^dz Saul’s sons included: Another of Saul’s sons was named Abinadab (31:2  ^ea).

• Ishbosheth means “man of shame” (see study note on 2 Sam 2:8). He was also called Esh-baal (“man of Baal”). He served briefly as a rival king over the northern tribes during David’s early years (2 Sam 2:8-11  ^eb).
14:50  ^ec Ahinoam is mentioned only here in Saul’s story. In 25:43  ^ed, David marries a woman also called Ahinoam (who might or might not have been the same person; cp. 2 Sam 12:8  ^ee).
14:52  ^ef Saul had easily defeated the Ammonites (11:11  ^eg) but was having much less success with the Philistines, given their well-organized fighting machine and their monopoly on iron and bronze (13:19-22  ^eh).

• he drafted him: Samuel had warned earlier that the king would take people as well as possessions (8:11  ^ei).

‏ 1 Samuel 15

Summary for 1Sam 15:1-35: 15:1-35  ^ej After Saul failed to obey God and completely destroy the Amalekites, God rejected him in even stronger terms than before (cp. 13:8-14  ^ek).
15:2  ^el Lord of Heaven’s Armies: See study note on 1:3.

• to settle accounts: In Moses’ time, the nation of Amalek had inhabited southern Judah and the Negev area south of Judah. As Israel traveled to Canaan, the Amalekites preyed on the sick and the weak and those traveling at the rear. They were the first people to attack Israel after the exodus from Egypt, for which God had promised to judge them (Exod 17:8-16  ^em; Deut 25:17-19  ^en).
15:3  ^eo completely destroy: See thematic note for Complete Dedication at end of chapter.
15:4  ^ep Telaim: Possibly Telem (Josh 15:24  ^eq).
15:5  ^er The unnamed town in the valley was located somewhere near a Negev wadi, a streambed or riverbed that fills with water only when rain falls.
15:6  ^es The Kenites were nomadic metalworkers and descendants of Moses’ father-in-law (Judg 1:16  ^et).

• you showed kindness: See Exod 18  ^eu; Num 10:29-32  ^ev.
15:7  ^ew The area where the Amalekites lived stretched from Havilah in northern Sinai to Shur near the eastern border of Egypt.
15:8  ^ex Agag was probably the descendant of an earlier king by the same name (see Num 24:7  ^ey; cp. Esth 3:1  ^ez).
15:9  ^fa Saul and his men directly disobeyed the Lord’s command to “completely destroy” the Amalekites (15:3  ^fb). Though the entire army participated in the disobedience of God’s command, Saul alone was responsible as their leader.
15:12  ^fc Carmel was a town near Hebron in southern Judah.

• Saul commemorated his own accomplishments by erecting a monument to himself. In reality, he had earned shame (15:16-19  ^fd).

• Gilgal: See 13:4  ^fe.
15:13  ^ff I have carried out the Lord’s command! Cp. 15:3  ^fg. Saul apparently thought his actions were justified (15:15  ^fh; cp. Lev 22:19  ^fi). Samuel, however, cut through Saul’s pretense (1 Sam 15:17-19  ^fj) and carried out God’s command himself (15:32-33  ^fk).
15:15  ^fl Saul blamed the army even though he was the commander. Certainly, his real motivation was not spiritual (15:9  ^fm).
15:17  ^fn As the anointed ... king of Israel, Saul bore the responsibility for disobeying God, which neither false humility nor making excuses could diminish.
15:21  ^fo my troops: Saul persisted in blaming others (see 15:15  ^fp).

• Gilgal was a religious center. Saul tried to use religion to justify disobedience to God.
15:22  ^fq What is more pleasing: God values obedience much more than ritual (see also Ps 40:6  ^fr; Hos 6:6  ^fs; Matt 12:7  ^ft).

• the fat of rams: The choicest parts of the animal were offered to God.
15:23  ^fu Rebellion ... and stubbornness, sins of the heart, are as bad as the sinful practices of idolatrous pagans.

• Scripture condemns witchcraft (see study note on Deut 18:10).
Summary for 1Sam 15:24-30: 15:24-30  ^fv Saul finally confessed his sin. But it was too little, too late—and still accompanied by excuses. 15:24  ^fw I was afraid of the people: Saul continued to blame others (see 15:15  ^fx, 21  ^fy).

• what they demanded: There is no hint of such pressure in the chapter. Saul’s confession appears dishonest (cp. David, 2 Sam 12:13  ^fz; Ps 51  ^ga).
15:28  ^gb Saul soon discovered who this someone else was (18:8-9  ^gc; cp. ch 16  ^gd).
15:29  ^ge nor will he change his mind: Samuel spoke prophetically of God’s commitment to make David king and to preserve his dynasty. God had rejected Saul, but he would never reject David (see 2 Sam 7:8-17  ^gf).
15:30  ^gg honor me before the elders: To help Saul save face.
15:35  ^gh The verb phrase mourned constantly is usually used for grieving over someone’s death. Although Saul was still living, his royalty was coming to an end. Samuel might have been grieving out of personal attachment to Saul, a sense of failure, or concern that Israel’s condition would be worse.

• the Lord was sorry: See thematic note for God’s Change of Mind at end of chapter.

Thematic note: Complete Dedication
The Hebrew word kherem (“specially set apart”) is difficult to translate because it represents a concept for which there is no exact parallel in modern English. In the conquest of Canaan under Joshua, kherem designated something that was dedicated to a pagan god and therefore hostile to the Lord. Such things were to be destroyed (see Josh 6:18  ^gi). In the case of valuable metal items, they were brought to the sanctuary, where they became holy to the Lord (Lev 27:28  ^gj; see also Josh 6:19  ^gk, 24  ^gl). The concept of being “specially set apart” was also applied to Israel’s enemies when they and their property were destroyed (Josh 6:17-19  ^gm; 1 Sam 15:2-3  ^gn).
In Leviticus 27:21  ^go, 28  ^gp, kherem indicates an acceptable vow devoting something to the Lord for use in the sanctuary (see Num 18:14  ^gq). This made the item, land, or person holy. The thing or person could not be bought back; it remained in the Lord’s service permanently.
The concept of complete dedication through total destruction underlies several passages in the apostle Paul’s writings. In Romans 9:3  ^gr, Paul was even willing to be declared anathema (the Greek equivalent of kherem) if it would bring about the salvation of his fellow Jews. In Galatians 1:8-9  ^gs, the same Greek word indicates an appropriate end for those who preach a false gospel. In 1 Corinthians 12:3  ^gt, Paul warns that no one speaking in the Spirit can call Jesus anathema, that is, no one who has God’s Spirit will interpret Jesus’ crucifixion as a sign of God’s rejection of him, as the Jews of Paul’s day did. Instead, they will recognize it as an act of atonement for sinful humanity.


Passages for Further Study
Exod 22:20  ^gu; Lev 27:28-29  ^gv; Num 18:8-14  ^gw; 21:2-3  ^gx; Deut 7:1-6  ^gy, 26  ^gz; 13:12-18  ^ha; Josh 6:17-19  ^hb, 24  ^hc; 7:11-15  ^hd; 1 Sam 15:2-3  ^he; 1 Kgs 20:42  ^hf; Isa 43:26-28  ^hg; Mal 4:5-6  ^hh; Rom 9:3  ^hi; 1 Cor 16:22  ^hj; Gal 1:8-9  ^hk

Thematic note: God’s Change of Mind
Thirty-four times in the Old Testament, God is said to “change his mind” or “be sorry” (Hebrew nakham). What could this mean? Did he relent, or did he have pity? Was he sorry, or did he grieve?
One thing is clear: God never repents of sin or moral failure, because he is perfect (see 1 Sam 15:29  ^hl; Num 23:19  ^hm). He may “change his mind” regarding calamity or judgment that he initiated—that is, he may decide to stop it—in response to prayers of repentance (Jer 18:7-10  ^hn; Joel 2:14  ^ho; Jon 3:9-10  ^hp), a human intercessor (Exod 32:11-14  ^hq; Amos 7:2-6  ^hr), or with no apparent human mediation (Judg 2:18  ^hs; 2 Sam 24:16  ^ht). On a few occasions, God is “sorry” about something he has already done, such as choosing Saul to be king (1 Sam 15:11  ^hu, 35  ^hv; cp. Gen 6:6  ^hw). Yet God is not admitting past mistakes; he is expressing anguish over lives gone awry.
Theologians debate the degree to which God, who is all-wise and all-powerful, can “change his mind.” In the Bible, any language that refers to a change in God’s mind reflects a human perspective on God’s activity. Any change in God, therefore, is a change as humans experience him—a reflection of his unchanging love, mercy, faithfulness, and holy will. It does not suggest a change in God’s power, omniscience, foreknowledge, wisdom, or holiness.


Passages for Further Study
Gen 6:6-7  ^hx; Exod 32:11-14  ^hy; Num 23:19  ^hz; Deut 32:36  ^ia; 1 Sam 15:10-11  ^ib, 29  ^ic, 35  ^id; 2 Sam 24:15-16  ^ie; Jer 4:28  ^if; 18:7-10  ^ig; 26:2-19  ^ih; Ezek 24:14  ⁱⁱ; Joel 2:13-14  ^ij; Amos 7:2-6  ^ik; Jon 3:9–4:11  ^il

‏ 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Summary for 1Sam 16:1-23: 16:1-23  ^im David was Saul’s replacement. There are striking similarities between the two: Samuel anointed both. Neither was pursuing the position. Both were unlikely candidates (Saul was from the smallest tribe; David was the youngest son). Both were impressive in appearance (9:2  ⁱⁿ; 16:12  ^io). And the Spirit came mightily on each when he was anointed king (10:10  ^ip; 11:6  ^iq; 16:13  ^ir). The key difference was that David was “a man after [God’s] own heart” (13:14  ^is; cp. 16:7  ^it), while Saul was not. 16:1  ^iu mourned long enough: See study note on 15:35.

• Bethlehem was about five miles south of Jerusalem. It was later known as the City of David (Luke 2:11  ^iv) and the birthplace of Jesus.

• Jesse was the grandson of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:22  ^iw).

• I have selected: This Hebrew verb implies that God had seen one of [Jesse’s] sons and based his choice on what he saw. God, the eternal king, knows better than the people of Israel how to choose a good king to serve the nation, and he provided a replacement for Saul who would lead Israel well.
16:2  ^ix say that you have come to make a sacrifice: God sometimes leads his servants into dangerous situations. He protects his own—sometimes by miracle, sometimes by strategy (cp. Exod 3:18-22  ^iy). In Samuel’s role as a priestly judge, he would not have raised any suspicions by offering a sacrifice (see 1 Sam 10:8  ^iz).
16:4  ^ja the elders ... came trembling: News of Samuel’s rebuke of Saul and execution of Agag had likely reached Bethlehem.
16:5  ^jb Purify yourselves: Self-purification included bathing and abstaining from sexual intercourse (see Exod 19:10-15  ^jc; cp. Gen 35:2-4  ^jd).

• The sacrifice likely took place the following morning (see Num 11:18  ^je; Josh 3:5  ^jf; 7:13-14  ^jg).

• Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons to make sure they were ready for the sacrifice and for the anointing of the new king (cp. Exod 19:10  ^jh; Josh 3:5  ^ji).
Summary for 1Sam 16:6-7: 16:6-7  ^jj his appearance or height: Like Saul, Eliab, Jesse’s oldest son, had an impressive outward appearance (cp. 9:2  ^jk). Also like Saul, he was rejected (cp. 15:23  ^jl). God had another man in mind to anoint as king.

• the Lord looks at the heart: God can give a new heart (10:9  ^jm), touch hearts (10:26  ^jn), and peer into the deep motivations of the heart (Ps 139:1  ^jo). God sees what people cannot see—a person’s true character. Eliab’s character comes out in 1 Sam 17:28  ^jp.
16:13  ^jq The Spirit of the Lord came ... upon David, as was consistently evident (e.g., 16:23  ^jr; 17:48-54  ^js; 18:5  ^jt, 12-16  ^ju). The Spirit of the Lord had also come upon Saul (10:10  ^jv) but had left him because of disobedience (16:14  ^jw).

• Ramah: Samuel’s hometown (1:1  ^jx).