1Sa 13 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Sam 13:1-14: 13:1–16:13 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 ); (2) he made a rash oath that put Jonathan’s life in danger (14:1-46 ); and (3) he failed to obey God by eliminating the Amalekites and their belongings (15:1-35 ). 13:1 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 ; 1 Kgs 14:21 ). • 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 .

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.