1Sa 13:3-14:5 | TNotes | STEP | 13:3 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 ; 14:5 ). • The ram’s horn (Hebrew shofar ) was used to raise a signal—e.g., to muster an army (Judg 3:27 ). For other uses, see Lev 25:9 ; 2 Sam 6:15 ; 15:10 ; 18:16 ; 20:1 ; Hos 5:8 ; Joel 2:15 . • Non-Israelites often used the term Hebrews disdainfully (see 1 Sam 14:11 ; 29:3 ; see also Gen 39:14 ; 43:32 ). Saul might have used it to strike a nerve and arouse the people’s pride in their identity.

13:3 ^a 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 ^b; 14:5 ^c).

• The ram’s horn (Hebrew shofar) was used to raise a signal—e.g., to muster an army (Judg 3:27 ^d). For other uses, see Lev 25:9 ^e; 2 Sam 6:15 ^f; 15:10 ^g; 18:16 ^h; 20:1 ⁱ; Hos 5:8 ^j; Joel 2:15 ^k.

• Non-Israelites often used the term Hebrews disdainfully (see 1 Sam 14:11 ^l; 29:3 ^m; see also Gen 39:14 ⁿ; 43:32 ^o). Saul might have used it to strike a nerve and arouse the people’s pride in their identity.
13:4 ^p 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 ^q). Now the Lord would reject his kingship there because of his disobedience (13:7-14 ^r).
13:5 ^s 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 ^t The land of Gad and Gilead ran the length of Transjordan (the region just east of the Jordan River).
13:8 ^u seven days ... as Samuel had instructed: This instruction most likely was not the instruction in 10:8 ^v but an unrecorded instruction on a separate occasion (see study note on 10:8).
13:9 ^w the burnt offering and the peace offerings: These general-purpose offerings (see Exod 24:5 ^x; 32:6 ^y; Num 10:10 ^z; 15:8 ^aa; Deut 27:6-7 ^ab) 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 ^ac meet and welcome: Saul seemed unaware he had done anything wrong.
13:11 ^ad What is this you have done? Samuel’s question was a rebuke, not a request for information (cp. Gen 3:13 ^ae).
13:12 ^af 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 ^ag). But Samuel, unlike Saul, served in a priestly role.
13:13 ^ah the command the Lord ... gave you: Other kings offered sacrifices without censure (David, 2 Sam 6:13 ^ai, 17-18 ^aj; Solomon, 1 Kgs 3:15 ^ak; 8:64 ^al; Ahaz, 2 Kgs 16:12-13 ^am), as did judges (Gideon, Judg 6:26 ^an), 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 ^ao a man after his own heart: This prophecy pertains to David (see also Acts 13:22 ^ap) rather than to Saul’s son Jonathan. The rejection of Saul was also the rejection of his family dynasty.
13:15 ^aq only 600 were left: Most of the 3,000 troops (13:2 ^ar) had abandoned Saul (13:6-7 ^as).
Summary for 1Sam 13:17-18: 13:17-18 ^at 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 ^au 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 ^av 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 14:1-5

Summary for 1Sam 14:1-52: 14:1-52 ^aw Saul’s behavior in this chapter further justifies his dismissal as king (13:8-14 ^ax; see also ch 15 ^ay). Saul was alienated from both Samuel and his heroic son Jonathan. Chapter 14 ^az 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 ^ba Jonathan again fought in his father’s battles (see also 13:2-4 ^bb; ch 31 ^bc). 14:1 ^bd 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 ^be camped: Saul’s inactivity contrasts with Jonathan’s initiative (see also 22:6 ^bf).
14:3 ^bg Ahijah the priest was an adviser who could give Saul divine guidance through the ephod (14:18-19 ^bh; see also 2:18 ^bi and corresponding study note; 23:9-10 ^bj).

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

• Ichabod: See 4:21 ^bm.
Summary for 1Sam 14:4-5: 14:4-5 ^bn The Philistines had already secured this area (13:23 ^bo), so Jonathan and his armor bearer had to move carefully.