1 Samuel 13

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1 Samuel 13

1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.

3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.

10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;

12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the Lord: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.

15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.

16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

17 And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:

18 And another company turned the way to Bethhoron: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:

20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.

21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.

22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.

23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

Notes

Cross Reference

Commentary

Rashi

Verse 1

<html>One year was Shaul in his reign. Our Rabbis, of sainted memory, said,¹ Maseches Yoma 22b. [Shaul was] like a one year old, who did not experience the taste of sin. It may also be interpreted, “Shaul was a year in his reign,” i.e., in the first year in which he was made king, though he actually ruled over Yisroel two years, in the first year, immediately, “Shaul chose for himself three thousand [men].”</html>

Verse 3

<html>The Philistine governor. They had a government official [who ruled] over Yisroel and they stationed him in Givas Binyomin.²Yonoson assassinated him as an open act of rebellion against the Philistines.—Radak Let the Hebrews hear. That we have rebelled against the Philistines and they should beware of them.</html>

Verse 4

<html>And that Yisroel has become hateful. Literally, they have come in bad odor with the Philistines, an expression of hatred. To follow Shaul to Gilgol. This is what Shmuel had said to him, “you shall go down to Gilgol ahead of me.”³Above 10:8.</html>

Verse 5

<html>To the east of Beis Oven. [קִדְמַת] meaning the east of Beis Oven.</html>

Verse 6

<html>In thorn bushes. A place where thorns are concentrated; espineid in O.F. In the towers. Pleisiz in O.F. And in pits. Cisterns.</html>

Verse 7

<html>Crossed the Yardein to the land of Gad. To escape from the Philistines, because the Philistines were in the land of Canaan on the west side of the Yardein. Hurried after him. They hurried to go after him.⁴ I.e., to join forces with Shaul.</html>

Verse 8

<html>He waited. He waited.⁵ See Bereishis 8:10. Till the time set by Shmuel. This Verse has a missing word. [The Verse means to say], “till the appointed time set by Shmuel,” or “to the appointed time of Shmuel.” An example of this is, “And two men, officers of troops were the son of Shaul.” Scripture should have written, “were to the son of Shaul.”⁶ II Shmuel 4:2. Here too, “which was set by Shmuel,” who had said to him, “Wait seven days until I come to you.”⁷Above 10:8.</html>

Verse 9

<html>Bring me the burnt-offering. A non-kohein is permitted to sacrifice on a high place.</html>

Verse 11

<html>What have you done? Did I not say to you, “I will go down to you to offer the burnt-offering?” I will offer it up, and not you. At the appointed day. At the beginning of the [appointed] day.</html>

Verse 12

<html>So I forced myself. I overcame my will, for my heart told me to wait for you, and against my will I suppressed my heart, and offered the burnt-offering.⁸ Shaul realized that it was not proper for him to offer the sacrifice. But he saw that the people who had gathered became impatient and began to desert him for his not taking action. Therefore, in desperation he overcame his inclination to wait longer for Shmuel’s arrival and acted against his better judgement.</html>

Verse 13

<html>For now. Before you had done this, Adonoy would have established your kingship … forever. Because when a high position is assigned to a person, it is assigned to him and to his descendants.⁹ See Maseches Megillah 13b.</html>

Verse 14

<html>But now, your kingship shall not endure. Because Moshe said so in the Torah, “[and] he does not stray from the commandment right or left, so that days of his reign are lengthy….”¹⁰ Devarim 17:20. Hence, if he does stray, the days [of his reign] will not be lengthy. And if you will argue that this was not said in reference to a Prophet's commandment, but only in reference to a commandment of the Torah, [I will answer that] it was already stated, “[and] to guard every word of this Torah” and afterwards, “that his pride not increase… and he turn not stray from the commandment”¹¹Devarim 18:19. And now that you failed to obey the commandment of ‘ה to obey His word as delivered by His prophets, you will be held accountable for your actions. [to include] even a prophet's commandment.</html>

Verse 15

<html>Who were [still] with him. For the people had scattered from him, and these remained.</html>

Verse 18

<html>The Valley of the Tzvo'im. Where the Tzvo'im are found. This is the animal referred to by R. Meir when he said, 'also the '.¹² Maseches Bava Kama 16a.צָּבוֹעַ Targum Yonoson renders, ''¹³ Perhaps it is the hyena or the fox.אֲפָעַיָא and so did our Rabbis of sainted memory, explain, צָבוֹעַ is ,¹⁴ A particular species of snake.אֶפְעֶה a species of fierce and destructive animals.</html>

Verse 19

<html>A blacksmith was not to be found. I.e., was not available at the beginning of Shaul's reign, because the Philistines who ruled over Yisroel, eliminated all the iron smiths from Yisroel, lest they make weapons to wage war.</html>

Verse 20

<html>And all of Yisroel would go down to the Philistines. And when Yiroel needed iron smiths to sharpen mattocks, axes and tools, they had to go down to the land of the Philistines. His plowshare. Soc in O.F. His mattock. Coltre in O.F. His axe. Besague in O.F. His tools. Fosoir in O.F.</html>

Verse 21

<html>There was a multi-edged file that was used for the tools. For those who found it troublesome to go down to the Philistines to sharpen, had the פְּצִירָה פִים, lime in O.F., which has many mouths, i.e. many sharp and jagged surfaces to sharpen the tools and mattocks. Three pronged pitchforks. A fork similar to a pitchfork, which is called 'forche' [in O.F.], having three prongs. And for setting the yoke. To sharpen the tip, and to insert it and set it into the handle.</html>

Verse 22

<html>But they could be found with Shaul. By means of a miracle.¹⁵ See Vayikra Rabbah 25:8.</html>

Verse 23

<html>A Philistine garrison. It is the custom of soldiers to form a garrison and a raiding party, [the latter] spread out into a city and seek its plunder. It is called 'cenbel' in O.F. Garrison. They are the ones who stand guard that no raiders come out of the city against them. Towards the Pass of Michmos. The Philistines were camped in Michmos, and Michmos was on a mountain. Yisroel was in a city named Geva, and Geva was also on top of a mountain, and those two mountains were opposite each other. The valley was between them, as is stated in this episode, “and the Phillistine garrison went out toward the Pass of Michmos,” which is on the side toward Geva, to the valley between them.</html>

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Table of Contents

1 Samuel 13

1 Samuel 13

Notes

Cross Reference

Commentary

Rashi

Verse 1

Verse 3

Verse 4

Verse 5

Verse 6

Verse 7

Verse 8

Verse 9

Verse 11

Verse 12

Verse 13

Verse 14

Verse 15

Verse 18

Verse 19

Verse 20

Verse 21

Verse 22

Verse 23