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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:15-23

Here, 1. Samuel departs in displeasure. Saul has set up for himself, and now he is left to himself: Samuel gat him from Gilgal (1 Sam. 13:15), and it does not appear that he either prayed with Saul or directed him. Yet in going up to Gibeah of Benjamin, which was Saul's city, he intimated that he had not quite abandoned him, but waited to do him a kindness another time. Or he went to the college of the prophets there, to pray for Saul when he did not think fit to pray with him. 2. Saul goes... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:20

But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines ,.... Were obliged to go into Palestine, into some one or other of the cities of the Philistines, or to their garrisons, where the trade of a smith was exercised: to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter ; which are the parts of the plough made of iron, with which the earth is cut and thrown up: and his axe and his mattock ; or pick axe; with the one wood is felled and cut, and with the other stones are dug; and each of these... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:21

Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes ,.... Those that would not go to the Philistines, or were not able, or thought it too much trouble, these kept files by them to sharpen those several instruments with upon occasion; though the words are by some rendered in connection with the preceding, to this sense, that they went to the Philistines to sharpen them, when the mouths, or edges, of the mattocks, coulters, &c.; were dull; or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:22

So it came to pass in the day of battle ,.... When that drew near, and they were called to it, and obliged to fight or flee, or surrender: that there were neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan : which was not owing to their leaving them behind in the camp, or casting them away from them through fear, as they followed Saul with trembling, but to the cause now mentioned. In what manner some preceding battles were fought with the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 13:20

But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines - We find from this that they did not grant them as much as Porsenna did to the Romans; he permitted the people to manufacture the implements of husbandry. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 13:21

Yet they had a file - The Hebrew פצירה petsirah , from פצר patsar , to rub hard, is translated very differently by the versions and by critics. Our translation may be as likely as any: they permitted them the use of files, (I believe the word means grindstone), to restore the blunted edges of their tridents, axes, and goads. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 13:22

In the day of battle - these was neither sword nor spear - But if the Israelites enjoyed such profound peace and undisturbed dominion under Samuel, how is it that they were totally destitute of arms, a state which argues the lowest circumstances of oppression and vassalage? In answer to this we may observe, that the bow and the sling were the principal arms of the Israelites; for these they needed no smith: the most barbarous nations, who have never seen iron, have... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:17-23

The ramifications of evil. The facts are— 1 . In the absence of Divine interposition, and consequent on Saul's inability to resist advance, the Philistines develop their forces and plunder certain districts of country. 2 . As a matter of policy on their part, and as one result of Saul's transgression, the Philistines deprive the people of the ordinary means of conducting warfare. 3 . This state of things necessitates Saul's protracted inactivity, and inflicts considerable... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:20

The Israelites went down to the Philistines. I.e. to their land. This could only have applied to the districts near the Philistines, unless we suppose that they set up forges also at their garrisons. To sharpen. The verb chiefly refers to such work as required an anvil and hammer. As regards the implements, not only do the versions disagree in their renderings, but the Septuagint has a very curious different reading, to the effect that at harvest time the Israelites had to pay the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:21

A file. Margin, a file with mouths. The word only occurs here, and is translated a file on the authority of Rashi. Almost all modern commentators agree that it means bluntness, and that this verse should be joined on to the preceding, and the two be translated, "But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his sickle, and his ploughshare, and his axe, and his mattock, whenever the edges of the mattocks, and the ploughshares, and the forks, and the axes were blunt, and... read more

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