1 Samuel 13:18

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 13:18

And another company turned the way to Bethhoron ,.... Of which name there were two cities, the upper and nether, and both in the tribe of Ephraim, of which see Joshua 16:3 this lay northwest from the camp of the Philistines at Michmash; eight miles from it, according to Bunting F4 Travels of the Patriarchs, &c.; p. 133. : and another company turned to the way of the border, that looketh towards the valley of Zeboim, toward the wilderness ; some take this to be the Zeboim... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:17-18

The spoilers. The conduct of the Philistines is that of men over confident in their strength. They ought to have pounced at once upon Saul in the plain of Jordan, where their cavalry would have secured for them the victory, and then, following Samuel's and Saul's route, have seized the other end of the defile, and overpowered Jonathan. But they despised them both, and regarding the country as conquered, proceed to punish it, as probably they had cone on previous occasions, when no one had... 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

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:15-23

War against the Philistines (13:15-14:46)After Samuel left Gilgal, Saul took his troops and joined with the other section of the Israelite army, which was under Jonathan. Together they prepared for the battle against the Philistines (15-18). The Philistines were confident of victory, partly because for many years they had so controlled metal-working activities in the area that the Israelites owned hardly any weapons. This enabled the Philistines to raid throughout Israel without fear of strong... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Samuel 13:16-23

2. Saul’s struggle against the Philistines 13:16-14:23As a result of Saul’s disobedience he began to struggle, whereas his son Jonathan, who sought to follow the Lord faithfully, became increasingly successful. read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 13:1-23

Saul’s War against the Philistines1. The age of Saul at his accession has fallen out of the text and also one of the two numbers representing the length of his reign. Our present text is ’Saul was.. years old when he began to reign, and he reigned.. and two years.’ We have no means of recovering the former number. For the latter Keil, with great probability, conjectures 22: see on 2 Samuel 2:10 and Intro. § 9. 2. Michtnash] still retains its ancient name; it is a village 9 m. from Jerusalem,... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - 1 Samuel 13:1-23

Waiting for Samuel 1 Samuel 13:11-12 I. A crisis which would try a stronger man than Saul showed himself to be had arisen. He had just made a bold stroke, and with a detachment out of his 3000 reserved men had driven out the Philistine garrison, quartered on his own tribe in Benjamin. It would have been better for him not to strike than to follow it up. But he finds himself at Gilgal confronted by an increased and increasing band of Philistines, with his own army, an unarmed and disorganized... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:1-23

CHAPTER XVIIISAUL AND SAMUEL AT GILGAL1 Samuel 13:1-23.THE first thing that claims our attention in connection with this chapter is the question of dates involved in the first verse. In the Authorized Version we read, "Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, Saul chose him three thousand men." This rendering of the original is now quite given up. The form of expression is the same as that which so often tells us the age of a king at the beginning of his reign and... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - 1 Samuel 13:1-23

6. The First Failure of Saul and Its Results CHAPTER 13 1. The failure of Saul (1 Samuel 13:1-9 ) 2. Samuel’s sentence (1 Samuel 13:10-14 ) 3. Israel’s deplorable condition (1 Samuel 13:15-23 ) Omit the first verse of this chapter as it does not belong into the text. In self-confidence Saul has dismissed the greater part of the people; only 2000 remained with him and 1000 with his son Jonathan. Saul is now passing through a test. Hath he true faith which counts and depends on God? Is he... read more

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