John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:8
And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed ,.... He tarried to the seventh day, but not to the end of it, or towards the close of it, as he should have done: but Samuel came not to Gilgal ; so soon as Saul expected: and the people were scattered from him ; many deserted him, the Philistines drawing nigh, and Samuel not coming, as Saul expected, and had given the people reason to expect. read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:8-14
Here is, I. Saul's offence in offering sacrifice before Samuel came. Samuel, when he anointed him, had ordered him to tarry for him seven days in Gilgal, promising that, at the end of those days, he would be sure to come to him, and both offer sacrifices for him and direct him what he should do. This we had 1 Sam. 10:8. Perhaps that order, though inserted there, was given him afterwards, or was given him as a general rule to be observed in every public congress at Gilgal, or, as is most... read more