1 Samuel 13:5-1 Kings 13:5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:1-7

We are not told wherein it was that the people of Israel offended God, so as to forfeit his presence and turn his hand against them, as Samuel had threatened (1 Sam. 12:15); but doubtless they left God, else he would not have left them, as here it appears he did; for, I. Saul was very weak and impolitic, and did not order his affairs with discretion. Saul was the son of one year (so the first words are in the original), a phrase which we make to signify the date of his reign, but ordinarily it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:5

And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel ,.... To prevent their further encroachments on them, and designs against them; for they perceived they intended to cast off their yoke, and free themselves entirely from them: thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen ; it may seem incredible that so small a people as the Philistines were, who only were possessed of five cities, or lordships, with the villages belonging to them, except what they had taken... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Samuel 13:5

Thirty thousand chariots , and six thousand horsemen - There is no proportion here between the chariots and the cavalry. The largest armies ever brought into the field, even by mighty emperors, never were furnished with thirty thousand chariots. I think שלשים sheloshim , Thirty, is a false reading for שלש shalosh , Three. The Syriac has telotho alpin , and the Arabic thalathato alf , both signifying Three thousand; and this was a fair proportion to the horsemen.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:1-7

The great antagonism. The facts are— 1 . Saul, entering on the military organisation of his kingdom, forms a select force under the command of himself and Jonathan. 2 . The defeat of the Philistine garrison by Jonathan is announced to all Israel. 3 . This first success arouses the hostility of the Philistines, who threaten Israel with overwhelming numbers. 4 . The effect of this display of force is to dishearten the followers of Saul who waited at Gilgah The presence of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:5

Long before Saul could gather Israel the Philistines had completed their preparations, and invaded the country in overwhelming numbers; but thirty thousand chariots compared with six thousand horsemen is out of all proportion. Possibly the final l in Israel has been taken by some copyists for a numeral, and as it signifies thirty, it his changed 1000 into 30,000. Or, simpler still, shin, the numeral for 300, has been read with two dots, and so changed into 30,000. They came up, and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Samuel 13:5

Thirty thousand chariots - Probably a copyist’s mistake for 300. (Compare, for a similar numerical variation, 1 Chronicles 18:4 with 2 Samuel 8:4.)Eastward from Bethaven - Or more simply “to the east of Bethaven,” which Joshua 7:2 lay “on the east side of Bethel.” Bethaven (thought to be the same as Deir Diwan) lay between Bethel and Michmash, which had been evacuated by Saul. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Samuel 13:5

1 Samuel 13:5. Thirty thousand chariots The Syriac and Arabic copies mention only three thousand chariots, which seems to be the true reading; for there is no foundation for believing that the Philistines could bring into the field thirty thousand chariots of war. Indeed we read of nothing like it in all history. Or, we may suppose that most of them were but carriages for the baggage of the army. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:1-14

13:1-15:35 SAUL’S EARLY VICTORIESPreparing to fight the Philistines (13:1-14)Israel’s regular army consisted of two divisions, one under the command of Saul, the other under the command of Saul’s son Jonathan. Other fighting men were called to join the army when needed. Such a need arose when Jonathan attacked a Philistine camp, and the Philistines replied by sending a large army to attack Israel (13:1-6a).In a time of national emergency, Saul was apparently to go to Gilgal, where he was to... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 Samuel 13:5

thirty thousand . . . six , &c. Multiples of six. See App-10 . as the sand , &c. Figure of speech Parcemia. App-6 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 Samuel 13:5

THE PHILISTINES MUSTER TO AVENGE THEMSELVES"And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and troops like sand on the seashore in multitude; they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Bethaven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in straits (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, or crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and... read more

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