1Saulovi bylo, když se stal králem,... let a vládl nad Izraelem... let. 2Saul si z Izraele vybral tři tisíce mužů; dva tisíce jich byly se Saulem v Mikmasu a v Betelském pohoří, jeden tisíc jich byl s Jonatanem v Benjaminově Gebě a zbytek lidu Saul odeslal nazpět, každého do jeho stanu. 3Jonatan zabil filišťanského místodržícího, který byl v Gibeji, a Filišťané se dozvěděli, že se Hebrejové vzbouřili. Saul dal troubit na roh po celé zemi 4a celý Izrael se dozvěděl tu novinu: „Saul zabil filišťanského místodržícího, Izrael už upadl u Filišťanů v nenávist!“ a lid se seskupil v Gilgalu za Saulem. 5Filišťané se shromáždili k boji s Izraelem, tři tisíce vozů, šest tisíc koní a zástup tak početný jako písek na mořském břehu, a utábořili se v Mikmasu, na východ od Bet-Avenu. 6Když Izraelité viděli, že jsou v tísni, oni jim totiž byli v patách, schovávali se muži v jeskyních, dírách, skalních trhlinách, podzemních chodbách a cisternách. 7Přešli také přes jordánské brody do Gadovy země a do Galaadu. Saul byl dosud v Gilgalu a lid za ním se třásl. 8Čekal sedm dní, které mu podle lhůty stanovil Samuel, ale Samuel do Gilgalu nepřišel a vojsko Saula opustilo a rozprchlo se. 9On tedy řekl: „Přiveďte mi celopal a pokojné oběti,“ a přinesl v oběť celopal. 10Tu když končil s celopalem, přišel Samuel a Saul mu vyšel vstříc, aby ho pozdravil. 11Samuel řekl: „Cos to udělal?“ a Saul odpověděl: „Viděl jsem, že mě vojsko opouští a rozprchává se, že tys zatím ve stanovený den nepřišel a že se Filišťané shromáždili v Mikmasu. 12Řekl jsem si: Teď na mne Filišťané přijdou do Gilgalu a já jsem neupokojil Jahva. A tak jsem se přemohl a přinesl jsem v oběť celopal.“ 13Samuel Saulovi řekl: „Jednal jsi jako blázen! Nezachoval jsi příkaz, který ti dal Jahve, tvůj Bůh. Jahve by jinak byl utvrdil tvou královskou moc nad Izraelem navždycky, 14ale nyní tvá královská moc nevydrží. Jahve si našel muže podle svého srdce, protože ty jsi nezachoval, co ti Jahve přikázal.“ 15Samuel vstal a odešel z Gilgalu svou cestou. Co zbývalo z lidu, táhlo za Saulem naproti bojovníkům a přišlo z Gilgalu do Benjaminovy Geby. Saul vykonal přehlídku oddílu, který měl u sebe: bylo tam asi šest set mužů. 16Saul a jeho syn Jonatan a oddíl, který byl s nimi, sídlili v Benjaminově Gebě a Filišťané tábořili v Mikmasu. 17Z filišťanského tábora vytáhl ve třech tlupách sbor záškodníků: jedna tlupa se vydala směrem k Ofře do země Šual, 18jedna tlupa se vydala směrem k Betchoronu a jedna tlupa se vydala směrem k výšině, která ční nad Údolím hyen, poblíž pouště. 19V celé izraelské zemi nebyl žádný kovář, neboť Filišťané si řekli: „Musí se zabránit, aby Hebrejové zhotovovali meče nebo kopí.“ 20A tak všichni Izraelité chodili k Filišťanům a každý si u nich dával nově vykovat radlici, sekeru, teslici nebo srp. 21Cena za radlice a sekery byla dvě třetiny šekelu, třetina šekelu za naostření teslice a vyrovnání bodců. 22A tak se stalo, že v den bitvy neměl ve vojsku, které bylo za Saulem a Jonatanem, nikdo v ruce meč ani kopí. Saul a jeho syn Jonatan je však měli. 23Filišťanská hlídka odešla k průsmyku u Mikmasu.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 SAUL'S SELECTED BAND. (
1Sam 13:1-2)
Saul reigned one year--(see Margin). The transactions recorded in the eleventh and twelfth chapters were the principal incidents comprising the first year of Saul's reign; and the events about to be described in this happened in the second year.
2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel--This band of picked men was a bodyguard, who were kept constantly on duty, while the rest of the people were dismissed till their services might be needed. It seems to have been his tactics to attack the Philistine garrisons in the country by different detachments, rather than by risking a general engagement; and his first operations were directed to rid his native territory of Benjamin of these enemies.
3 HE CALLS THE HEBREWS TO GILGAL AGAINST THE PHILISTINES. (
1Sam 13:3-4)
And Jonathan--that is, "God-given."
smote the garrison of the Philistines . . . in Geba--Geba and Gibeah were towns in Benjamin, very close to each other (
Josh 18:24,
Josh 18:28). The word rendered "garrison" is different from that of
1Sam 13:23;
1Sam 14:1, and signifies, literally, something erected; probably a pillar or flagstaff, indicative of Philistine ascendency. That the secret demolition of this standard, so obnoxious to a young and noble-hearted patriot, was the feat of Jonathan referred to, is evident from the words, "the Philistines heard of it," which is not the way we should expect an attack on a fortress to be noticed.
Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land--This, a well-known sound, was the usual Hebrew war-summons; the first blast was answered by the beacon fire in the neighboring places. A second blast was blown--then answered by a fire in a more distant locality, whence the proclamation was speedily diffused over the whole country. As the Philistines resented what Jonathan had done as an overt attempt to throw off their yoke, a levy, en masse, of the people was immediately ordered, the rendezvous to be the old camping-ground at Gilgal.
5 THE PHILISTINES' GREAT HOST. (
1Sam 13:5)
The Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen--Either this number must include chariots of every kind--or the word "chariots" must mean the men fighting in them (
2Sam 10:18;
1Kgs 20:21;
1Chr 19:18); or, as some eminent critics maintain, Sheloshim ("thirty"), has crept into the text, instead of Shelosh ("three"). The gathering of the chariots and horsemen must be understood to be on the Philistine plain, before they ascended the western passes and pitched in the heart of the Benjamite hills, in "Michmash," (now Mukmas), a "steep precipitous valley" [ROBINSON], eastward from Beth-aven (Beth-el).
6 THE ISRAELITES' DISTRESS. (
1Sam 13:6-8)
When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait--Though Saul's gallantry was unabated, his subjects displayed no degree of zeal and energy. Instead of venturing an encounter, they fled in all directions. Some, in their panic, left the country (
1Sam 13:7), but most took refuge in the hiding-places which the broken ridges of the neighborhood abundantly afford. The rocks are perforated in every direction with "caves," and "holes," and "pits"--crevices and fissures sunk deep in the rocky soil, subterranean granaries or dry wells in the adjoining fields. The name of Michmash ("hidden treasure") seems to be derived from this natural peculiarity [STANLEY].
8 he--that is, Saul.
tarried seven days--He was still in the eastern borders of his kingdom, in the valley of Jordan. Some bolder spirits had ventured to join the camp at Gilgal; but even the courage of those stout-hearted men gave way in prospect of this terrible visitation; and as many of them were stealing away, he thought some immediate and decided step must be taken.
9 SAUL, WEARY OF WAITING FOR SAMUEL, SACRIFICES. (
1Sam 13:9-16)
Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings--Saul, though patriotic enough in his own way, was more ambitious of gaining the glory of a triumph to himself than ascribing it to God. He did not understand his proper position as king of Israel; and although aware of the restrictions under which he held the sovereignty, he wished to rule as an autocrat, who possessed absolute power both in civil and sacred things. This occasion was his first trial. Samuel waited till the last day of the seven, in order to put the constitutional character of the king to the test; and, as Saul, in his impatient and passionate haste knowingly transgressed (
1Sam 13:12) by invading the priest's office and thus showing his unfitness for his high office (as he showed nothing of the faith of Gideon and other Hebrew generals), he incurred a threat of the rejection which his subsequent waywardness confirmed.
15 Samuel . . . gat him . . . unto Gibeah . . . and Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah--Saul removed his camp thither, either in the hope that, it being his native town, he would gain an increase of followers or that he might enjoy the counsels and influence of the prophet.
17 the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies--ravaging through the three valleys which radiate from the uplands of Michmash to Ophrah on the north, through the pass of Beth-horon on the west, and down the ravines of Zeboim ("the hyćnas"), towards the Ghor or Jordan valley on the east.
19 Now there was no smith found throughout . . . Israel--The country was in the lowest state of depression and degradation. The Philistines, after the great victory over the sons of Eli, had become the virtual masters of the land. Their policy in disarming the natives has been often followed in the East. For repairing any serious damage to their agricultural implements, they had to apply to the neighboring forts.
21 Yet they had a file--as a kind of privilege, for the purpose of sharpening sundry smaller utensils of husbandry.