13:1 Saul reigned a one year; and when he had reigned b two
years over Israel,
(a) While these things were done.
(b) Before he took upon himself the state of a king.
13:3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that
[was] in c Geba, and the Philistines heard [of it]. And
Saul blew the d trumpet throughout all the land, saying,
Let the Hebrews hear.
(c) Of Kirjath-jearim, where the ark was, (1Sa 10:5).
(d) That everyone should prepare themselves to fight.
13:5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight
with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand
horsemen, and people as the sand which [is] on the sea
shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in
Michmash, eastward from e Bethaven.
(e) Which was also called Beth-el, in the tribe of
Benjamin.
13:7 And [some of] the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of
f Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he [was] yet in Gilgal,
and all the people followed him trembling.
(f) Where the two tribes and the half remained.
13:8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that
Samuel [had appointed]: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and
the people were g scattered from him.
(g) Thinking that the absence of the prophet was a sign,
that they would lose the victory.
13:11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said,
Because I saw that the people were h scattered from me,
and [that] thou camest not within the days appointed, and
[that] the Philistines gathered themselves together at
Michmash;
(h) Though these causes seem sufficient in man's judgment:
yet because they had not the word of God, they turned
to his destruction.
13:13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou
hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy i God,
which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have
established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
(i) Who willed you to obey him, and rest on the words
spoken by his prophet.
13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath
sought him a k man after his own heart, and the LORD
hath commanded him [to be] captain over his people,
because thou hast not kept [that] which the LORD commanded
thee.
(k) That is, David.
13:15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto l
Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people [that
were] present with him, about six hundred men.
(l) And went to his city Ramah.
13:18 And another company turned the way [to] Bethhoron: and m
another company turned [to] the way of the border that
looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
(m) So that to man's judgment these three armies would
have overrun the whole country.
13:22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was
neither n sword nor spear found in the hand of any of
the people that [were] with Saul and Jonathan: but with
Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
(n) To declare that the victory only came from God, and
not by their force.
