I
S A M U E L
CHAP. XIII.
Those
that desired a king like all the nations fancied that, when they had one, they
should look very great and considerable; but in this chapter we find it proved
much otherwise. While Samuel was joined in commission with Saul things went
well, ch. xi. 7. But, now that Saul began to reign alone, all went to
decay, and Samuel's words began to be fulfilled: "You shall be consumed,
both you and your king;" for never was the state of Israel further gone
in a consumption than in this chapter. I. Saul appears here a very silly
prince. 1. Infatuated in his counsels, ver. 1-3. 2. Invaded by his neighbours,
ver. 4, 5. 3. Deserted by his soldiers, ver. 6, 7. 4. Disordered in his own
spirit, and sacrificing in confusion, ver. 8-10. 5. Chidden by Samuel, ver.
11-13. 6. Rejected of God from being king, ver. 14. II. The people appear hear
a very miserable people. 1. Disheartened and dispersed, ver. 6, 7. 2.
Diminished, ver. 15, 16. 3. Plundered, ver. 17, 18. 4. Disarmed, ver. 19-23.
This they got by casting off God's government, and making themselves like the
nations: all their glory departed from them.
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The
Philistines War against Israel.
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B.
C. 1067.
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1 Saul reigned one year;
and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose him
three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with
Saul in Michmash and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in
Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his
tent. 3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was
in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet
throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. 4 And all
Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines,
and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And
the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal. 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 Beth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they
were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide
themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in
pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the
land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the
people followed him trembling.
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 (ch. xii. 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 signifies the date of one's birth, and therefore some understand
it figuratively--he was as innocent and good as a child of a year old; so the
Chaldee paraphrase: he was without fault, like the son of a year. But,
if we admit a figurative sense, it may as well intimate that he was ignorant
and imprudent, and as unfit for business as a child of a year old: and the
subsequent particulars make this more accordant with his character than the
former. But we take it rather, as our own translation has it, Saul reigned
one year, and nothing happened that was considerable, it was a year of no
action; but in his second year he did as follows:-- 1. he chose a band of 3000
men, of whom he himself commanded 2000, and his son Jonathan 1000, v.
2. The rest of the people he dismissed to their tents. If he intended these
only for the guard of his person and his honorary attendants, it was impolitic
to have so many, if for a standing army, in apprehension of danger from the
Philistines, it was no less impolitic to have so few; and perhaps the
confidence he put in this select number, and his disbanding the rest of that
brave army with which he had lately beaten the Ammonites (ch. xi.
8-11), was looked upon as an affront to the kingdom, excited general disgust,
and was the reason he had so few at his call when he had occasion for them.
The prince that relies on a particular party weakens his own interest in the
whole community. 2. He ordered his son Jonathan to surprise and destroy the
garrison of the Philistines that lay near him in Geba, v. 3. I wish
there were no ground for supposing that this was a violation or infraction of
some articles with the Philistines, and that it was done treacherously and
perfidiously. The reason why I suspect it is because it is said that, for
doing it, Israel was had in abomination, or, as the word is, did
stink with the Philistines (v. 4), as men void of common honesty
and whose word could not be relied on. If it was so, we will lay the blame,
not on Jonathan who did it, but on Saul, his prince and father, who ordered
him to do it, and perhaps kept him in ignorance of the truth of the matter.
Nothing makes the name of Israel odious to those that are without so much as
the fraud and dishonesty of those that are called by that worthy name. If
professors of religion cheat and over-reach, break their word and betray their
trust, religion suffers by it, and is had in abomination with the
Philistines. Whom may one trust if not an Israelite, one that, it is
expected, should be without guile? 3. When he had thus exasperated the
Philistines, then he began to raise forces, which, if he had acted wisely, he
would have done before. When the Philistines had a vast army ready to pour in
upon him, to avenge the wrong he had done them, then was he blowing the
trumpet through the land, among a careless, if not a disaffected people,
saying, Let the Hebrews hear (v. 3), and so as many as thought
fit came to Saul to Gilgal, v. 4. But now the generality, we may
suppose, drew back (either in dislike of Saul's politics or in dread of the
Philistines' power), who, if he had summoned them sooner, would have been as
ready at his beck as they were when he marched against the Ammonites. We often
find that after-wit would have done much better before and have prevented much
inconvenience.
II. Never did the Philistines appear in such a formidable body as they did
now, upon this provocation which Saul gave them. We may suppose they had great
assistance from their allies, for (v. 5), besides 6000 horse, which in
those times, when horses were not so much used in war as they are now, was a
great body, they had an incredible number of chariots, 30,000 in all: most of
them, we may suppose, were carriages for the bag and baggage of so vast an
army, not chariots of war. But their foot was innumerable as the sand of
the sea-shore, so jealous were they for the honour of their nation and so
much enraged at the baseness of the Israelites in destroying their garrison.
If Saul had asked counsel of God before he had given the Philistines this
provocation, he and his people might the better have borne this threatening
trouble which they had now brought on themselves by their own folly.
III. Never were the people of Israel so faint-hearted, so sneaking, so very
cowardly, as they were now. Some considerable numbers, it may be, came to Saul
to Gilgal; but, hearing of the Philistines' numbers and preparations, their
spirits sunk within them, some think because they did not find Samuel there
with Saul. Those that, awhile ago, were weary of him, and wished for a king,
now had small joy of their king unless they could see him under Samuel's
direction. Sooner or later, men will be made to see that God and his prophets
are their best friends. Now that they saw the Philistines making war upon
them, and Samuel not coming in to help them, they knew not what to do; men's
hearts failed them for fear. And. 1. Some absconded. Rather than run upon
death among the Philistines, they buried themselves alive in caves and
thickets, v. 6. See what work sin makes; it exposes men to perils, and
then robs them of their courage and dispirits them. A single person, by faith,
can say, I will not be afraid of 10,000 (Ps. iii. 6); but here
thousands of degenerate Israelites tremble at the approach of a great crowd of
Philistines. Guilt makes men cowards. 2. Others fled (v. 7): They went
over Jordan to the land of Gilead, as far as they could from the danger,
and to a place where they had lately been victorious over the Ammonites. Where
they had triumphed they hoped to be sheltered. 3. Those that staid with Saul followed
him trembling, expecting no other than to be cut off, and having their
hands and hearts very much weakened by the desertion of so many of their
troops. And perhaps Saul himself, though he had so much honour as to stand his
ground, yet had no courage to spare wherewith to inspire his trembling
soldiers.
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Saul
Reproved by Samuel; Sentence Passed upon Saul.
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B.
C. 1067.
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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 scattered from him. 9 And
Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he
offered the burnt offering. 10 And it came to pass, that as soon
as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and
Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. 11 And Samuel
said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were
scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed,
and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and
I have not made supplication unto the LORD:
I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 13 And
Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the
commandment of the LORD
thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD
have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. 14 But now thy
kingdom shall not continue: the LORD
hath sought him a 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.
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 ch.
x. 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 probable, though not mentioned again, was lately
repeated with reference to this particular occasion; for it is plain that Saul
himself understood it as obliging him from God now to stay till Samuel came,
else he would not have made so many excuses as he did for not staying, v.
11. This order Saul broke. He staid till the seventh day, yet had not patience
to wait till the end of the seventh day. Perhaps he began to reproach Samuel
as false to his word, careless of his country, and disrespectful of his
prince, and thought it more fit that Samuel should wait for him than he for
Samuel. However, 1. He presumed to offer sacrifice without Samuel, and nothing
appears to the contrary but that he did it himself, though he was neither
priest nor prophet, as if, because he was a king, he might do any thing, a
piece of presumption which king Uzziah paid dearly for, 2 Chron. xxvi. 16,
&c. 2. He determined to engage the Philistines without Samuel's
directions, though he had promised to show him what he should do. So
self-sufficient Saul was that he thought it not worth while to stay for a
prophet of the Lord, either to pray for him or to advise him. This was Saul's
offence, and that which aggravated it was, (1.) That for aught that appears,
he did not send any messenger to Samuel, to know his mind, to represent the
case to him, and to receive fresh directions from him, though he had enough
about him that were swift enough of foot at this time. (2.) That when Samuel
came he rather seemed to boast of what he had done than to repent of it; for
he went forth to salute him, as his brother-sacrificer, and seemed
pleased with the opportunity he had of letting Samuel know that he needed him
not, but could do well enough without him. He went out to bless him, so
the word is, as if he now thought himself a complete priest, empowered to
bless as well as sacrifice, whereas he should have gone out to be blessed by
him. (3.) That he charged Samuel with breach of promise: Thou camest not
within the days appointed (v. 11), and therefore if any thing was
amiss Samuel must bear the blame, who was God's minister; whereas he did come
according to his word, before the seven days had expired. Thus the scoffers
of the latter days think the promise of Christ's coming is broken, because
he does not come in their time, though it is certain he will come at the set
time. (4.) That when he was charged with disobedience he justified himself in
what he had done, and gave no sign at all of repentance for it. It is not
sinning that ruins men, but sinning and not repenting, falling and not getting
up again. See what excuses he made, v. 11, 12. He would have this act
of disobedience pass, [1.] For an instance of his prudence. The people were
most of them scattered from him, and he had no other way than this to keep
those with him that remained and to prevent their deserting too. If Samuel
neglected the public concerns, he would not. [2.] For an instance of his
piety. He would be thought very devout, and in great care not to engage the
Philistines till he had by prayer and sacrifice engaged God on his side:
"The Philistines," said he, "will come down upon me,
before I have made my supplication to the Lord, and then I am undone.
What! go to war before I have said my prayers!" Thus he covered his
disobedience to God's command with a pretence of concern for God's favour.
Hypocrites lay a great stress upon the external performances of religion,
thinking thereby to excuse their neglect of the weightier matters of the
law. And yet, lastly, He owns it went against his conscience to do it: I
forced myself and offered a burnt-offering, perhaps boasting that he had
broken through his convictions and got the better of them, or at least
thinking this extenuated his fault, that he knew he should not have done as he
did, but did it with reluctancy. Foolish man! to think that God would be well
pleased with sacrifices offered in direct opposition both to his general and
particular command.
II. The sentence passed upon Saul for this offence. Samuel found him standing
by his burnt-offering, but, instead of an answer of peace, was sent to him
with heavy tidings, and let him know that the sacrifice of the wicked is
abomination to the Lord, much more when he brings it, as Saul did, with
a wicked mind. 1. He shows him the aggravations of his crime, and says to
this king, Thou art wicked, which it is not for any but a prophet of
the Lord to say, Job xxxiv. 18. He charges him with being an enemy to himself
and his interest--Thou hast done foolishly, and a rebel to God and his
government--"Thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God,
that commandment wherewith he intended to try thy obedience." Note, Those
that disobey the commandments of God do foolishly for themselves. Sin is
folly, and sinners are the greatest fools. 2. He reads his doom (v.
14): "Thy kingdom shall not continue long to thee or thy family;
God has his eye upon another, a man after his own heart, and not like
thee, that will have thy own will and way." The sentence is in effect the
same with Mene tekel, only now there seems room left for Saul's
repentance, upon which this sentence would have been reversed; but, upon the
next act of disobedience, it was made irreversible, ch. xv. 29. And
now, better a thousand times he had continued in obscurity tending his asses
than to be enthroned and so soon dethroned. But was not this hard, to pass so
severe a sentence upon him and his house for a single error, an error that
seemed so small, and in excuse for which he had so much to say? No, The
Lord is righteous in all his ways and does no man any wrong, will be
justified when he speaks and clear when he judges. By this, (1.) He shows
that there is no sin little, because no little god to sin against; but that
every sin is a forfeiture of the heavenly kingdom, for which we stood fair.
(2.) He shows that disobedience to an express command, though in a small
matter, is a great provocation, as in the case of our first parents. (3.) He
warns us to take heed of our spirits, for that which to men may seem
but a small offence, yet to him that knows from what principle and with what
disposition of mind it is done, may appear a heinous crime. (4.) God, in
rejecting Saul for an error seemingly little, sets off, as by a foil, the
lustre of his mercy in forgiving such great sins as those of David, Manasseh,
and others. (5.) We are taught hereby how necessary it is that we wait on
our God continually. Saul lost his kingdom for want of two or three hours'
patience.
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The
Israelites' Low Condition.
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B.
C. 1067.
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15 And Samuel arose, and
gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that
were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 And Saul, and
Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in
Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17
And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies:
one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land
of Shual: 18 And another company turned the way to Beth-horon:
and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the
valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. 19 Now there was no smith
found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the
Hebrews make them swords or spears: 20 But all the
Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and
his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. 21 Yet they had a file
for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes,
and to sharpen the goads. 22 So it came to pass in the day of
battle, that there was neither 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. 23 And the garrison of the
Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
Here, 1. Samuel departs in displeasure. Saul has set up for himself, and now
he is left to himself: Samuel gat him from Gilgal (v. 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 after him to Gibeah, and there
musters his army, and finds his whole number to be but 600 men, v. 15,
16. Thus were they for their sin diminished and brought low. 3. The
Philistines ravage the country, and put all the adjacent parts under
contribution. The body of their army, or standing camp (as it is called in the
margin, v. 23), lay in an advantageous pass at Michmash, but thence
they sent out three separate parties or detachments that took several ways, to
plunder the country, and bring in provisions for the army, v. 17, 18.
By these the land of Israel was both terrified and impoverished, and the
Philistines were animated and enriched. This the sin of Israel brought upon
them, Isa. xlii. 24. 4. The Israelites that take the field with Saul are
unarmed, having only slings and clubs, not a sword or spear among them all,
except what Saul and Jonathan themselves have, v. 19, 22. See here,
(1.) How politic the Philistines were, when they had power in their hands, and
did what they pleased in Israel. They put down all the smiths' shops,
transplanted the smiths into their own country, and forbade any Israelite,
under severe penalties, to exercise the trade or mystery of working in brass
or iron, though they had rich mines of both (Deut. viii. 9) in such plenty
that it was said of Asher, his shoes shall be iron and brass, Deut.
xxxiii. 25. This was subtilely done of the Philistines, for hereby they not
only prevented the people of Israel from making themselves weapons of war (by
which they would be both disused to military exercises and unfurnished when
there was occasion), but obliged them to a dependence upon them even for the
instruments of husbandry; they must go to them, that is, to some or other of
their garrisons, which were dispersed in the country, to have all their
iron-work done, and no more might an Israelite do than use a file (v.
20, 21), and no doubt the Philistines' smiths brought the Israelites long
bills for work done. (2.) How impolitic Saul was, that did not, in the
beginning of his reign, set himself to redress this grievance. Samuel's not
doing it was very excusable; he fought with other artillery; thunder and
lightning, in answer to his prayer, were to him instead of sword and spear;
but for Saul, that pretended to be a king like the kings of the nations, to
leave his soldiers without swords and spears, and take no care to provide
them, especially when he might have done it out of the spoils of the Ammonites
whom he conquered in the beginning of his reign, was such a piece of
negligence as could by no means be excused. (3.) How slothful and
mean-spirited the Israelites were, that suffered the Philistines thus to
impose upon them and had no thought nor spirit to help themselves. It was
reckoned very bad with them when there was not a shield or spear found
among 40,000 in Israel (Judg. v. 8), and it was not better now,
when there was never an Israelite with a sword by his side but the king and
his son, never a soldier, never a gentleman; surely they were reduced to this,
or began to be so, in Samuel's time, for we never find him with sword or spear
in his hand. If they had not been dispirited, they could not have been
disarmed, but it was sin that made them naked to their shame.
Contents
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