Глава 13

The clash between the Jews and the Philistines. Disagreement between King Saul and the Prophet Samuel. 1 Samuel 13:1. It was a year after Saul became king, and another year he reigned over Israel, when Saul chose for himself three thousand of the Israelites: “It was a year after Saul began to reign, and another year he reigned over Israel,” i.e. in the second year after Saul reigned over Israel. "Three thousand Israelis" - as a permanent military detachment. 1 Samuel 13:2. two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and on Mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin; and he sent the rest of the people home. Mikhmas is a city northeast of Gibeah Veniamin. The hill of Bethel is north of Gibeah Benjamin. 1 Samuel 13:3. And Jonathan defeated the guard force of the Philistines that was in Gibeah; and the Philistines heard about it, and Saul sounded the trumpet throughout all the country, crying: Let the Jews hear! “The Philistine security detachment that was in Gibeah”: see note. to 1 Samuel 9:16. Obviously, Gibeah Veniamin was already part of the area of ​​Philistine seizures, and an observation and security detachment of the Philistines was located in it (or rather, near it). It is not surprising that such a neighborhood could not particularly please the king of the Jews. 1 Samuel 13:5. And the Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel: thirty thousand chariots and six thousand cavalry, and a multitude of people like the sand on the seashore; and they came and encamped at Michmash, on the east side of Beth-aven. Beth-Aven - Aijalon (1 Samuel 14:23,31); located southwest of Gibeon. 1 Samuel 13:6. the Israelites, seeing that they were in danger because the people were pressed, took refuge in caves and in gorges, and between rocks, and in towers, and in ditches; 1 Samuel 13:7. and some of the Jews crossed the Jordan into the country of Gad and Gilead; Saul was still in Gilgal, and all the people who were with him were in fear. “Is it because the war was started not by a unanimous outburst of popular feeling, but by Saul’s personal considerations; or because the thunder of the iron weapons of the Philistines instilled panic in the Jews (see note to 1 Samuel 9:16), but it turned out that the Jews lost heart: only a part of them followed Saul to Gilgal (to sacrifice to God); the largest mass hid in caves, in thorn bushes, in mountain gorges, in towers and pits; many even rushed beyond the Jordan" (Ya. Bogorodsky, "Jewish Kings", p. 41). 1 Samuel 13:8. And he waited seven days until the time appointed by Samuel, and Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people began to run away from him. 1 Samuel 13:9. And Saul said, Bring to me what is appointed for the burnt offering and for the peace offerings. And he offered a burnt offering. 1 Samuel 13:10. But as soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul came out to meet him to greet him. 1 Samuel 13:11. But Samuel said: What have you done? Saul answered: I saw that the people were scattering from me, and you did not come at the appointed time; The Philistines gathered together at Michmash; 1 Samuel 13:12. Then I thought: “Now the Philistines will come against me in Gilgal, and I have not yet asked the Lord,” and therefore I decided to offer a burnt offering. 1 Samuel 13:13. And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done badly, because you have not fulfilled the commandment of the Lord your God, which was given to you, for now the Lord would have established your reign over Israel forever; 1 Samuel 13:14. but now your reign cannot stand; The Lord will find Him a man after His own heart, and the Lord will command him to be the leader of His people, since you have not fulfilled what the Lord commanded you. See note. to 1 Samuel 7:6 and to 1 Samuel 10:8. By not fulfilling the will of the prophet of the Lord, Saul violated not a simple formality, but one of the most essential laws that formed the basis of the power of the Jewish king (Deut. 17:14–20). And the prophet Samuel, as a faithful guardian of the theocracy of the Jewish people, could not leave this violation of the law without energetic protest and denunciation. 1 Samuel 13:17. And three detachments went out from the camp of the Philistines to devastate the land: one went along the road to Ophrah, in the district of Sual, Ofra Veniaminova - north of Mikhmas. 1 Samuel 13:18. another detachment headed along the Bethhoron road, and the third headed along the road to the border of the Zeboim valley, to the desert. Bethhoron (Upper and Lower) - to the west of Mikhmas. Tzeboim - southeast of Michmash, towards the desert of Jericho. You might be interested in: