Gilgal at dawn: a rough waist-high altar of uncut fieldstones standing cold on trampled ground, a thinning camp of black tents beyond it, and an empty road climbing into dark hills under a calm, pale sky.

The Book of

1 Samuel 13

Seven days of waiting, an army slipping away, and a king who would not wait one hour more.

23 verses≈ 5 min3 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

1–7SamuelA boy who listened
8–15SaulA king like the nationsChapter 13
16–20David risesThe LORD looks at the heart
21–27David huntedThe anointed one waits
28–31Saul fallsEndor and Gilboa

War with the Philistines

Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.

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He chose for himself three thousand men of Israel: Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the troops he sent away, each to his own home.

Morning on a bare limestone hilltop of Benjamin: Saul, a head taller than the men around him, his spear planted beside him, blows a long curved ram’s horn over the valleys while small figures on the far ridges turn toward him.

Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”

And all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines!” Then the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

Pray

When fear spreads

The Philistines came “as numerous as the sand on the seashore,” and Saul’s men hid in caves and cisterns, “quaking in fear.” Bring to God whatever looks bigger than you right now. Ask Him for courage that does not depend on the numbers, and for a heart that trusts Him more than what you can see.

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice

Late afternoon at Gilgal: Saul, spear in hand, stands alone on a low rise looking up the empty road into the western hills, while behind him men roll up a black tent and load a donkey to leave.

And Saul waited seven days for the time appointed by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the troops began to desert Saul.

Gilgal in the still morning: a column of gray smoke rising from a rough altar of uncut stones, tall Saul standing before it with his back to us, and far off on the road a lone old man with a staff just coming into view.

So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt offering.

Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.

0:11

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Samuel

“What have you done?” Samuel asked.

Saul

And Saul replied, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me, and that you did not come at the appointed time and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash,

I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

Samuel

“You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.

1 Samuel 13:14

Then Samuel set out from Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin. And Saul numbered the troops who were with him, about six hundred men.

Reflect

“Saul waited seven days”

Saul waited, but not to the end, and then he called it necessity: “I felt compelled.” Where are you tempted to stop waiting on God and act on your own? Write it down. What would plain obedience look like there this week?

Israel without Weapons

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

Geba and Michmash

Saul held Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and Jonathan held Gibeah; Jonathan struck the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the army was called down to Gilgal. The Philistines then camped at Michmash, “east of Beth-aven,” facing Saul and Jonathan at Geba across the gorge, and sent raiders out three ways: toward Ophrah, toward Beth-horon, and toward “the Valley of Zeboim facing the wilderness.” The next day’s chase would run from Michmash to Aijalon (14:31). The sites of Beth-aven and the Valley of Zeboim are uncertain.

Now Saul and Jonathan his son and the troops with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash. And raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three divisions. One headed toward Ophrah in the land of Shual, another toward Beth-horon, and the third down the border road overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the wilderness.

And no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews must not be allowed to make swords or spears.” Instead, all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles.

The charge was a pim for sharpening a plowshare or mattock, a third of a shekel for sharpening a pitchfork or an axe, and a third of a shekel for repointing an oxgoad.

only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.

1 Samuel 13:22

And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.

Question

Quick question

Saul’s army went out to face the Philistines, but something was missing.

Why were there no swords among Saul’s troops?

You’ve experienced

1 Samuel 13

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A verse to carry with you

But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.

1 Samuel 13:14

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