As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and to greet him. But Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, therefore, I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.' So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering."
As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering: Saul decided to perform the sacrifice not more than an hour before Samuel arrived. If Saul had trusted God and had waited one more hour, how differently things could have been! The last moments of waiting are usually the most difficult, and they powerfully tempt us to take matters into our own hands. Strangely, the text is silent about the peace offerings. Either Saul did not think the peace offering was important, or Samuel came before Saul had time to offer the peace offering.
Saul went out to meet him and to greet him: The words "to greet him" literally means in the Hebrew "to bless him". The Hebrew implies a solemn salutation. This Saul did partly out of custom, and partly that by this testimony of affection and respect for Samuel, and Saul hoped that he might prevent the rebuke which his guilty conscience made him expect.
What have you done?: The question implies rebuke, which Saul answers by pleading his danger. Samuel knew Saul did something wrong. Samuel could probably smell the sacrifice in the air. Samuel did not want excuses but there were no valid reasons or excuses for Saul's behavior. All Samuel wanted was to hear confession and repentance.
And Saul said: Each day's delay made Saul's small force dwindle rapidly away, and the Philistines at any moment might move down from Michmash upon him at Gilgal and destroy him. King Saul plainly tells Samuel that though he would gratefully receive any help which the prophet of the Most High could bring him, in an emergency Saul preferred to act alone. If necessary, he would go into battle without Divine consecration and blessing. Saul's response is a classic example of excuse making and failing to trust God. Word after word, Saul makes his sin worse by making excuses.
I saw that the people were scattering from me: If Saul had obeyed and trusted the LORD, God would have seen him to victory over the Philistines with or without the people. Perhaps many Israelites admired Saul for offering the sacrifice. Saul may have had positive responses in the polling data, but if God was not with him, it would all crumble. He should have been more concerned with pleasing God than pleasing the people.
You did not come within the appointed days: Using this excuse, it is as if Saul is saying, "Samuel, it was really your fault. If you would have come earlier, I would not have done this." But if Saul would have trusted and obeyed God, God would take care of Samuel and the timing. Even if Samuel had not come in the appointed time, it did not justify Saul's sin. Often, we try to blame our sin on someone else.
The
Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor
of the LORD: If Saul would have trusted and obeyed God, He
would have taken care of the Philistines. Saul could have "asked favor of
the LORD" in a number of ways. He could have cried out to the LORD in
prayer and supplication for the whole nation, but instead, he did the ONE thing
he must not do--he disobeyed God by offering the sacrifice.
3. (1 Sam 13:13-14) Samuel proclaims God's judgment upon Saul's household
Samuel said to Saul, "You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.
You
have acted foolishly: This is
stronger phrase in Hebrew than what is implied in the English. Samuel did not mean Saul
was unintelligent or silly, but the Bible speaks of a "fool" as
someone who is morally and spiritually lacking. Although Saul's sin seems
excusable and scarcely deserving of such a heavy punishment, it involved the
principle of subordination of the king to the will of God expressed by His
prophets.
The LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever: The main reason for being king was to establish a dynasty, where one's sons would sit on the throne afterwards. God told Saul that his descendants would not reign after him. Though he was king, he would not establish a monarchy in Israel.
But now your kingdom shall not endure: From these words, we might expect Saul's reign to end right then and there. However, Saul would actually reign for another 20 years. He would still be on the throne as king, but his reign is not the same, for he knows the end of his kingdom is certain.
The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart: The language of prophecy constantly describes things as if they are already done. David was but 23 years old when Saul died, He must now have been a small child. But the Divine choice of Saul, which upon his obedience this day would have been confirmed, was now annulled, and the succession was transferred elsewhere. Years elapse before the first earthly steps are taken to appoint Saul's successor. Had Saul repented (as we gather from 1 Samuel 15:26), he might have been forgiven. For God's threatenings like His promises are conditional. There is no fatalism in the Bible, but a loving discipline for man's recovery.
Although God rejected Saul, He did not reject Israel. Because God loved Israel, He would raise up a king "after His own heart". Saul was a man after Israel's heart. He was all about image, prestige and the things men looked upon. It would be easy to say the kingdom was taken from Saul because he sinned. On one level, this is true. However, it was more than that. David also sinned; yet, God never took the kingdom from David and his descendants. The issue was bigger than an incident of sin--the issue was being a man after God's own heart.
A man after His own heart: What does this mean? We can discover its meaning by looking at the man who was not a "man after His own heart"--Saul and comparing him to the man who was "a man after His own heart" (David).
1. A man after God's heart honors the LORD: Saul was more concerned with his will than God's will. David knew God's will was the most important. Even when David did not do God's will, he still knew God's will was more important. When David sinned, he sinned more out of weakness; whereas, Saul sinned more out of a disregard for God.
2. A man after God's heart enthrones God as king: For Saul, Saul was king. For David, the LORD God was king. Both David and Saul know sacrifice before battle was important. But David thought it was important because it pleased and honored God. Saul thought it was important because it might help him win the battle. Saul thought God would help him achieve his goals. David thought God was the goal.
3. A man after God's heart has a soft repentant heart: When Saul was confronted with his sin, he offered excuses. When David was confronted with his sin, he confessed his sin and repented (2 Samuel 12:13).
4. A man after God's heart loves other people. Saul became increasingly bitter against people and lived more and more unto himself. David, on the other hand, loved people. When David was down and out, he still loved and served those who were even more down and out (1 Samuel 22:1-2).
C. The Philistine threat
1. (1 Samuel 13:15-18) The Philistines begin their raids
Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. Now Saul and his son Jonathan and the people who were present with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash. And the raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual, and another company turned toward Beth-horon, and another company turned toward the border which overlooks the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
And Samuel arose: Although the close friendship between Saul and Samuel was disturbed by Saul's disobedience, nevertheless, Samuel does not break off his friendly relations with Saul. Perhaps Samuel still hopes that Saul will repent of his sin.
And went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin: Samuel passed from Gilgal to Gibeah, the home of Saul. It is very likely in Gibeah, Samuel took counsel with Saul's son Jonathan, who was stationed there.
About six hundred men: Earlier, Saul had about 3,000 men in his regular army (1 Samuel 13:2). Now, he is down to 600 because many soldiers scattered while Saul waited for Samuel (1 Samuel 13:8). The loss of so many men was probably the reason why Saul offered the sacrifice without waiting for Samuel. It also displayed a heart of distrust and disobedience to God. According to 1 Samuel 13:5, the Philistines already had a huge army, easily outmatching Saul's 3,000 men. As Saul's army shrunk to one-fifth it previous size (from 3,000 to 600 men), God allowed this to happen to test Saul's faith, to see if he believed God was great enough to deliver Israel with so few men against the Philistines mighty in number.
Geba of Benjamin: Saul and his son Jonathan unite their small forces and entrench themselves in Geba, which is a strong position at the end of a pass where they could watch the movements of the Philistines. (The positions of the two armies mentioned in 1 Samuel 13:2-3 are now reversed. The Philistines occupy Michmash on the northern side of the valley while Saul and Jonathan hold Geba on the southern side of the valley.)
The raiders came from the camp of the Philistines: The conduct of the Philistines is that of men over-confident in their strength. They should have pounced at once upon Saul in the plain of the Jordan River valley, and then following Samuel and Saul's defeat, they should have overpowered Jonathan. But the Philistines despised both Saul and Jonathan and regarded the country as already conquered; they proceeded to punish the Israelites. Leaving the main army to guard the camp, the Philistines sent out light armed troops to plunder the land.
One company turned toward Ophrah: This company went northward towards Ophrah, a city in Benjamin about five miles east of Bethel.
Another company turned toward Beth-horon: This company went eastward toward Beth-horon (meaning house of caverns) on the main pass from the hill country of Judea into the plain of Philistia.
Another company turned toward the border which overlooks the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness: This third group went to the south east, toward the border between Judah and Benjamin. All the places mentioned are in the tribe of Benjamin, which had committed the offense of making for itself a king.
2. (1 Sam 13:19-23) The technological superiority of the Philistines
Now no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords of spears." So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe. The charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks and the axes, and to fix the shoes. So it came about on the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan. And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
No blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel: This again is another example of the severity of the Philistine oppression which they exhibited over Israel. This general disarmament points to the lasting subjugation of most of Israel during the later years of Samuel's judgeship and the beginning of Saul's reign. This was not merely a temporary condition as a result of the recent invasions. A similar tyranny was practiced by the Canaanites before Deborah's victory (Judges 5:8). In addition to all this, the Philistines had the latest weapon technology. The Philistines were a sea-faring people who originated in Caphtor, an island near Greece. The Philistines were able to trade their goods for the latest and greatest military warfare from Greece.
All Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare: By carefully guarding their military technology, the Philistines kept Israel under tight subjugation. We might imagine a Philistine blacksmith, even though they charged each Israelite a small sum of money for sharpening, would never put too fine an edge on anything. Since the farm tool were the only weapons the Israelites had, why make them too sharp? Second, if the Philistines put a sharp edge on the tool, it would take a longer time for the tool to grow dull and for the Israelite to come back and pay for his tool to be re-sharpened.
Neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan: There were so few iron weapons available, only the royal family could be properly equipped. However, do not assume Israel had no weapons. There were other arms more common in those times than swords and spears--bows and arrows, slings and stones, and clubs. Before the invention of spears, they had sharp stakes hardened in a fire. It was bad enough to be outnumbered so badly, but now God allows the Philistines to have a huge technological advantage over the Israelites. The only way the Israelites could ever win was to trust in God for everything.
The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash: The passage of Michmash is a deep ravine now known as the Wady es-Suweinit. When the Philistines heard that Saul with his six hundred men had joined the small force already with Jonathan at Geba, they sent a body of men to occupy an eminence on one of the bluffs on the edge of the valley, which had a view of watching the Israelites in Geba. This was done to prevent a surprise attack of the Israelites on the Philistines. Moreover, it was this post which Jonathan attacks in chapter 14.
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