1 Samuel 13:5

1 Samuel 13:6 →

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 Bethaven.

Study Helps

Interpretation

Saul reigned one year, and nothing particular happened; but in his second year the events recorded in this chapter took place. For above a year he gave the Philistine time to prepare for war, and to weaken and to disarm the Israelites.

Read with

This thought runs through 1 Samuel 13:5-7.

1 Samuel 13:5 1 Samuel 13:6 1 Samuel 13:7

Glossary

Michmash Place: Something hidden, a town of Benjamin ( Ezra 2:27 ), east of Bethel and south of Migron, on the road to Jerusalem ( Isa. 10:28 ). Modern identification: Mukhmas.
Beth-aven Place: House of nothingness; i. e., “of idols”, a place in the mountains of Benjamin, east of Bethel ( Josh. 7:2 ; 18:12 ; 1 Sam. 13:5 ). In Hos. 4:15 ; 5:8 ; 10:5 it stands for “Bethel”. Modern identification: Tell Maryam.