Philistine Pressure and Israel's Lack of Arms
1 Samuel 13:16-22
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1 S.13.16 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ושאול: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויונתן: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בנו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+3ms
- והעם: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,def
- הנמצא: PART,nif,ptc,ms,sg,def
- עמם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- ישבים: VERB,qal,part,3,m,pl
- בגבע: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בנימן: NOUN,m,sg,proper
- ופלשתים: CONJ+NOUN_PROP,m,pl,abs
- חנו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
- במכמש: PREP+NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1 Sam.14.2 (structural): Immediate narrative continuation: explicitly locates the Philistine garrison at Michmash and continues the same Saul–Jonathan/Philistine confrontation begun in 13:16.
- 1 Sam.13.23 (verbal): Same chapter and setting — mentions the Philistine garrison at the pass of Michmash, repeating the geographic opposition between Israel (Gibeah) and the Philistines (Michmash).
- 1 Sam.14.1 (structural): Directly connected episode: Jonathan, stationed at Gibeah with Saul, initiates the attack on the Philistine outpost at Michmash, showing the action that follows the situation described in 13:16.
- Judg.19.16 (thematic): Places Gibeah as a Benjaminite center in an earlier narrative; thematically connects the locale and its association with the tribe of Benjamin found in 1 Sam 13:16 (Saul/Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin).
Alternative generated candidates
- Saul and Jonathan his son and the people who were with them were staying in Gibeah of Benjamin, while the Philistines encamped at Michmash.
- Saul and Jonathan his son, and the men who were with them, were stationed at Gibeah of Benjamin; and the Philistines had encamped at Michmash.
1 S.13.17 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויצא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- המשחית: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ממחנה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- פלשתים: NOUN,m,pl,cstr
- שלשה: NUM,m
- ראשים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- הראש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אחד: NUM,card,m,sg
- יפנה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- דרך: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- עפרה: NOUN,prop,f,sg
- אל: NEG
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- שועל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1 Sam 13:16 (structural): Immediate context in the same episode: the Philistine watch/posts and movements at Michmash — essentially the same situation (Philistine forces/raiding elements near Israelite territory).
- 1 Sam 14:1-14 (thematic): Jonathan and his armor‑bearer attack a Philistine garrison/outpost; parallels the motif of small raiding parties and actions originating from the Philistine camp against Israel.
- Judges 6:3-6 (thematic): Describes Midianite/Amalekite raiding bands coming from their camps to devastate Israel’s crops and towns — similar theme of hostile marauders emerging from encampments to plunder borderlands.
- 2 Sam 5:17-25 (thematic): Accounts of Philistine forces assembling and engaging David (at Baal‑Perazim and the Rephaim) — a recurring narrative pattern of Philistine camps, sorties, and skirmishes with Israel.
Alternative generated candidates
- From the camp of the Philistines a raiding party went out in three companies;
- A raiding party came out from the camp of the Philistines—three detachments. One turned toward the road to Ophrah, to the land of Shual.
1 S.13.18 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והראש: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,def
- אחד: NUM,card,m,sg
- יפנה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- דרך: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חרון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- והראש: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,def
- אחד: NUM,card,m,sg
- יפנה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- דרך: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הגבול: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הנשקף: PART,qal,ptcp,m,sg,def
- על: PREP
- גי: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הצבעים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- המדברה: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- Joshua 10:10 (verbal): Same toponym and military movement—pursuit and fighting at Beth‑Horon; both passages locate fighting/route through the Beth‑Horon passes.
- Joshua 15:7 (structural): Boundary description of Judah names Beth‑Horon as a border point; parallels the verse’s geographic reference to the ‘way to Beth‑Horon.’
- 1 Samuel 14:4–5 (thematic): Jonathan’s attack involves climbing and fighting on a pass/route between posts near Michmash/Beth‑aven; echoes the imagery of routes, passes, and Philistine outposts.
- 1 Samuel 13:5 (structural): Immediate context in the same chapter listing the Philistine forces and their encampments; provides the broader military setting for the division of routes named in 13:18.
Alternative generated candidates
- one turned by the road to Ophrah toward the land of Shual, one turned by the way to Beth‑horon, and one turned toward the border that looks toward the ravine of Zeboim to the wilderness.
- One turned toward the road that leads to Beth-horon, and one turned toward the road that looks toward the wilderness.
1 S.13.19 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וחרש: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לא: PART_NEG
- ימצא: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- בכל: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- אמרו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- פלשתים: NOUN,m,pl,cstr
- פן: CONJ
- יעשו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- העברים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- חרב: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- או: CONJ
- חנית: NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1 Samuel 13:22 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same situation—Israelites must go to Philistines to sharpen/tools because no smiths are found, showing the practical consequence of Philistine control.
- Judges 1:19 (thematic): Israel’s military disadvantage due to enemy access to iron technology—Judah could not drive out inhabitants of the plain because they had iron chariots, paralleling Philistine control of weapons/metalworking.
- 1 Samuel 17:5–7 (thematic): Description of Goliath’s heavy iron weaponry (spearhead of 600 shekels) illustrates Philistine superiority in arms, echoing the context that Israelites lacked weapons/smiths.
- Judges 4:3 (thematic): Canaanite/Philistine dominance through superior military equipment (900 chariots of iron) and resultant Israelite oppression—parallels the theme of enemy control of war technology.
- 2 Chronicles 26:11–15 (thematic): Contrastive example where Judah (under Uzziah) has smiths and produces weapons/engines of war, highlighting that in 1 Sam 13:19 Israel’s lack of smiths was an abnormal condition imposed by Philistine restriction.
Alternative generated candidates
- No blacksmith was to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears."
- No blacksmith was found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears."
1 S.13.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וירדו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,pl
- כל: DET
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הפלשתים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- ללטוש: VERB,qal,inf
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- מחרשתו: NOUN,f,sg,poss
- ואת: CONJ
- אתו: PRON,3,m,sg,acc
- ואת: CONJ
- קרדמו: NOUN,m,sg,poss
- ואת: CONJ
- מחרשתו: NOUN,f,sg,poss
Parallels
- 1 Samuel 13:19 (structural): Immediate context: explicitly states there was no blacksmith in Israel and the Philistines controlled metalworking, explaining why the Philistines were sharpening implements.
- 1 Samuel 17:7 (verbal): Describes Goliath's heavy spear and Philistine armaments—similar weapon imagery that underscores Philistine military advantage and metal weaponry.
- Judges 4:3 (thematic): Reports Canaanite control of the fords by means of iron chariots; similarly highlights enemy dominance through superior metal weapons and technology.
- Joel 3:10 (thematic): Commands smithing plowshares into swords and pruning hooks into spears—an explicit image of converting agricultural tools into weapons, paralleling the sharpening of hoes, axes, and spears in 1 Sam 13:20.
- Isaiah 2:4 (allusion): Presents the opposite eschatological vision of beating swords into plowshares; thematically contrasts the current militarization and weapon-sharpening in 1 Sam 13:20.
Alternative generated candidates
- So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have each his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his sickle sharpened.
- And all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their tools sharpened—each his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his sickle.
1 S.13.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והיתה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- הפצירה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- פים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- למחרשת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ולאתים: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ולשלש: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- קלשון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ולהקרדמים: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,pl,def
- ולהציב: CONJ+VERB,hif,inf
- הדרבן: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- 1 Sam 13:22 (verbal): Near-duplicate statement: repeats that Israelites went to the Philistines to sharpen plowshares, axes, mattocks, etc., echoing the same list of tools and dependence on Philistine smiths.
- 1 Sam 13:19 (structural): Immediate context: states there was no blacksmith in Israel, explaining why agricultural and cutting implements had to be sharpened by Philistines.
- 1 Sam 17:5 (thematic): Describes Philistine metal weaponry (a spear like a weaver’s beam), illustrating Philistine superiority in ironwork and the military/technological imbalance reflected in 13:21.
- Judges 1:19 (thematic): Notes that some Canaanite groups had iron chariots, showing how possession of iron implements gave an advantage over Israel—parallel concern with metalworking and dependence on others.
- Isaiah 2:4 (thematic): Uses the image of swords and plowshares (to beat swords into plowshares), invoking the same vocabulary of agricultural tools and metalwork to comment on weapons and implements—a thematic resonance with the tools listed in 1 Sam 13:21.
Alternative generated candidates
- The charge for sharpening was a piece of silver; there was a file for the plowshare and for the mattock, for the hoe and for the axes, and for setting the goads.
- The file was used for the plowshare and for the mattock, for the hoe and the fork, for the axes, and for fitting the goad.
1 S.13.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והיה: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- ביום: PREP
- מלחמת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- ולא: CONJ
- נמצא: VERB,nip,perf,3,m,sg
- חרב: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- וחנית: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ביד: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- כל: DET
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- את: PRT,acc
- שאול: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואת: CONJ
- יונתן: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- ותמצא: CONJ+VERB,niph,perf,3,sg
- לשאול: PREP+VERB,qal,inf
- וליונתן: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בנו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+3ms
Parallels
- 1 Samuel 13:19-22 (verbal): Immediate context that repeats and expands the same situation: Philistines had blacksmiths making swords and spears, and Israel had none — the background for 13:22's statement about only Saul and Jonathan having weapons.
- 1 Samuel 14:2 (verbal): A near parallel statement that again notes the absence of smiths/weapons among the Israelites because the Philistines prevented them from making swords and spears.
- 1 Samuel 17:38-39 (thematic): Saul furnishes David with his own armor (sword, breastplate, helmet), highlighting the contrast between the king's armament and the common soldiers' lack of weaponry found in 13:22.
- Judges 7:2-8 (thematic): Gideon's reduction of the force and the motif of a small, poorly equipped Israelite contingent facing a stronger foe parallels the theme of Israel's scarcity of weapons and reliance on selected leaders or divine help.
- Psalm 44:3 (thematic): Expresses the theological theme that victories (or deliverance) come not by Israel's weapons or strength but by God's action — related to the situation in 13:22 where Israel is poorly armed and dependent on God and limited leaders.
Alternative generated candidates
- And it came to pass on the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was to be found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but with Saul and with Jonathan his son they were found.
- On the day of battle there was no sword or spear found in the hand of any of the men with Saul and with Jonathan; they were found only for Saul and for Jonathan his son.
Saul and Jonathan his son, and the men who were with them, were staying at Gibeah of Benjamin; and the Philistines encamped at Michmash.
From the camp of the Philistines there went out raiding parties—three detachments. One turned toward the road that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual.
One detachment turned by the pass that looks toward Beth‑horon, and one by the border that faces the ravine of Zeboim, toward the wilderness.
No blacksmith could be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears.” And the Philistines went down into the valley; and all Israel—each man—went down to have his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe sharpened.
The work of the smith was for plowshares, mattocks, axes, and hoes; and for sharpening all manner of agricultural implements.
On the day of battle there was neither sword nor spear to be found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan—those weapons were found only with Saul and with Jonathan his son.