I Samuel 13:15-23 · Bible study
1 Samuel 13:15-23 Commentary: The Disarmed Army of Israel
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Israel's 600 men have no swords or spears. Philistines control all blacksmithing. This low point magnifies God's deliverance.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Israel's severe oppression under the Philistines leaves them weaponless, highlighting their dependence on God.
- Key words: 'no smith' (craftsman), 'sharpen' (to hammer), 'sword and spear', the only weapons mentioned.
- Main debate: Whether the absence of swords indicates total disarmament of all Israel or only the standing army.
- Theological theme: Human weakness magnifies divine deliverance.
- Best use: Preaching the contrast between human failure and God's faithfulness.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
15Then 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.
16Now Saul and Jonathan his son and the troops with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash.
17And raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three divisions. One headed toward Ophrah in the land of Shual,
18another toward Beth-horon, and the third down the border road overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the wilderness.
19And 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.”
20Instead, all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles.
21The 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.
22So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hands of the troops with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.
23And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.
WEB World English Bible 2000
15Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.
16Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17The raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;
18another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears”;
20but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his own plowshare, mattock, ax, and sickle.
21The price was one payim each to sharpen mattocks, plowshares, pitchforks, axes, and goads.
22So it came to pass in the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.
23The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
KJV King James Version 1769
15And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.
16And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:
18And another company turned the way to Beth–horon: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
20But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
21Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
22So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
23And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
15And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.
16And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual;
18and another company turned the way to Beth-horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looketh down upon the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
20but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock;
21yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads.
22So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
23And the garrison of the Philistines went out unto the pass of Michmash.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
15And Samuel riseth, and goeth up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin; and Saul inspecteth the people who are found with him, about six hundred men,
16and Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who are found with them, are abiding in Gibeah of Benjamin, and the Philistines have encamped in Michmash.
17And the destroyer goeth out from the camp of the Philistines--three detachments; the one detachment turneth unto the way of Ophrah, unto the land of Shual;
18and the one detachment turneth the way of Beth-Horon, and the one detachment turneth the way of the border which is looking on the valley of the Zeboim, toward the wilderness.
19And an artificer is not found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, `Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear;'
20and all Israel go down to the Philistines, to sharpen each his ploughshare, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock;
21and there hath been the file for mattocks, and for coulters, and for three-pronged rakes, and for the axes, and to set up the goads.
22And it hath been, in the day of battle, that there hath not been found sword and spear in the hand of any of the people who are with Saul and with Jonathan--and there is found to Saul and to Jonathan his son.
23And the station of the Philistines goeth out unto the passage of Michmash.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
15And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were found with him, about six hundred men.
16And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were found with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin; and the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17And the ravagers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned the way of Ophrah, into the land of Shual;
18and another company turned the way to Beth-horon; and the other company turned the way to the district that looks over the ravine of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19Now there was no smith found throughout the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears.
20And all Israel went down to the Philistines, every man to get his ploughshare, and his hoe, and his axe, and his sickle sharpened,
21when the edges of the sickles, and the hoes, and the forks, and the axes were blunted; and to set the goads.
22And it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan; but with Saul and with Jonathan his son there was found.
23And a garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
15And Samuel arose and went up from Galgal to Gabaa of Benjamin. And the rest of the people went up after Saul, to meet the people who fought against them, going from Galgal to Gabaa, in the hill of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people, that were found with him, about six hundred men.
16And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, were in Gabaa of Benjamin: But the Philistines encamped in Machmas.
17And there went out of the camp of the Philistines three companies to plunder. One company went towards the way of Ephra to the land of Sual;
18And another went by the way of Bethoron, and the third turned to the way of the border, above the valley of Seboim towards the desert.
19Now there was no smith to be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had taken this precaution, lest the Hebrews should make them swords or spears.
20So all Israel went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his ploughshare, and his spade, and his axe, and his rake.
21So that their shares, and their spades, and their forks, and their axes, were blunt, even to the goad, which was to be mended.
22And when the day of battle was come, there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan, except Saul and Jonathan his son.
23And the army of the Philistines went out in order to advance further in Machmas.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Samuel 13:15
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this passage highlights the severe weakness of Israel after Samuel's departure. Samuel has gone from Gilgal to Gibeah after pronouncing judgment on Saul. Clarke notes that Saul, though not immediately removed, is effectively left to himself. Saul's army has dwindled to about six hundred men, compared to the three thousand of 1 Samuel 13:2, this is a drastic reduction.
The Philistines have imposed total dominance. The Cambridge Bible calls the absence of blacksmiths 'a signal proof of the severity of the Philistine oppression.' Barnes observes that this disarmament was a deliberate tactic to make subjugation permanent. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown describe the country as in 'the lowest state of depression.' As a result, on the day of battle not a sword or spear is found in the hands of the people with Saul and Jonathan; only the king and his son have weapons.
Matthew Henry reads this as the tragic consequence of Saul's disobedience: 'Saul has set up for himself, and now he is left to himself.' Yet the commentators also see hope. By highlighting Israel's helplessness, the narrative sets the stage for a deliverance that will clearly come from God, not human strength.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The passage describes a dire military situation for Israel, with no metal weapons available to the army except Saul's and Jonathan's, which points to the need for divine intervention.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Samuel's role after leaving Gilgal | Samuel departs from Gilgal and goes to Gibeah, leaving Saul to carry on. | Some say Samuel entirely abandoned Saul in displeasure (Matthew Henry); others argue he still accompanied him to provide help (Clarke). |
| Extent of Israel's disarmament | The Philistines removed blacksmiths, so only Saul and Jonathan had swords or spears with the army at Gibeah. | Some hold this means the whole nation was weaponless; others note that slings, bows, and clubs were still used and many hidden weapons existed (Wesley). |
| Purpose of the narrative details | The descriptions emphasize Israel's desperate condition. | Some see this as judgment for Saul's sin; others view it primarily as setting the scene for Jonathan's faith-driven victory in chapter 14. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The passage sits at a crisis point in Saul's early reign. Samuel has just rejected Saul as king because of his unlawful sacrifice. With Samuel's prophetic support withdrawn, Saul faces the Philistine military machine.
The geography matters here. Saul and Jonathan are stationed in Geba (Gibeah of Benjamin, their home town). Across the Wadi es-Suweinit, a deep ravine, the Philistines camp at Michmash. From there they send out three raiding companies to dominate the region. One heads north to Ophrah (modern et Taiyibeh), another west toward Beth-horon, and the third east toward the valley of Zeboim near the Jordan wilderness. This pincer strategy cuts off Israel's territory.
The most startling detail is that 'no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel.' The Philistines have removed all metalworkers, a policy used by other ancient empires (Clarke compares Porsenna's treatment of Rome). The Israelites must go down to Philistine-controlled stations to get agricultural tools sharpened, at a cost of one pim (about two-thirds of a shekel, a notable expense). These tools (plowshares, mattocks, axes, goads) were useless for combat, and even files for home sharpening may have been scarce or ineffective for hard metal.
Consequently, in the day of battle, only Saul and Jonathan carry swords or spears. Wesley suggests that other arms like bows, slings, and clubs were more common in Israel, but the narrative emphasizes this weapon shortage to underscore the impossibility of victory by human means. The stage is set for a divine rescue.
Textual Notes
The Cambridge Bible notes that the Septuagint (LXX) adds a fuller text for verse 15: 'And the remnant of the people went up after Saul to join the men of war.' This clarifies the movement of the troops after Samuel's departure. Additionally, verse 16 in the Hebrew (Masoretic Text) reads 'Geba,' while some English translations (e.g., KJV) render it 'Gibeah,' reflecting a similar place name. The consulted sources mention no other significant textual variants.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been used to teach the consequences of human unfaithfulness and the sovereignty of God. Matthew Henry, in his early 18th-century commentary, read it as the low point from which God's deliverance shines brightest. Adam Clarke, the Methodist commentator, drew attention to the historical parallels with Roman and Chaldean policies of disarmament. Later Reformed writers have emphasized the theological theme of dependence on God in weakness. The passage continues to appear in sermons on spiritual warfare, where the loss of 'weapons' (prayer, Scripture, community) warns believers not to neglect their God-given resources.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The depletion of resources. Saul's army falls from 3,000 to 600. No blacksmiths, no weapons. Disobedience leads to isolation, and human strength drains away.
- The enemy's strategy of disarmament. Philistines deliberately remove the capacity to make war. This pictures how spiritual oppression tries to strip God's people of the tools they need for battle.
- God's power shown in weakness. The narrative is not ending here, chapter 14 follows. The hopelessness of the situation magnifies the deliverance that comes through Jonathan's faith. When we have nothing, God provides everything.
Five-point outline
- Saul's disobedience brings isolation. Samuel leaves; the army shrinks. Leadership choices have consequences for the whole nation.
- Systematic oppression. Philistine control is total: they control the economy (sharpening fees), the technology (no smiths), and the military (raiding parties).
- The people left without arms. No sword or spear in the hands of the army. Only the king and his son carry a weapon, a desperate situation for fighting.
- The role of Jonathan. He is mentioned as one of the only two armed men, setting up his bold initiative in the next chapter.
- Deliverance is prepared. The worse the odds, the clearer the miracle. This low point announces that rescue will come from God alone.
Illustration hooks
- A town under an oppressive regime where all machine shops are closed and citizens must pay for simple repairs miles away. The feeling of helpless dependency mirrors Israel's experience.
- A team showing up for a match without their equipment because the supplier was shut down. The frustration and embarrassment of being unable to compete.
- A parent who has to borrow essential tools because the local hardware store was the only option and now it is gone. The small indignities of oppression.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did God allow Israel to be so weak after Saul's sin? Was the whole nation punished for one man's disobedience?
- Does this passage mean we should expect to feel powerless when we fail God? What hope is there for restoration?
- How can we trust God when our own resources feel as absent as Israel's swords?
Leading a Discussion
This passage describes Israel at rock bottom: leaderless, outnumbered, and weaponless. The narrator gives us these details not to discourage us but to set the stage for the remarkable victory that follows in chapter 14. Use these questions in your small group to reflect on how God works through human weakness.
Discussion questions
- What specific details in verses 15, 23 show the severity of Israel's situation? List them together.
- Why do you think the Philistines removed the blacksmiths instead of just killing or enslaving them? What does this tell you about their strategy?
- Compare Israel's condition here with what we saw in 1 Samuel 7 (where Samuel led them to victory). How do the two situations differ?
- What connection, if any, do you see between Saul's disobedience (vv. 8, 14) and the army's weakness here? Should we always expect failure when leaders sin?
- How did Saul likely feel when he saw only six hundred men, and none of them bearing swords? What emotions does the text suggest?
- In what areas of your own life do you feel 'disarmed', lacking the resources, skills, or support you need to face a challenge?
- The passage ends with the Philistine garrison moving toward the pass at Michmash. How does that image of approaching conflict shape your expectation for what happens next? How does God want you to handle a situation that looks hopeless?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Samuel 13:2 | Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people to their own tents. |
| I Samuel 13:6 | When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, and in pits. |
| I Samuel 13:7 | Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. |
| I Samuel 14:2 | Saul stayed in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron; and the people who were with him were about six hundred men, |
| I Samuel 13:3 | Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” |
| Joshua 18:23 | Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, |
| Joshua 19:3 | Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, |
| I Samuel 11:11 | On the next day, Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the middle of the camp in the morning watch, and struck the Ammonites until the heat of the day. Those who remained were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke resolves the puzzle of Israel's total lack of swords and spears by noting they still had bows, arrows, and slings—missile weapons that needed no smith. He sees this humiliating weakness as mirroring Israel's earlier collapse under Eli, setting the stage for God to raise them again through David.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes explains that the Philistines deliberately denied Israel blacksmiths to keep them permanently weak and dependent. This explains why Saul's army was so poorly armed, making the victory God later gave them through Jonathan even more striking. He also notes that Benjamin's famous sling skills made swords less essential among them.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses the lasting severity of Philistine rule by detailing the three raiding parties that boxed Israel in and the systematic disarmament that left no blacksmiths in the land. The oppression was not temporary; the army had only about six hundred men, and even farm tools had to be taken to Philistine smiths for sharpening.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva annotators highlight how the Philistines deliberately stripped Israel of all blacksmiths, leaving the entire nation weaponless except for Saul and Jonathan. This detail underscores Israel's utter vulnerability and complete dependence on God, not military strength, for deliverance.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that the Philistines deliberately removed all metalworkers from Israel to prevent them from making weapons, leaving only Saul and Jonathan with swords and spears. He notes that even basic farming tools had to be taken to Philistine smiths for sharpening, showing how completely Israel was disarmed and dependent on their enemies.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB emphasizes that the Philistines had systematically disarmed Israel by removing all metalworkers, leaving the nation in a state of near-complete dependence. Having defeated Eli's sons, they became virtual masters of the land, forcing Israelites to travel to Philistine garrisons just to sharpen basic farming tools.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that Saul's sin was not performing a priestly function but disobeying God's command to wait for Samuel. His anxious sacrifice revealed a failure to trust God's timing and a disregard for seeking divine counsel. The punishment announced was not immediate rejection but the loss of an enduring dynasty.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees Saul's offering as a failure of theocratic obedience: the king set himself outside his required unconditional submission to God's will. Samuel's rejection is not harsh but the fitting expression of divine righteousness, since Saul's impatient self-will forfeited the very kingdom he tried to preserve. His conduct was foolish because it produced the opposite of what he hoped to gain through trust.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry reads Samuel's departure from Gilgal as a pointed sign of divine displeasure: Saul had set himself up, so now he is left to himself. Yet Samuel's choice to go to Gibeah, Saul's own city, hints that he has not fully abandoned the king and may still be praying for him elsewhere.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley explains that the Philistines did not fully disarm Israel but prevented the making of new weapons by controlling the smiths in their garrisons. He notes that only Saul and his six hundred men had swords and spears, while the people still used common arms like bows and slings.