1 Sam 13:5-15 · Read 6 min · think and write 15 min
In the last lesson, the people went to Gilgal, “and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal” (1 Sam 11:15). What Samuel said to the people there is in Samuel, Lesson 4.
Earlier, on the day Samuel anointed Saul, he had told him: “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings. Wait seven days, until I come to you and show you what you are to do” (1 Sam 10:8).
After Saul became king, he chose three thousand men: two thousand with himself, and one thousand with his son Jonathan (1 Sam 13:2). “Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba” (1 Sam 13:3), and “The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal” (1 Sam 13:4). This lesson reads what happened next.
5The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven.
6When 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.
7Now 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.
8He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.
9Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering to me here, and the peace offerings.” He offered the burnt offering.
10It came to pass that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.
11Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash,
12therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favor of the LORD.’ I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering.”
13Samuel said to Saul, “You have done 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 on Israel forever.
14But now your kingdom will not continue. The LORD has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you.”
15Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.
As the sand. “The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude” (v. 5). “The people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, and in pits” (v. 6). “As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling” (v. 7).
Seven days. Samuel had told him: “Wait seven days, until I come to you” (1 Sam 10:8). “He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him” (v. 8).
As soon as he had finished. “Saul said, ‘Bring the burnt offering to me here, and the peace offerings.’ He offered the burnt offering” (v. 9). “It came to pass that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him” (v. 10).
Saul’s reasons. Samuel asked: “What have you done?” (v. 11). Saul gave three things: “I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash” (v. 11); and he said: “therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favor of the LORD.’ I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering” (v. 12).
Samuel’s words. “Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done 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 on Israel forever’” (v. 13). “But now your kingdom will not continue. The LORD has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you” (v. 14).
Six hundred. “Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men” (v. 15). At the start of this lesson, two thousand were with him (1 Sam 13:2).
On the very day Saul was made king at Gilgal, Samuel had said to the people: “If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of the LORD your God” (1 Sam 12:14).
Readers can see this: what Samuel said to Saul at Gilgal in this lesson was, “You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God” (v. 13).
Perhaps you are waiting for something right now: an answer, a result, a person. The deadline has come, the people around you are starting to drift away, and you feel that if you don’t act now it will be too late.
This lesson does not defend Saul, nor does it say he was simply ‘a man who could not wait’; nor does it say that whoever waits will in the end get the moment they want. What it shows you is this: Saul “stayed seven days” (v. 8), and he said, “I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering” (v. 12); “as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came” (v. 10). A psalm says: “Wait for the LORD. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the LORD” (Ps 27:14).
This week: Think of something you are waiting for right now, and waiting for anxiously. This week, tell God plainly about it: what you are waiting for, and what you are most afraid of.
That day at Gilgal Samuel said to Saul: “The LORD has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people” (v. 14).
Many years later, Paul, speaking in the synagogue at Antioch about the history of Israel, said: “When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will’” (Acts 13:22); “From this man’s offspring, God has brought salvation to Israel according to his promise, before his coming, when John had first preached the baptism of repentance to Israel” (Acts 13:23-24).
These verses are only set side by side here: the “man after his own heart” (v. 14) that Samuel spoke of at Gilgal is how Paul speaks of David; and from David, Paul goes on to speak of the salvation God brought from his offspring, and of John, who preached “before his coming” (Acts 13:24).
Scripture: World English Bible.