1 Samuel 11:4-11
Konteks11:4 When the messengers went to Gibeah (where Saul lived) 1 and informed the people of these matters, all the people wept loudly. 2 11:5 Now Saul was walking behind the 3 oxen as he came from the field. Saul asked, “What has happened to the people? Why are they weeping?” So they told him about 4 the men of Jabesh.
11:6 The Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and he became very angry. 11:7 He took a pair 5 of oxen and cut them up. Then he sent the pieces throughout the territory of Israel by the hand of messengers, who said, “Whoever does not go out after Saul and after Samuel should expect this to be done to his oxen!” Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they went out as one army. 6 11:8 When Saul counted them at Bezek, the Israelites were 300,000 7 strong and the men of Judah numbered 30,000. 8
11:9 They said to the messengers who had come, “Here’s what you should say to the men of Jabesh Gilead: ‘Tomorrow deliverance will come to you when the sun is fully up.’” When the messengers went and told the men of Jabesh Gilead, they were happy. 11:10 The men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you 9 and you can do with us whatever you wish.” 10
11:11 The next day Saul placed the people in three groups. They went to the Ammonite camp during the morning watch and struck them 11 down until the hottest part of the day. The survivors scattered; no two of them remained together.
1 Samuel 14:1--15:35
Konteks14:1 Then one day Jonathan son of Saul said to his armor bearer, 12 “Come on, let’s go over to the Philistine garrison that is opposite us.” But he did not let his father know.
14:2 Now Saul was sitting under a pomegranate tree in Migron, on the outskirts of Gibeah. The army that was with him numbered about six hundred men. 14:3 Now Ahijah was carrying 13 an ephod. He was the son of Ahitub, who was the brother of Ichabod and a son of Phineas, son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh. The army was unaware that Jonathan had left.
14:4 Now there was a steep cliff on each side of the pass through which Jonathan intended to go to reach the Philistine garrison. One cliff was named Bozez, the other Seneh. 14:5 The cliff to the north was closer to Micmash, the one to the south closer to Geba.
14:6 Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will intervene 14 for us. Nothing can prevent the Lord from delivering, whether by many or by a few.” 14:7 His armor bearer said to him, “Do everything that is on your mind. 15 Do as you’re inclined. I’m with you all the way!” 16
14:8 Jonathan replied, “All right! 17 We’ll go over to these men and fight them. 14:9 If they say to us, ‘Stay put until we approach you,’ we will stay 18 right there and not go up to them. 14:10 But if they say, ‘Come up against us,’ we will go up. For in that case the Lord has given them into our hand – it will be a sign to us.”
14:11 When they 19 made themselves known to the Philistine garrison, the Philistines said, “Look! The Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they hid themselves.” 14:12 Then the men of the garrison said to Jonathan and his armor bearer, “Come on up to us so we can teach you a thing or two!” 20 Then Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up behind me, for the Lord has given 21 them into the hand of Israel!”
14:13 Jonathan crawled up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer following behind him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines, 22 while his armor bearer came along behind him and killed them. 23 14:14 In this initial skirmish Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty men in an area that measured half an acre.
14:15 Then fear overwhelmed 24 those who were in the camp, those who were in the field, all the army in the garrison, and the raiding bands. They trembled and the ground shook. This fear was caused by God. 25
14:16 Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin 26 looked on 27 as the crowd of soldiers seemed to melt away first in one direction and then in another. 28 14:17 So Saul said to the army that was with him, “Muster the troops and see who is no longer with us.” When they mustered the troops, 29 Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. 14:18 So Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring near the ephod,” 30 for he was at that time wearing the ephod. 31 14:19 While 32 Saul spoke to the priest, the panic in the Philistines’ camp was becoming greater and greater. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand!”
14:20 Saul and all the army that was with him assembled and marched into battle, where they found 33 the Philistines in total panic killing one another with their swords. 34 14:21 The Hebrews who had earlier gone over to the Philistine side 35 joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 14:22 When all the Israelites who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, they too pursued them in battle. 14:23 So the Lord delivered Israel that day, and the battle shifted over to Beth Aven. 36
14:24 Now the men of Israel were hard pressed that day, for Saul had made the army agree to this oath: “Cursed be the man who eats food before evening! I will get my vengeance on my enemies!” So no one in the army ate anything.
14:25 Now the whole army 37 entered the forest and there was honey on the ground. 38 14:26 When the army entered the forest, they saw 39 the honey flowing, but no one ate any of it, 40 for the army was afraid of the oath. 14:27 But Jonathan had not heard about the oath his father had made the army take. He extended the end of his staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. When he ate it, 41 his eyes gleamed. 42 14:28 Then someone from the army informed him, “Your father put the army under a strict oath 43 saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today!’ That is why the army is tired.” 14:29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has caused trouble for the land. See how my eyes gleamed 44 when I tasted just a little of this honey. 14:30 Certainly if the army had eaten some of the enemies’ provisions that they came across today, would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”
14:31 On that day the army struck down the Philistines from Micmash to Aijalon, and they became very tired. 14:32 So the army rushed greedily on 45 the 46 plunder, confiscating sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them right on the ground, and the army ate them blood and all.
14:33 Now it was reported to Saul, “Look, the army is sinning against the Lord by eating even the blood.” He said, “All of you have broken the covenant! 47 Roll a large stone over here to me.” 14:34 Then Saul said, “Scatter out among the army and say to them, ‘Each of you bring to me your ox and sheep and slaughter them in this spot and eat. But don’t sin against the Lord by eating the blood.” So that night each one brought his ox and slaughtered it there. 48 14:35 Then Saul built an altar for the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar for the Lord.
14:36 Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines at night; we will rout 49 them until the break of day. 50 We won’t leave any of them alive!” 51 They replied, “Do whatever seems best to you.” 52 But the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.” 14:37 So Saul asked God, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day.
14:38 Then Saul said, “All you leaders of the army come here. Find out 53 how this sin occurred today. 14:39 For as surely as the Lord, the deliverer of Israel, lives, even if it turns out to be my own son Jonathan, he will certainly die!” But no one from the army said anything. 54
14:40 Then he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.” The army replied to Saul, “Do whatever you think is best.”
14:41 Then Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel! If this sin has been committed by me or by my son Jonathan, then, O Lord God of Israel, respond with Urim. But if this sin has been committed by your people Israel, respond with Thummim.” 55 Then Jonathan and Saul were indicated by lot, while the army was exonerated. 56 14:42 Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan!” 57 Jonathan was indicated by lot.
14:43 So Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” Jonathan told him, “I used the end of the staff that was in my hand to taste a little honey. I must die!” 58 14:44 Saul said, “God will punish me severely if Jonathan doesn’t die!” 59
14:45 But the army said to Saul, “Should Jonathan, who won this great victory in Israel, die? May it never be! As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of his head will fall to the ground! For it is with the help of God that he has acted today.” So the army rescued Jonathan from death. 60
14:46 Then Saul stopped chasing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back home. 61 14:47 After Saul had secured his royal position over Israel, he fought against all their 62 enemies on all sides – the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. In every direction that he turned he was victorious. 63 14:48 He fought bravely, striking down the Amalekites and delivering Israel from the hand of its enemies. 64
14:49 The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua. 65 He had two daughters; the older one was named Merab and the younger Michal. 14:50 The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the general in command of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 66 14:51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son 67 of Abiel.
14:52 There was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. So whenever Saul saw anyone who was a warrior or a brave individual, he would conscript him.
15:1 Then Samuel said to Saul, “I was the one the Lord sent to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now listen to what the Lord says. 68 15:2 Here is what the Lord of hosts says: ‘I carefully observed how the Amalekites opposed 69 Israel along the way when Israel 70 came up from Egypt. 15:3 So go now and strike down the Amalekites. Destroy everything that they have. Don’t spare 71 them. Put them to death – man, woman, child, infant, ox, sheep, camel, and donkey alike.’”
15:4 So Saul assembled 72 the army 73 and mustered them at Telaim. There were 200,000 foot soldiers and 10,000 men of Judah. 15:5 Saul proceeded to the city 74 of Amalek, where he set an ambush 75 in the wadi. 76 15:6 Saul said to the Kenites, “Go on and leave! Go down from among the Amalekites! Otherwise I will sweep you away 77 with them! After all, you were kind to all the Israelites when they came up from Egypt.” So the Kenites withdrew from among the Amalekites.
15:7 Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to 78 Shur, which is next to Egypt. 15:8 He captured King Agag of the Amalekites alive, but he executed all Agag’s people 79 with the sword. 15:9 However, Saul and the army spared Agag, along with the best of the flock, the cattle, the fatlings, 80 and the lambs, as well as everything else that was of value. 81 They were not willing to slaughter them. But they did slaughter everything that was despised 82 and worthless.
15:10 Then the word of the Lord came to Samuel: 15:11 “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from me and has not done what I told him to do.” Samuel became angry and he cried out to the Lord all that night.
15:12 Then Samuel got up early to meet Saul the next morning. But Samuel was informed, “Saul has gone to Carmel where 83 he is setting up a monument for himself. Then Samuel left 84 and went down to Gilgal.” 85 15:13 When Samuel came to him, 86 Saul said to him, “May the Lord bless you! I have done what the Lord said.”
15:14 Samuel replied, “If that is the case, 87 then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?” 15:15 Saul said, “They were brought 88 from the Amalekites; the army spared the best of the flocks and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord our God. But everything else we slaughtered.”
15:16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Wait a minute! 89 Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” Saul 90 said to him, “Tell me.” 15:17 Samuel said, “Is it not true that when you were insignificant in your own eyes, you became head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord chose 91 you as king over Israel. 15:18 The Lord sent you on a campaign 92 saying, ‘Go and exterminate those sinful Amalekites! Fight against them until you 93 have destroyed them.’ 15:19 Why haven’t you obeyed 94 the Lord? Instead you have greedily rushed upon the plunder! You have done what is wrong in the Lord’s estimation.” 95
15:20 Then Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed 96 the Lord! I went on the campaign 97 the Lord sent me on. I brought back King Agag of the Amalekites after exterminating the Amalekites. 15:21 But the army took from the plunder some of the sheep and cattle – the best of what was to be slaughtered – to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”
15:22 Then Samuel said,
“Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices
as much as he does in obedience? 98
Certainly, 99 obedience 100 is better than sacrifice;
paying attention is better than 101 the fat of rams.
15:23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,
and presumption is like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
he has rejected you as 102 king.”
15:24 Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have disobeyed what the Lord commanded 103 and what you said as well. 104 For I was afraid of the army, and I followed their wishes. 105 15:25 Now please forgive my sin! Go back with me so I can worship 106 the Lord.”
15:26 Samuel said to Saul, “I will not go back with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel!”
15:27 When Samuel turned to leave, Saul 107 grabbed the edge of his robe and it tore. 15:28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to one of your colleagues who is better than you! 15:29 The Preeminent One 108 of Israel does not go back on his word 109 or change his mind, for he is not a human being who changes his mind.” 110 15:30 Saul 111 again replied, “I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel. Go back with me so I may worship the Lord your God.” 15:31 So Samuel followed Saul back, and Saul worshiped the Lord.
15:32 Then Samuel said, “Bring me King Agag of the Amalekites.” So Agag came to him trembling, 112 thinking to himself, 113 “Surely death is bitter!” 114 15:33 Samuel said, “Just as your sword left women childless, so your mother will be the most bereaved among women!” Then Samuel hacked Agag to pieces there in Gilgal before the Lord.
15:34 Then Samuel went to Ramah, while Saul went up to his home in Gibeah of Saul. 15:35 Until the day he 115 died Samuel did not see Saul again. Samuel did, however, mourn for Saul, but the Lord regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel.
1 Samuel 17:1-58
Konteks17:1 116 The Philistines gathered their troops 117 for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 17:2 Saul and the Israelite army 118 assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against 119 the Philistines. 17:3 The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites 120 on another hill, with the valley between them.
17:4 Then a champion 121 came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall. 122 17:5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and was wearing scale body armor. The weight of his bronze body armor was five thousand shekels. 123 17:6 He had bronze shin guards 124 on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders. 17:7 The shaft 125 of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels. 126 His shield bearer was walking before him.
17:8 Goliath 127 stood and called to Israel’s troops, 128 “Why do you come out to prepare for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose 129 for yourselves a man so he may come down 130 to me! 17:9 If he is able to fight with me and strike me down, we will become your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, you will become our servants and will serve us.” 17:10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy Israel’s troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight 131 each other!” 17:11 When Saul and all the Israelites 132 heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.
17:12 133 Now David was the son of this Ephrathite named Jesse from Bethlehem 134 in Judah. He had eight sons, and in Saul’s days he was old and well advanced in years. 135 17:13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the 136 three sons who went to war were Eliab, his firstborn, Abinadab, the second oldest, and Shammah, the third oldest. 17:14 Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul, 17:15 David was going back and forth 137 from Saul in order to care for his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.
17:16 Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position. 17:17 Jesse said to his son David, “Take your brothers this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; go quickly 138 to the camp to your brothers. 17:18 Also take these ten portions of cheese to their commanding officer. 139 Find out how your brothers are doing 140 and bring back their pledge that they received the goods. 141 17:19 They are with Saul and the whole Israelite army 142 in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”
17:20 So David got up early in the morning and entrusted the flock to someone else who would watch over it. 143 After loading up, he went just as Jesse had instructed him. He arrived at the camp 144 as the army was going out to the battle lines shouting its battle cry. 17:21 Israel and the Philistines drew up their battle lines opposite one another. 17:22 After David had entrusted his cargo to the care of the supply officer, 145 he ran to the battlefront. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. 17:23 As he was speaking with them, the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, was coming up from the battle lines of the Philistines. He spoke the way he usually did, 146 and David heard it. 17:24 When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated 147 from his presence and were very afraid.
17:25 The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? He does so 148 to defy Israel. But the king will make the man who can strike him down very wealthy! He will give him his daughter in marriage, and he will make his father’s house exempt from tax obligations in Israel.”
17:26 David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation? 149 For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?” 17:27 The soldiers 150 told him what had been promised, saying, 151 “This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down.”
17:28 When David’s 152 oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry 153 with David and said, “Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit! 154 You have come down here to watch the battle!”
17:29 David replied, “What have I done now? Can’t I say anything?” 155 17:30 Then he turned from those who were nearby to someone else and asked the same question, 156 but they 157 gave him the same answer as before. 17:31 When David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him. 158
17:32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged. 159 Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!” 17:33 But Saul replied to David, “You aren’t able to go against this Philistine and fight him! You’re just a boy! He has been a warrior from his youth!”
17:34 David replied to Saul, “Your servant has been a shepherd for his father’s flock. Whenever a lion or bear would come and carry off a sheep from the flock, 17:35 I would go out after it, strike it down, and rescue the sheep from its mouth. If it rose up against me, I would grab it by its jaw, strike it, and kill it. 17:36 Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them. 160 For he has defied the armies of the living God!” 17:37 David went on to say, “The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from the hand of this Philistine!” Then Saul said to David, “Go! The Lord will be with you.” 161
17:38 Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him. 17:39 David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them. 162 David said to Saul, “I can’t walk in these things, for I’m not used to them.” So David removed them. 17:40 He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch 163 of his shepherd’s bag, took his sling in hand, and approached the Philistine.
17:41 164 The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. 17:42 When the Philistine looked carefully at David, he despised him, for he was only a ruddy and handsome boy. 17:43 The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you are coming after me with sticks?” 165 Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 17:44 The Philistine said to David, “Come here to me, so I can give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the field!” 166
17:45 But David replied to the Philistine, “You are coming against me with sword and spear and javelin. But I am coming against you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel’s armies, whom you have defied! 17:46 This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand! I will strike you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the corpses of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land. Then all the land will realize that Israel has a God 17:47 and all this assembly will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves! For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will deliver you into our hand.”
17:48 The Philistine drew steadily closer to David to attack him, while David quickly ran toward the battle line to attack the Philistine. 167 17:49 David reached his hand into the bag and took out a stone. He slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank deeply into his forehead, and he fell down with his face to the ground.
17:50 168 David prevailed over the Philistine with just the sling and the stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. David did not even have a sword in his hand. 169 17:51 David ran and stood over the Philistine. He grabbed Goliath’s 170 sword, drew it from its sheath, 171 killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they ran away.
17:52 Then the men of Israel and Judah charged forward, shouting a battle cry. 172 They chased the Philistines to the valley 173 and to the very gates of Ekron. The Philistine corpses lay fallen along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 17:53 When the Israelites returned from their hot pursuit of the Philistines, they looted their camp. 17:54 David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem, 174 and he put Goliath’s 175 weapons in his tent.
17:55 176 Now as Saul watched David going out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the general in command of the army, “Whose son is this young man, Abner?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, O king, I don’t know.” 17:56 The king said, “Find out whose son this boy is!”
17:57 So when David returned from striking down the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul. He still had the head of the Philistine in his hand. 17:58 Saul said to him, “Whose son are you, young man?” David replied, “I am the son of your servant Jesse in Bethlehem.” 177
[11:4] 1 tn Heb “to Gibeah of Saul.”
[11:4] 2 tn Heb “lifted their voice and wept.”
[11:5] 3 tn Or perhaps, “his oxen.” On this use of the definite article see Joüon 2:506-7 §137.f.
[11:5] 4 tn Heb “the matters of.”
[11:7] 6 tn Heb “like one man.”
[11:8] 7 tc The LXX and two Old Latin
[11:8] 8 tc The LXX, two Old Latin
[11:10] 9 tn The second masculine plural forms in this quotation indicate that Nahash and his army are addressed.
[11:10] 10 tn Heb “according to all that is good in your eyes.”
[11:11] 11 tn Heb “Ammon.” By metonymy the name “Ammon” is used collectively for the soldiers in the Ammonite army.
[14:1] 12 tn Or “the servant who was carrying his military equipment” (likewise in vv. 6, 7, 12, 13, 14).
[14:3] 13 tn Heb “bearing.” Many English versions understand this verb to mean “wearing” (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT).
[14:7] 15 tn Heb “in your heart.”
[14:7] 16 tn Heb “Look, I am with you, according to your heart.” See the note at 13:14.
[14:11] 19 tn Heb “the two of them.”
[14:12] 21 tn The perfect verbal form is used rhetorically here to express Jonathan’s certitude. As far as he is concerned, the victory is as good as won and can be described as such.
[14:13] 22 tn Heb “and they fell before Jonathan.”
[14:13] 23 tn Heb “and the one carrying his equipment was killing after him.”
[14:15] 24 tn Heb “fell upon.”
[14:15] 25 tn Heb “and it was by the fear of God.” The translation understands this to mean that God was the source or cause of the fear experienced by the Philistines. This seems to be the most straightforward reading of the sentence. It is possible, however, that the word “God” functions here simply to intensify the accompanying word “fear,” in which one might translate “a very great fear” (cf. NAB, NRSV). It is clear that on some occasions that the divine name carries such a superlative nuance. For examples see Joüon 2:525 §141.n.
[14:16] 26 tn Heb “at Gibeah of Benjamin.” The words “in the territory” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[14:16] 27 tn Heb “saw, and look!”
[14:16] 28 tn Heb “the crowd melted and went, even here.”
[14:17] 29 tn Heb “and they mustered the troops, and look!”
[14:18] 30 tc Heb “the ark of God.” It seems unlikely that Saul would call for the ark, which was several miles away in Kiriath-jearim (see 1 Sam 7:2). The LXX and an Old Latin
[14:18] 31 tc Heb “for the ark of God was in that day, and the sons of Israel.” The translation follows the text of some Greek manuscripts. See the previous note.
[14:19] 32 tn Or perhaps “until.”
[14:20] 33 tn Heb “and look, there was”
[14:20] 34 tn Heb “the sword of a man against his companion, a very great panic.”
[14:21] 35 tn Heb “and the Hebrews were to the Philistines formerly, who went up with them in the camp all around.”
[14:23] 36 tc The LXX includes the following words: “And all the people were with Saul, about ten thousand men. And the battle extended to the entire city on mount Ephraim.”
[14:25] 37 tn Heb “all the land.”
[14:25] 38 tn Heb “the surface of the field.”
[14:26] 39 tn Heb “and the army entered the forest, and look!”
[14:26] 40 tn Heb “and there was no one putting his hand to his mouth.”
[14:27] 41 tn Heb “and he returned his hand to his mouth.”
[14:27] 42 tc The translation follows the Qere and several medieval Hebrew
[14:28] 43 tn Heb “your father surely put the army under an oath.” The infinitive absolute is used before the finite verb to emphasize the solemn nature of the oath.
[14:29] 44 tc The LXX reads “saw.” See v. 27.
[14:32] 45 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[14:32] 46 tc The translation reads with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[14:33] 47 tn Heb “You have acted deceptively.” In this context the verb refers to violating an agreement, in this case the dietary and sacrificial regulations of the Mosaic law. The verb form is second masculine plural; apparently Saul here addresses those who are eating the animals.
[14:34] 48 tn Heb “and all the army brought near, each his ox by his hand, and they slaughtered there.”
[14:36] 50 tn Heb “until the light of the morning.”
[14:36] 51 tn Heb “and there will not be left among them a man.”
[14:36] 52 tn Heb “all that is good in your eyes.” So also in v. 40.
[14:38] 53 tn Heb “know and see.”
[14:39] 54 tn Heb “and there was no one answering from all the army.”
[14:41] 55 tc Heb “to the
[14:41] sn The Urim and Thummim were used for lot casting in ancient Israel. Their exact identity is uncertain; they may have been specially marked stones drawn from a bag. See Exod 28:30; Lev 8:8, and Deut 33:8, as well as the discussion in R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 140.
[14:42] 57 tc The LXX includes the following words: “Whomever the Lord will indicate by the lot, let him die! And the people said to Saul, ‘It is not this word.’ But Saul prevailed over the people, and they cast lots between him and between Jonathan his son.”
[14:43] 58 tn Heb “Look, I, I will die.” Apparently Jonathan is acquiescing to his anticipated fate of death. However, the words may be taken as sarcastic (“Here I am about to die!”) or as a question, “Must I now die?” (cf. NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT).
[14:44] 59 tn Heb “So God will do and so he will add, surely you will certainly die, Jonathan.”
[14:45] 60 tn Heb “and he did not die.”
[14:46] 61 tn Heb “to their place.”
[14:47] 62 tn Heb “his,” which could refer to Israel or to Saul.
[14:47] 63 tc The translation follows the LXX (“he was delivered”), rather than the MT, which reads, “he acted wickedly.”
[14:48] 64 tn Heb “plunderers.”
[14:49] 65 sn The list differs from others. In 1 Sam 31:2 (= 1 Chr 10:2), Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua are listed as Saul’s sons, while 1 Chr 8:33 and 9:39 list Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.
[14:50] 66 sn The word “uncle” can modify either Abner or Ner. See the note on the word “son” in v. 51 for further discussion.
[14:51] 67 tn 1 Chr 9:35-36 indicates that Jeiel (= Abiel?) had two sons (among others) named Ner and Kish (see also 1 Sam 9:1 and 1 Chr 8:30, where some Greek manuscripts include the name Ner, though it is absent in the Hebrew text). If this Kish was the father of Saul and Ner was the father of Abner, then Saul and Abner were cousins. However, according to 1 Chr 8:33 and 9:39, Ner, not Abiel, was the father of Kish. In this case, Kish and Abner were brothers and Abner was Saul’s uncle. The simplest solution to the problem is to see two men named Kish in the genealogy: Abiel (Jeiel) was the father of Ner and Kish I. Ner was the father of Abner and Kish II. Kish II was the father of Saul. The Kish mentioned in 1 Sam 9:1 was the father of Saul (v.2) and must be identified as Kish II. In this case the genealogy is “gapped,” with Ner being omitted. Abiel was the grandfather of Kish II.
[15:1] 68 tn Heb “to the voice of the words of the
[15:2] 69 tn Heb “what Amalek did to Israel, how he placed against him.”
[15:2] 70 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Israel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:3] 71 tn Or perhaps “don’t take pity on” (cf. CEV).
[15:4] 72 tn Heb “caused the people to hear.”
[15:5] 74 tc The LXX has the plural here, “cities.”
[15:5] 75 tc The translation follows the LXX and Vulgate which assume a reading וַיָּאָרֶב (vayya’arev, “and he set an ambush,” from the root ארב [’rv] with quiescence of alef) rather than the MT, which has וַיָּרֶב (vayyareb, “and he contended,” from the root ריב [ryv]).
[15:5] 76 tn That is, “the dry stream bed.”
[15:6] 77 tc The translation follows the Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate which assume a reading אֶסִפְךָ (’esfÿka, “I sweep you away,” from the root ספה [sfh]) rather than the MT אֹסִפְךָ (’osifÿka, “I am gathering you,” from the root אסף[’sf]).
[15:7] 78 tn Heb “[as] you enter.”
[15:8] 79 tn Heb “all the people.” For clarity “Agag’s” has been supplied in the translation.
[15:9] 80 tn The Hebrew text is difficult here. We should probably read וְהַמַּשְׂמַנִּים (vÿhammasmannim, “the fat ones”) rather than the MT וְהַמִּשְׂנִים (vÿhammisnim, “the second ones”). However, if the MT is retained, the sense may be as the Jewish commentator Kimchi supposed: the second-born young, thought to be better than the firstlings. (For discussion see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 123-24.)
[15:9] 82 tc The MT has here the very odd form נְמִבְזָה (nÿmivzah), but this is apparently due to a scribal error. The translation follows instead the Niphal participle נִבְזָה (nivzah).
[15:12] 84 tn Heb “and he turned and crossed over.”
[15:12] 85 tc At the end of v. 12 the LXX and one Old Latin
[15:14] 87 tn The words “if that is the case” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[15:15] 88 tn Heb “they brought them.”
[15:16] 89 tn Or perhaps “be quiet.”
[15:16] 90 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[15:16] tn Heb “he”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:18] 93 tc The translation follows the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Targum in reading the second person singular suffix (“you”) rather than the third person plural suffix of the MT (“they”).
[15:19] 94 tn Heb “listened to the voice of the
[15:19] 95 tn Heb “you have done what is evil in the eyes of the
[15:20] 96 tn Heb “listened to the voice of the
[15:22] 98 tn Heb “as [in] listening to the voice of the
[15:22] 100 tn Heb “listening.”
[15:22] 101 tn The expression “is better” is understood here by ellipsis (see the immediately preceding statement).
[15:23] 102 tn Or “from [being].”
[15:24] 103 tn Heb “the mouth of the
[15:24] 104 tn Heb “and your words.”
[15:24] 105 tn Heb “and I listened to their voice.”
[15:25] 106 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose/result.
[15:27] 107 tn Heb “he,” but Saul is clearly the referent. A Qumran
[15:29] 108 tn Heb “splendor,” used here by metonymy as a title for the
[15:29] 109 tn Or perhaps “does not lie.”
[15:29] 110 sn This observation marks the preceding statement (v. 28) as an unconditional, unalterable decree. When God makes such a decree he will not alter it or change his mind. This does not mean that God never deviates from his stated intentions or changes his mind. On the contrary, several passages describe him as changing his mind. In fact, his willingness to do so is one of his fundamental divine attributes (see Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2). For a fuller discussion see R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “Does God Change His Mind?” BSac 152 (1995): 387-99.
[15:30] 111 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Saul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[15:32] 112 tn The MT reading מַעֲדַנֹּת (ma’adannot, literally, “bonds,” used here adverbially, “in bonds”) is difficult. The word is found only here and in Job 38:31. Part of the problem lies in determining the root of the word. Some scholars have taken it to be from the root ענד (’nd, “to bind around”), but this assumes a metathesis of two of the letters of the root. Others take it from the root עדן (’dn) with the meaning “voluptuously,” but this does not seem to fit the context. It seems better to understand the word to be from the root מעד (m’d, “to totter” or “shake”). In that case it describes the fear that Agag experienced in realizing the mortal danger that he faced as he approached Samuel. This is the way that the LXX translators understood the word, rendering it by the Greek participle τρέμον (tremon, “trembling”).
[15:32] 113 tn Heb “and Agag said.”
[15:32] 114 tc The text is difficult here. With the LXX, two Old Latin
[15:35] 115 tn That is, Samuel.
[17:1] 116 tc The content of 1 Sam 17–18, which includes the David and Goliath story, differs considerably in the LXX as compared to the MT, suggesting that this story circulated in ancient times in more than one form. The LXX for chs. 17–18 is much shorter than the MT, lacking almost half of the material (39 of a total of 88 verses). Many scholars (e.g., McCarter, Klein) think that the shorter text of the LXX is preferable to the MT, which in their view has been expanded by incorporation of later material. Other scholars (e.g., Wellhausen, Driver) conclude that the shorter Greek text (or the Hebrew text that underlies it) reflects an attempt to harmonize certain alleged inconsistencies that appear in the longer version of the story. Given the translation characteristics of the LXX elsewhere in this section, it does not seem likely that these differences are due to deliberate omission of these verses on the part of the translator. It seems more likely that the Greek translator has faithfully rendered here a Hebrew text that itself was much shorter than the MT in these chapters. Whether or not the shorter text represented by the LXX is to be preferred over the MT in 1 Sam 17–18 is a matter over which textual scholars are divided. For a helpful discussion of the major textual issues in this unit see D. Barthélemy, D. W. Gooding, J. Lust, and E. Tov, The Story of David and Goliath (OBO). Overall it seems preferable to stay with the MT, at least for the most part. However, the major textual differences between the LXX and the MT will be mentioned in the notes that accompany the translation so that the reader may be alert to the major problem passages.
[17:2] 118 tn Heb “the men of Israel” (so KJV, NASB); NAB, NIV, NRSV “the Israelites.”
[17:4] 121 tn Heb “the man of the space between the two [armies].” See v. 23.
[17:4] 122 tc Heb “his height was six cubits and a span” (cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV). A cubit was approximately eighteen inches, a span nine inches. So, according to the Hebrew tradition, Goliath was about nine feet, nine inches tall (cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “over nine feet”; NCV “nine feet, four inches”; TEV “nearly 3 metres”). However, some Greek witnesses, Josephus, and a manuscript of 1 Samuel from Qumran read “four cubits and a span” here, that is, about six feet, nine inches (cf. NAB “six and a half feet”). This seems more reasonable; it is likely that Goliath’s height was exaggerated as the story was retold. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 286, 291.
[17:5] 123 sn Although the exact weight of Goliath’s defensive body armor is difficult to estimate in terms of modern equivalency, it was obviously quite heavy. Driver, following Kennedy, suggests a modern equivalent of about 220 pounds (100 kg); see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 139. Klein, taking the shekel to be equal to .403 ounces, arrives at a somewhat smaller weight of about 126 pounds (57 kg); see R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 175. But by any estimate it is clear that Goliath presented himself as a formidable foe indeed.
[17:6] 124 sn Or “greaves.” These were coverings (probably lined for comfort) that extended from about the knee to the ankle, affording protection for the shins of a warrior.
[17:7] 125 tn The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew
[17:7] 126 sn That is, about fifteen or sixteen pounds.
[17:8] 127 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:8] 128 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to them.”
[17:8] 129 tc The translation follows the ancient versions in reading “choose,” (from the root בחר, bkhr), rather than the MT. The verb in MT (ברה, brh) elsewhere means “to eat food”; the sense of “to choose,” required here by the context, is not attested for this root. The MT apparently reflects an early scribal error.
[17:8] 130 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verbal form (either an imperfect or jussive) with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose/result here.
[17:10] 131 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative verbal form indicates purpose/result here.
[17:11] 132 tn Heb “all Israel.”
[17:12] 133 tc Some
[17:12] 134 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[17:12] 135 tc The translation follows the Lucianic recension of the LXX and the Syriac Peshitta in reading “in years,” rather than MT “among men.”
[17:15] 137 tn Heb “was going and returning.”
[17:18] 139 tn Heb “officer of the thousand.”
[17:18] 140 tn Heb “and your brothers, observe with respect to welfare.”
[17:18] 141 tn Heb “and their pledge take.” This probably refers to some type of confirmation that the goods arrived safely. See R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 177. Cf. NIV “bring back some assurance”; NCV “some proof to show me they are all right”; NLT “bring me back a letter from them.”
[17:19] 142 tn Heb “all the men of Israel.”
[17:20] 143 tn Heb “to a guard”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “with a keeper”; NIV “with a shepherd.” Since in contemporary English “guard” sounds like someone at a military installation or a prison, the present translation uses “to someone else who would watch over it.”
[17:20] 144 tn Or “entrenchment.”
[17:22] 145 tn Heb “the guard of the equipment.”
[17:23] 146 tn Heb “according to these words.”
[17:25] 148 tn Heb “he is coming up.”
[17:26] 149 tn Heb “and turns aside humiliation from upon Israel.”
[17:27] 151 tn Heb “according to this word, saying.”
[17:28] 152 tn Heb “his”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:28] 153 tn Heb “the anger of Eliab became hot.”
[17:28] 154 tn Heb “the wickedness of your heart.”
[17:29] 155 tn Heb “Is it not [just] a word?”
[17:30] 156 tn Heb “and spoke according to this word.”
[17:30] 157 tn Heb “the people.”
[17:31] 158 tn Heb “he took him.”
[17:32] 159 tn Heb “Let not the heart of a man fall upon him.” The LXX reads “my lord,” instead of “a man.”
[17:36] 160 tc The LXX includes here the following words not found in the MT: “Should I not go and smite him, and remove today reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised one?”
[17:37] 161 tn Or “Go, and may the
[17:39] 162 tn Heb “he had not tested.”
[17:40] 163 tn This Hebrew word occurs only here and its exact meaning is not entirely clear. It refers to a receptacle of some sort and apparently was a common part of a shepherd’s equipment. Here it serves as a depository for the stones that David will use in his sling.
[17:41] 164 tc Most LXX
[17:43] 165 sn Sticks is a pejorative reference to David’s staff (v. 40); the same Hebrew word (מַקֵּל, maqqel) is used for both.
[17:44] 166 tc Many medieval Hebrew
[17:48] 167 tc Most LXX
[17:50] 168 tc Most LXX
[17:50] 169 tn Verse 50 is a summary statement; v. 51 gives a more detailed account of how David killed the Philistine.
[17:51] 170 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:51] 171 tc Most LXX
[17:52] 172 tn Heb “arose and cried out.”
[17:52] 173 tc Most of the LXX
[17:54] 174 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[17:54] 175 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[17:55] 176 tc Most LXX
[17:58] 177 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
