King James Version

What Does 1 Samuel 13:5 Mean?

1 Samuel 13:5 in the King James Version says “And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsem...” — study this verse from 1 Samuel chapter 13 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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.”

1 Samuel 13:5 · KJV

Context

3

And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. Geba: or, the hill

4

And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal. was: Heb. did stink

5

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.

6

When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

7

And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. followed: Heb. trembled after him

Read 1 Samuel 13 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
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 Beth-aven.

Saul's failure demonstrates that partial obedience is disobedience, and religious activity cannot substitute for heart surrender. His pattern of excuses, blame-shifting, and selective compliance while maintaining outward religious appearance warns against external religion without internal transformation. The pronouncement that 'to obey is better than sacrifice' establishes that God desires humble submission over impressive religious performance. Saul's rejection teaches that prolonged disobedience, even mixed with apparent faithfulness, eventually results in God's withdrawal of calling and blessing.

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Historical & Cultural Context

The establishment of monarchy around 1050-1010 BCE represented a dramatic political and theological shift for Israel. Unlike surrounding nations where kings were considered divine or semi-divine, Israel's kings were supposed to function under God's ultimate authority as laid out in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. The Benjamite tribe occupied strategic territory between Ephraim and Judah, making Saul's selection a politically astute choice to balance tribal rivalries. Archaeological remains from this period show increased fortification and centralization of settlements, confirming the transition to state-level organization. Levitical priests served hereditary roles mediating between God and people through sacrificial system. Corruption among priests was not uncommon in this era, as demonstrated by biblical criticism of Eli's sons and later Jeremiah's condemnations. Proper sacrificial procedure was critical for maintaining covenant relationship, making priestly misconduct particularly heinous.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this passage deepen our understanding of God's character, purposes, and ways of working in human history?
  2. What specific heart attitudes, thought patterns, or life practices does this passage call you to examine or change?
  3. How does the emphasis on obedience over sacrifice point toward Christ's perfect submission to the Father's will?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 24 words
וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֞ים1 of 24

“And the Philistines”

H6430

a pelishtite or inhabitant of pelesheth

נֶֽאֶסְפ֣וּ׀2 of 24

“gathered themselves together”

H622

to gather for any purpose; hence, to receive, take away, i.e., remove (destroy, leave behind, put up, restore, etc.)

לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם3 of 24

“to fight”

H3898

to feed on; figuratively, to consume

עִם4 of 24
H5973

adverb or preposition, with (i.e., in conjunction with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with; often with prepositional prefix (and then

יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל5 of 24

“with Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים6 of 24

“thirty”

H7970

thirty; or (ordinal) thirtieth

אֲלָפִים֙7 of 24

“thousand”

H505

hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

רֶ֙כֶב֙8 of 24

“chariots”

H7393

a vehicle; by implication, a team; by extension, cavalry; by analogy a rider, i.e., the upper millstone

וְשֵׁ֤שֶׁת9 of 24

“and six”

H8337

six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ordinal, sixth

אֲלָפִים֙10 of 24

“thousand”

H505

hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand

פָּֽרָשִׁ֔ים11 of 24

“horsemen”

H6571

a steed (as stretched out to a vehicle, not single nor for mounting ); also (by implication) a driver (in a chariot), i.e., (collectively) cavalry

וְעָ֕ם12 of 24

“and people”

H5971

a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

כַּח֛וֹל13 of 24

“as the sand”

H2344

sand (as round or whirling particles)

אֲשֶׁ֥ר14 of 24
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

עַל15 of 24
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

שְׂפַֽת16 of 24

“shore”

H8193

the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a vessel, water, cloth, etc.)

הַיָּ֖ם17 of 24

“which is on the sea”

H3220

a sea (as breaking in noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the article), the mediterranean sea; sometimes a large river, or an artif

לָרֹ֑ב18 of 24

“in multitude”

H7230

abundance (in any respect)

וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙19 of 24

“and they came up”

H5927

to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative

וַיַּֽחֲנ֣וּ20 of 24

“and pitched”

H2583

properly, to incline; by implication, to decline (of the slanting rays of evening); specifically, to pitch a tent; generally to encamp (for abode or s

בְמִכְמָ֔שׂ21 of 24

“in Michmash”

H4363

mikmas or mikmash, a place in palestine

קִדְמַ֖ת22 of 24

“eastward”

H6926

the forward part (or relatively) east (often adverbially, on the east or in front)

בֵּ֥ית23 of 24
H0
אָֽוֶן׃24 of 24

“from Bethaven”

H1007

beth-aven, a place in palestine

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 1 Samuel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

1 Samuel 13:5 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to 1 Samuel 13:5 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Joshua 11:41 Samuel 14:23Joshua 18:12Joshua 7:22 Chronicles 1:9Jeremiah 15:8

Places in This Verse

Beth-aven 1Settlement · Modern: Tell Maryam · 31.87°N, 35.27°E4 verses across 2 books
MichmashSettlement · Modern: Mukhmas · 31.87°N, 35.28°E11 verses across 4 books
View all places in 1 Samuel 13 →

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