1 Samuel 13:20 — Meaning and Application

King James Version

“But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.”

1 Samuel 13:20

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Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:

And another company turned the way {to} Bethhoron: and another company turned {to} the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make {them} swords or spears:

But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.

Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. {a file: Heb. a file with mouths, or Heb. a pim, a third of a shekel} {sharpen: Heb. set}

So 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.

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1 Samuel 13:1

"Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, {reigned one...: Heb. the son of one year in his reigning}"

1 Samuel 13:2

"Saul chose him three thousand {men} of Israel; {whereof} two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent."

1 Samuel 13:3

"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}"

1 Samuel 13:4

"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}"

1 Samuel 13:5

"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."

1 Samuel 13:6

"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."

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