Cd – Isra’el without Weapons First Samuel 13: 15b-23

Isra’el without Weapons
First Samuel 13: 15b-23

Isra’el without weapons DIG: What are the signs of Sha’ul’s failure as a leader? How did Sha’ul’s army compare with Gideon’s? How extensive was the Philistines’ influence over Isra’el? How did their weapons compare? Who was in the Iron Age? Bronze Age? What did it mean for Isra’el to be “the pupil of God’s eye?”

REFLECT: What has Ha’Shem given us so we can win our spiritual battles? What must we do to receive this aid from God? In what specific ways do you have your weakness and “unsharpened swords?” Which of your inferior tools will you entrust to God for sharpening and for His use today, so that His power may be seen?

There was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Isra’el,
for the Philistines were afraid that the Israelites would make swords and spears.

A dwindling army (13:15b-16): As Sha’ul departed from Samuel and returned to his modest army (to see link click Cc – Samuel Rebukes Sha’ul), the scene was one of despair. Everything had gone wrong, especially Sha’ul’s misguided attempt to honor ADONAI. Samuel’s departure was symbolic of the breach between himself and Sha’ul, who was abandoned without any guidance on how to defeat the Philistines, and, with the sacrificial offerings not accepted by God, he was left to his own devices.²⁸⁷ When the king counted how many men were still there with him to face the Philistine army, the wholesale defections had reduced his troops to about 600 (13:15b). Meaning about 1,400 men had deserted him since 13:2.

The Philistines assembled themselves an army as large as the number of sand grains on the seashore (13:5), a simile also used for the army that Gideon faced (Judges 7:12) – and Sha’ul’s army was twice as large as Gideon’s! But the difference wasn’t so much in the size of the army as the strength of the leader’s faith. Gideon trusted ADONAI for victory and He honored him, while Sha’ul was punished for disobedience. Sha’ul had previously mustered his large army by means of fear (11:7), so when his men began to fear the enemy more than the king, they began to desert the camp and go to places of safety. Jonathan knew that the LORD didn’t need great numbers to accomplish His purposes (14:6), but He did honor great faith.²⁸⁸ Sha’ul, his son Jonathan, and the men with them took up quarters at Geba of Benjamin (which had been taken by Jonathan back in 13:3), separated from the Philistines by a deep ravine that acted as a barrier between them (13:16). From their vantage point, it was easy for the Israelites to keep track of every move of the enemy.²⁸⁹

A threatened army (13:17-18 and 23): The Philistines repeatedly sent our raiding parties to protect the roads and passes that the Jews might use if they attacked, and at the same time the Philistines kept any residents from helping the Jewish army. Then raiding parties started to continually come out from the camp of the Philistines, three of them: one group turned north toward the road leading to ‘Ophrah in the territory of Shu‘al; another group took the west road toward Beth-Horon; and another company took the east road toward the desert through the territory overlooking Valley of Zeboim (13:17-18). A fourth garrison of the Philistines had gone south out to the pass of Micmash toward Gibeah to prevent the Jewish army from moving up to Geba (13:23). With all those Philistine soldiers moving about in the area, what hope was there for the Jews? No matter which way Isra’el turned, they would meet the enemy! And yet the LORD was going to use Jonathan and his armor-bearer to win a great victory (see Ce – Jonathan Attacks the Philistines), for with God, nothing is impossible.²⁹⁰

A deprived army (13:19-22): It was bad enough that Sha’ul lacked men, but it was even worse that the men he did have were not properly equipped. This parenthetical note explains how the Israelites were at a huge disadvantage because the Philistines would not allow them to manufacture iron. The Philistines had apparently learned sophisticated methods of working with iron from the Hittites or other Anatolian peoples with whom they had come into contact as part of the Sea People’s migration from the Aegean Sea area to Canaan around 1200 BC. As a result, Isra’el had to depend on the Philistines for iron tools.²⁹¹ So, while the Philistines were in the Iron Age, the Israelites were still in the Bronze Age. Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Isra’el for the Philistines were afraid that the Israelites would make swords and spears and rise up against them (13:19). This describes a people who had been reduced to serfdom. They couldn’t even repair their farm tools. We can imagine, in such a state of humiliation, the miserable jeers directed at Sha’ul for his pitiful attempt to obey God’s command. As a result, the nation was in a far worse condition than ever, and God’s honor was even more disgraced.

The Israelites even had to pay inflated prices to have their farm tools sharpened. So, whenever any of the people of Isra’el wanted to sharpen his hoe, plowshare, axe or pick, he had to go down to the Philistines, where the exorbitant prices were two-thirds of a shekel for filing a pick or plowshare and one-third of a shekel for filing an axe or setting an ox goad in its handle. As the chapter ends, Sha’ul is cornered at Geba that he had taken, the nation was utterly subjugated once again, and the people were deprived of any chance of resistance, for no one in the army of Sha’ul and Jonathan was equipped with either sword or spear; although Sha’ul and Jonathan did have them (13:20-22).²⁹²

The Benjamites were skilled at using slings (Judges 20:15-16), but slings were not practical in close combat, and what about the vast number of Philistine chariots? The Jewish army was small in number and had small supplies of weapons, but they had a great God, if only they would trust Him.²⁹³ Little did Sha’ul imagine how near the help of Ha’Shem was, and how soon it would be before God struck out against the oppressors to save His people. Sha’ul may have failed the LORD, but he was still the king of Isra’el, however illegitimate, and Isra’el was still the people of ADONAI. As ADONAI-Tzva’ot would say to a later generation of Israelites, “Whoever injures you injures the very pupil of My eye” (Zechariah 2:8). The rabbis say that the world is like a human eyeball; the white of the eye is like the ocean surrounding the world; the iris is the continent; the pupil is Jerusalem, and the image of the pupil is the Holy Temple (Talmud, Derech Eretz Zuta 9). And as the apostle Paul discovered in his own time of need, God says: My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness (Second Corinthians 12:9).²⁹⁴

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for being wonderful, wise and loving! How awesome it is that who wins the battle is not due to a physical strength, nor due to who has the sharpest weapons for war, the outcome of battles is in Your hand. Thus ADONAI says to you, “Do not be afraid or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (Second Chronicles 20:15b-c).

May Your children follow the example of king Jehoshaphat, bowing down in worship, and then praising You.  Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before ADONAI to worship ADONAI.  Levites, from the sons of Kohath and the sons of Korah, stood up to praise ADONAI, the God of Isra’el, with a very loud voice. Early in the morning they arose and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, O Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in ADONAI your God and you will be confirmed. Trust in His prophets and you will succeed.” After consulting with the people, he appointed singers to Adonai praising the splendor of His holiness, as they went out before the army saying, “Praise ADONAI, for His mercy endures forever.” As they began singing and praising, ADONAI set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Mo’ab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated (Second Chronicles 20:18-22).

Please help me to always remember that You are greater than any situation, greater than any enemy. You live within those who love You. Yeshua answered and said to him: If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him (John 14:23). So, You are always there to help and to guide me. Thank You for being so wonderful! In Messiah holy Name and power of His resurrection Amen.