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Commentary on 1 Samuel 13 verses 8–14
Here is, I. Saul's offence in offering sacrifice before Samuel came. Samuel, when he anointed him, had ordered him to tarry for him seven days in Gilgal, promising that, at the end of those days, he would be sure to come to him, and both offer sacrifices for him and direct him what he should do. This we had Sa1 10:8. Perhaps that order, though inserted there, was given him afterwards, or was given him as a general rule to be observed in every public congress at Gilgal, or, as is most probable, though not mentioned again, was lately repeated with reference to this particular occasion; for it is plain that Saul himself understood it as obliging him from God now to stay till Samuel came, else he would not have made so many excuses as he did for not staying, Sa1 13:11. This order Saul broke. He staid till the seventh day, yet had not patience to wait till the end of the seventh day. Perhaps he began to reproach Samuel as false to his word, careless of his country, and disrespectful of his prince, and thought it more fit that Samuel should wait for him than he for Samuel. However, 1. He presumed to offer sacrifice without Samuel, and nothing appears to the contrary but that he did it himself, though he was neither priest nor prophet, as if, because he was a king, he might do any thing, a piece of presumption which king Uzziah paid dearly for, Ch2 26:16, etc. 2. He determined to engage the Philistines without Samuel's directions, though he had promised to show him what he should do. So self-sufficient Saul was that he thought it not worth while to stay for a prophet of the Lord, either to pray for him or to advise him. This was Saul's offence, and that which aggravated it was, (1.) That for aught that appears, he did not send any messenger to Samuel, to know his mind, to represent the case to him, and to receive fresh directions from him, though he had enough about him that were swift enough of foot at this time. (2.) That when Samuel came he rather seemed to boast of what he had done than to repent of it; for he went forth to salute him, as his brother-sacrificer, and seemed pleased with the opportunity he had of letting Samuel know that he needed him not, but could do well enough without him. He went out to bless him, so the word is, as if he now thought himself a complete priest, empowered to bless as well as sacrifice, whereas he should have gone out to be blessed by him. (3.) That he charged Samuel with breach of promise: Thou camest not within the days appointed (Sa1 13:11), and therefore if any thing was amiss Samuel must bear the blame, who was God's minister; whereas he did come according to his word, before the seven days had expired. Thus the scoffers of the latter days think the promise of Christ's coming is broken, because he does not come in their time, though it is certain he will come at the set time. (4.) That when he was charged with disobedience he justified himself in what he had done, and gave no sign at all of repentance for it. It is not sinning that ruins men, but sinning and not repenting, falling and not getting up again. See what excuses he made, Sa1 13:11, Sa1 13:12. He would have this act of disobedience pass, [1.] For an instance of his prudence. The people were most of them scattered from him, and he had no other way than this to keep those with him that remained and to prevent their deserting too. If Samuel neglected the public concerns, he would not. [2.] For an instance of his piety. He would be thought very devout, and in great care not to engage the Philistines till he had by prayer and sacrifice engaged God on his side: "The Philistines," said he, "will come down upon me, before I have made my supplication to the Lord, and then I am undone. What! go to war before I have said my prayers!" Thus he covered his disobedience to God's command with a pretence of concern for God's favour. Hypocrites lay a great stress upon the external performances of religion, thinking thereby to excuse their neglect of the weightier matters of the law. And yet, lastly, He owns it went against his conscience to do it: I forced myself and offered a burnt-offering, perhaps boasting that he had broken through his convictions and got the better of them, or at least thinking this extenuated his fault, that he knew he should not have done as he did, but did it with reluctancy. Foolish man! to think that God would be well pleased with sacrifices offered in direct opposition both to his general and particular command.
II. The sentence passed upon Saul for this offence. Samuel found him standing by his burnt-offering, but, instead of an answer of peace, was sent to him with heavy tidings, and let him know that the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord, much more when he brings it, as Saul did, with a wicked mind. 1. He shows him the aggravations of his crime, and says to this king, Thou art wicked, which it is not for any but a prophet of the Lord to say, Job 34:18. He charges him with being an enemy to himself and his interest - Thou hast done foolishly, and a rebel to God and his government - "Thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, that commandment wherewith he intended to try thy obedience." Note, Those that disobey the commandments of God do foolishly for themselves. Sin is folly, and sinners are the greatest fools. 2. He reads his doom (Sa1 13:14): "Thy kingdom shall not continue long to thee or thy family; God has his eye upon another, a man after his own heart, and not like thee, that will have thy own will and way." The sentence is in effect the same with Mene tekel, only now there seems room left for Saul's repentance, upon which this sentence would have been reversed; but, upon the next act of disobedience, it was made irreversible, Sa1 15:29. And now, better a thousand times he had continued in obscurity tending his asses than to be enthroned and so soon dethroned. But was not this hard, to pass so severe a sentence upon him and his house for a single error, an error that seemed so small, and in excuse for which he had so much to say? No, The Lord is righteous in all his ways and does no man any wrong, will be justified when he speaks and clear when he judges. By this, (1.) He shows that there is no sin little, because no little god to sin against; but that every sin is a forfeiture of the heavenly kingdom, for which we stood fair. (2.) He shows that disobedience to an express command, though in a small matter, is a great provocation, as in the case of our first parents. (3.) He warns us to take heed of our spirits, for that which to men may seem but a small offence, yet to him that knows from what principle and with what disposition of mind it is done, may appear a heinous crime. (4.) God, in rejecting Saul for an error seemingly little, sets off, as by a foil, the lustre of his mercy in forgiving such great sins as those of David, Manasseh, and others. (5.) We are taught hereby how necessary it is that we wait on our God continually. Saul lost his kingdom for want of two or three hours' patience.
Now this we all in common do charge you, that every one remain in that rank which is appointed him, and do not transgress his proper bounds; for they are not ours but God’s.… And those things which are allotted for the high priests to do, those might not be meddled with by the priests; and what things were allotted to the priests, the Levites might not meddle with; but every one observed those ministrations which were written down and appointed for them. And if any would meddle beyond the tradition, death was his punishment. And Saul’s example does show this most plainly, who, thinking he might offer sacrifice without the prophet and high priest Samuel, drew upon himself a sin and a curse without remedy. Nor did even his having anointed him king discourage the prophet.
Saul also was dishonored because he did not wait for Samuel the high priest. It behooves you, therefore, also to reverence your superiors.
And mark it, he [the devil] desired to bring Saul into [the] superstition of witchcraft. But if he had counseled this at the beginning, the other would not have given heed; for how should he, who was even driving them out? Therefore gently and by little and little he leads him on to it. For when he had disobeyed Samuel and had caused the burnt offering to be offered, when he was not present, being blamed for it, he says, “The compulsion from the enemy was too great,” and when he ought to have bewailed, he felt as though he had done nothing.Again God gave him the commands about the Amalekites, but he transgressed these too. Then he proceeded to his crimes about David, and thus slipping easily and little by little he did not stop, until he came to the very pit of destruction and cast himself in.
Because I saw that the people were slipping away from me, etc. The mystical sense of these words, as is clear from what was explained above, is easily understood. He immediately added, and said: Moreover, the Philistines were gathered together at Michmash, which means in humility; for unless they were deprived of humility, they would by no means prefer themselves to the Lord; nor unless the spirits of pride besieging the gates of the heart, would they, who dwell in high places and yet observe the humble, arrogantly despise Him.
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SUMMARY
1 Samuel 13:11 vividly portrays the tense confrontation between the prophet Samuel and King Saul following Saul's presumptuous act of offering a burnt sacrifice, a duty strictly reserved for the priesthood. Samuel's direct and accusatory question, "What hast thou done?", elicits a multi-faceted defense from Saul, who cites the scattering of his Israelite forces, Samuel's perceived delay beyond the appointed time, and the formidable gathering of the Philistine army at Michmash. This pivotal exchange exposes Saul's deep-seated character flaws—impatience, fear, and a tendency to prioritize human expediency over unwavering obedience to divine command—thereby initiating the process of his eventual rejection as king.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound theological message and dramatic tension. The most prominent is Dialogue, which immediately immerses the reader in the intense confrontation between Samuel and Saul. Samuel's terse, accusatory question, "What hast thou done?", is met by Saul's lengthy, defensive response, which serves as a detailed example of Rationalization and Justification. Saul's repeated appeal to "Because I saw" highlights his reliance on empirical observation and fear, rather than faith, as the primary impetus for his actions. There is a profound Irony in Saul's attempt to secure divine favor and military success through an act of direct disobedience; his very effort to save the kingdom ultimately leads to its rejection. Furthermore, this scene functions as powerful Foreshadowing, signaling the beginning of Saul's downfall and the eventual transfer of the kingdom to a "man after God's own heart" (1 Samuel 13:14). The narrative structure skillfully builds tension through the vivid description of the Philistine threat and the scattering of Israel's troops, making Saul's impatient act seem understandable from a purely human perspective, yet unequivocally condemning it from a divine one.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The confrontation in 1 Samuel 13:11 underscores a foundational biblical principle: unwavering obedience to God's specific commands is paramount, always superseding human logic, perceived necessity, or fear of circumstances. Saul's failure was not merely a procedural error or a minor miscalculation; it was a profound act of distrust in God's sovereignty and a presumptuous overstepping of divinely ordained boundaries. He prioritized immediate, visible outcomes—rallying his troops and appearing to take decisive action—over patient, faithful adherence to God's explicit word delivered through His prophet. This moment powerfully reveals the inherent danger of self-reliance and fear-driven decision-making, contrasting sharply with the kind of faith that waits on the Lord even when all human hope seems lost. It teaches that true leadership, especially within God's kingdom, is characterized by humble submission to divine authority and timing, not by self-assertive or expedient action.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The narrative of Saul's failure at Michmash serves as a timeless warning and a profound lesson for believers today. We frequently find ourselves in situations where circumstances appear dire, pressures mount, and God's timing seems inexplicably delayed. Like Saul, we are powerfully tempted to take matters into our own hands, to devise our own solutions, or to act prematurely out of fear, anxiety, or impatience. This passage calls us to cultivate a deeper, unwavering trust in God's perfect timing and His sovereign control over all events, no matter how chaotic, threatening, or seemingly hopeless they appear. It challenges us to prioritize unwavering obedience to God's revealed will above all else, even when such obedience seems counter-intuitive, inconvenient, or personally costly from a human perspective. Our faith is truly tested not when things are easy and predictable, but when the "Philistines gather" and our "people scatter." In those moments of intense pressure and perceived crisis, the call is to wait patiently, to trust implicitly, and to obey faithfully, knowing with certainty that God's plan and timing are always infinitely superior to our own.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was Saul's act of offering a sacrifice so serious in God's eyes?
Answer: Saul's act was profoundly serious for several interconnected reasons. First, it constituted a direct and blatant act of disobedience to Samuel's explicit command in 1 Samuel 10:8, where he was specifically instructed to wait seven days for Samuel to arrive and offer the sacrifices. This demonstrated a critical lack of trust and patience in God's appointed timing and method. Second, by personally offering the burnt offering, Saul, as king, presumptuously usurped the sacred role and authority of the priesthood, a function strictly reserved for the Levitical priests, particularly the descendants of Aaron (Numbers 18:7). God had established clear and distinct boundaries between the kingly and priestly offices in Israel, and Saul's action was a severe violation of this divinely instituted order, an act of profound presumption. A later king, Uzziah, suffered leprosy for a similar transgression of priestly duties (2 Chronicles 26:16-21). Therefore, Saul's act was not merely a minor procedural error but a profound theological and spiritual transgression, revealing a heart that prioritized self-reliance and expediency over humble submission to God's sovereign will and established order.
Did Samuel truly delay, or was Saul simply impatient and rationalizing his actions?
Answer: The biblical text strongly indicates that Samuel did not delay; rather, Saul was impatient and sought to rationalize his disobedience. 1 Samuel 13:10 explicitly states that Samuel arrived "as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering." This phrasing suggests Samuel arrived precisely at the end of the appointed seven days, or even at the very moment Saul finished his unauthorized act. Saul's statement that Samuel "camest not within the days appointed" is therefore a self-serving rationalization, a desperate attempt to shift blame and justify his presumptuous actions. It reveals Saul's profound impatience and his inability to trust God's timing to the very last moment. His fear of the Philistines and the scattering of his troops led him to act prematurely, demonstrating a critical lack of faith in God's ability to deliver on His promises and fulfill His word, even under extreme pressure.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Saul's catastrophic failure in 1 Samuel 13:11, characterized by his impatience, fear-driven actions, and the presumptuous usurpation of priestly authority, stands in stark and illuminating contrast to the perfect obedience and supreme priestly ministry of Jesus Christ. Saul, driven by the immense pressures of a fallen world and his own lack of faith, presumed to offer a sacrifice he was not divinely authorized to make, an act that ultimately led to his rejection as king. Christ, however, is the true King of kings and the Great High Priest who perfectly fulfilled all righteousness and every divine requirement. Unlike Saul, who acted out of self-preservation and a profound lack of trust, Jesus consistently and perfectly submitted to His Father's will, even to the agonizing point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). He unequivocally declared, "I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me". Furthermore, Christ did not usurp the priesthood but was divinely appointed "a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:5-6). His sacrifice was not an unauthorized act of human impatience or presumption, but the ultimate, perfect, and once-for-all offering of Himself, effectively taking away sin and establishing a new and eternal covenant for all who believe (Hebrews 10:1-10). Thus, where Saul failed in obedience and presumed authority, Christ perfectly succeeded, becoming the only authorized and sufficient sacrifice, and the eternal King whose kingdom will never be taken away.