1 Samuel 13:1-14 – Wait On The Lord

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 28 Feb 2021

Introduction

vs. 4-7 The Dire Situation

    1. Saul has won a victory against a Philistine outpost3,

    2. The Philistines are all riled up against Israel now (Literally, they think Israel “stinks”), and

    3. Saul is mobilizing an army at Gilgal.

vs. 8-12 The Impatient Deed

New Testament Excursus on Waiting Expectantly

vs. 13-14 The Consequences

Conclusion

Appendix: Septuagint translations of the Hebrew verb yachal “wait”









Note that these are Septuagint chapter and verse numbers, not English references, so if you look these up in English, for instance in the Psalms, you might need to look forward one chapter or backward one verse to find the English match.

1 Samuel 13:1-14 - Side-by side comparison of versionsA


Septuagint

Brenton

D-R

KJV

NAW

MT

1

[uioVB eniautou Saoul en tw basileuein auton kai duo eth ebasileusen en Israhl]


Saul was a child of one year when he began to reign, and he reigned two years over Israel.

Saul reigned one yearC; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

Saul was of age when he began to reign, and he reigned two years over Israel.

בֶּן-שָׁנָהD, שָׁאוּל בְּמָלְכוֹ; וּשְׁתֵּי שָׁנִיםE, מָלַךְ עַל-יִשְׂרָאֵל.

2

καὶ ἐκλέγεται Σαουλ ἑαυτῷ τρεῗς χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν ἐκ τῶν ἀνδρῶν Ισραηλ καὶ ἦσαν μετὰ Σαουλ δισ­χίλιοι ἐν Μαχεμας καὶ ἐν τῷ ὄρει Βαιθ­ηλ χίλιοι ἦσαν μετὰ Ιωναθαν ἐν Γαβεε τοῦ Βενιαμιν καὶ τὸ κατάλοιπον τοῦ λαοῦ ἐξαπέστ­ειλεν ἕκαστον εἰς τὸ σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ

And Saul choos­es for himself 3,000 men of the men of Israel: and there were with Saul 2,000 who were in Mach­mas, and in mount Baeth­el, and 1,000 were with Jona­than in Gabaa of Benjamin: and he sent the rest of the people every man to his tent.

And Saul chose him three thous­and men of Israel: and two thousand were with Saul in Machmas, and in mount Bethel: and a thousand with Jonathan in Gabaa of Benja­min, and the rest of the people he sent back every man to their dwellings.

X 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 tentX.

Now, Saul chose for himself 3,000 men from Israel (of which 2,000 were with Saul in Mikmash - and on the hill of Bethel, and 1,000 were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin), and the rest of the people He discharged each to his tents.

וַיִּבְחַר-לוֹ שָׁאוּל שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים, מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, וַיִּהְיוּ עִם-שָׁאוּל אַלְפַּיִם בְּמִכְמָשׂ וּבְהַר בֵּית-אֵל, וְאֶלֶף הָיוּ עִם-יוֹנָתָן בְּגִבְעַת בִּנְיָמִין; וְיֶתֶר הָעָם, שִׁלַּח אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיוF.

3

καὶ ἐπάταξεν Ιωναθαν τὸν ΝασιβG τὸν ἀλλόφυλον τὸν ἐν τῷ βουνῷ καὶ ἀκούουσιν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι καὶ Σαουλ σάλ­πιγγι σαλπίζει εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν λέγων ἠθετήκασιν οἱ δοῦλοιH

And Jonathan smote Nasib the PhilistineX that dwelt in the hill; and the Philistines hear of it, and Saul sounds the tru­mpet through all the land, saying, The servants have despised us.

And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines which was in Gabaa. And when the Philistines had heard of it, Saul sounded the trumpet over all the land, saying: Let the Hebrews hear.

And Jonathan smoteI 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.

Jonathan made a strike against the garrison of Philistines which is in Gebah, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew on the horn throughout all of the land to say, “Hebrews, take heed!”

וַיַּךְ יוֹנָתָן, אֵת נְצִיב פְּלִשְׁתִּים אֲשֶׁר בְּגֶבַע, וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ, פְּלִשְׁתִּים; וְשָׁאוּל תָּקַע בַּשּׁוֹפָר בְּכָל- הָאָרֶץ לֵאמֹר, יִשְׁמְעוּ הָעִבְרִים.

4

καὶ πᾶς Ισραηλ ἤκουσεν λεγ­όντων πέπαικεν Σαουλ τὸν Νασιβ τὸν ἀλλόφυλονX καὶ ᾐσχύνθη­σαν Ισραηλ ἐν τοῗς ἀλλο­φύλοις καὶ ἀνε­βόησαν ὁ λαὸςJ ὀπίσω Σαουλ ἐν Γαλγαλοις

And all Israel heard say, Saul has smitten Nasib the PhilistineX; now Israel had been put to shame before the Philistines; and the children [of Israel] went up after Saul in Galgala.

And all Israel heard this report: Saul hath smitten the garrison of the Philistines: and Israel took courage against the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Galgal.

And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in ab­omination withK the Philistines. And the people were called togetherL after Saul to Gilgal.

And all Israel heard it saying that Saul had made a strike against the garrison of the Philistines and also that Israel had made itself ob­noxious to the Phil­istines. When these things were an­nou­nced, the people got behind Saul at Gilgal.

וְכָל-יִשְׂרָאֵל שָׁמְעוּ לֵאמֹר, הִכָּה שָׁאוּל אֶת- נְצִיב פְּלִשְׁתִּים, וְגַם- נִבְאַשׁM יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים; וַיִּצָּעֲקוּN הָעָם אַחֲרֵי שָׁאוּל, הַגִּלְגָּל.

5

καὶ οἱ ἀλλό­φυλοι συνάγ­ονται εἰς πόλεμον ἐπὶ Ισραηλ [καὶ ἀναβαίνουσιν ἐπὶ Ισραηλ] τριάκοντα χιλιάδες ἁρμάτων καὶ ἓξ χιλιάδες ἱππέων καὶ λαὸς ὡς ἡ ἄμμος ἡ παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν τῷ πλήθει καὶ ἀναβαίνουσιν καὶ παρεμβάλλουσιν ἐν Μαχεμας [ἐξ ἐναν­τίας] Βαιθων κατὰ νότου

And the Philis­tines gather to­gether to war with Israel; [and then come up against Israel] thirty thou­sand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand by the seashore for multitude: and they come up, and encamp in Machmas, [op­posite] Baethoron southward.

The Philistines also were assembled to fight against Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and [a multitude of] people besides, like the sand on the sea shore for number. And going up they camped in Machmas at the east of Bethaven.

And the Philis­tines gathered themselves to­getherO to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chari­ots, and six thousand horse­men, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitudeP: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

Meanwhile, the Philistines were assembling 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horses, and a horde as vast as the sand which is upon the shore of the sea for war against Israel, and they went up and took their positions in Mikmash east of Beth Aven.

וּפְלִשְׁתִּים נֶאֶסְפוּ לְהִלָּחֵם עִם-יִשְׂרָאֵל, שְׁלֹשִׁים אֶלֶף רֶכֶב וְשֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים פָּרָשִׁים, וְעָם, כַּחוֹל אֲשֶׁר עַל-שְׂפַת-הַיָּם לָרֹב; וַיַּעֲלוּ וַיַּחֲנוּ בְמִכְמָשׂ, קִדְמַת בֵּית אָוֶן.

6

καὶ ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ εἶδεν ὅτι στενῶς αὐτῷ μὴ προσάγειν αὐτόνQ καὶ ἐκρύβη ὁ λαὸς ἐν τοῗς σπηλαίοις καὶ ἐν ταῗς μάνδραις καὶ ἐν ταῗς πέτραις καὶ ἐν τοῗς βόθροις καὶ ἐν τοῗς λάκκοις

And the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait so that they could not draw nigh, and the peo­ple hid themselves in caves, and X sheepfolds, and X rocks, and X ditches, and X pits.

And when the men of Israel saw that they were straitened, (for the people were distressed,) X they X hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in dens, and in pits.

When the men of Israel saw that they were in a straitR, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thicketsS, and in rocks, and in high placesT, and in pitsU.

Then each man of Israel saw that it was a crisis, for their army had been put in a strangle­hold, so the people hid themselves in the caves and in the brambles and in the rock-mountains and in the cellars and in the cisterns.

וְאִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל רָאוּ כִּי צַר-לוֹ, כִּי נִגַּשׂ הָעָם; וַיִּתְחַבְּאוּ הָעָם, בַּמְּעָרוֹת וּבַחֲוָחִים וּבַסְּלָעִים, וּבַצְּרִחִיםV, וּבַבֹּרוֹתW.

7

καὶ οἱ διαβαίνοντεςX διέβησαν τὸν Ιορδάνην εἰς γῆν Γαδ καὶ Γαλααδ καὶ Σαουλ ἔτι ἦν ἐν Γαλγαλοις καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐξέστηY ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ

And they that went over went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Galaad: and Saul was yet in Galgala, and all the people followed after him in amazement.

And some of the Hebrews passed over the Jordan into the land of Gad and Galaad. And when Saul was yet in Galgal, all the people that followed him were greatly afraid.

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

Hebrews even crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad (that is, Gilead). But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, though all the army following him was trembling,

וְעִבְרִים, עָבְרוּ אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן, אֶרֶץ גָּד, AAוְגִלְעָד; וְשָׁאוּל עוֹדֶנּוּ בַגִּלְגָּל, וְכָל-הָעָם חָרְדוּ אַחֲרָיו.

8

καὶ διέλιπεν ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας τῷ μαρτυρίῳAB ὡς [εἶπεν] Σαμουηλ καὶ οὐ παρεγένετο Σαμουηλ εἰς Γαλγαλα καὶ διεσπάρη ὁ λαὸς αὐτοῦ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ

And he continued seven days for the appointed testimony, as Samuel [told him], and Samuel came not to Galgala, and his people were dispersed from him.

And he waited seven days according to the appointment of Samuel, I and Samuel came not to Galgal, and the people slipt away from him.

And he tarried seven days, ac­cording to the set time that Samuel [had appointed]: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

and he waited ex­pectantly for sev­en days, according to the meeting of which Samuel {had spoken}. But Sam­uel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people scattered away from him.

וייחלAC שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, לַמּוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר שְׁמוּאֵלAD, וְלֹא-בָא שְׁמוּאֵל, הַגִּלְגָּל; וַיָּפֶץ הָעָם, מֵעָלָיו.

9

καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ προσαγάγετε ὅπως [ποιήσω] ὁλοκαύτωσιν καὶ εἰρηνικάς καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσιν

And Saul said, Bring hither victims, that I may offer whole-burnt-offerings and peace-offerings: and he offered the whole-burnt-offering.

Then Saul said: Bring me the holocaust, and the peace offerings. And he offered the holocaust.

And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.

So Saul said, “Bring the whole-burnt-offering and the peace-offerings to me.” And he of­fered up the whole-burnt-offering.

וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל--הַגִּשׁוּ אֵלַי, הָעֹלָה וְהַשְּׁלָמִים; וַיַּעַל, הָעֹלָה.AE

10

καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς συνετέλεσεν ἀναφέρων τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσιν καὶ X Σαμουηλ παραγίνεται καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Σαουλ εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτῷ εὐλογῆσαι αὐτόν

And it came to pass when he had finished offering the whole-burnt-offering, that X Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to meet him, and to bless him.

And when he had made an end of offering the holocaust, X behold Samuel came: and Saul went forth to meet him and salute him.

And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

Then it happened as he finished of­fering up the whole-burnt-offering, that look, Samuel had arrived! So Saul went out to call out blessing to him.

וַיְהִי, כְּכַלֹּתוֹ לְהַעֲלוֹת הָעֹלָה, וְהִנֵּה שְׁמוּאֵל, בָּא; וַיֵּצֵא שָׁאוּל לִקְרָאתוֹ, לְבָרְכוֹAF.

11

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ τί πεποίηκας καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ ὅτι εἶδον ὡς διεσπάρη ὁ λαὸς ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ σὺ οὐ παρεγένου [ὡς διετάξω] ἐν τῷ μαρτυρίῳ τῶν ἡμερῶν καὶ οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι συνήχθησαν εἰς Μαχεμας

And Samuel said, What hast thou done? and Saul said, Because I saw how the peo­ple were scattered from me, and thou was not present [as thou purpos­edst] according to the set time of the days, and the Phil­istines were gath­ered to Machmas.

And Samuel said [to him]: What hast thou done? X Saul answered: Because I saw that the people slipt from me, and thou wast not come according to the days appointed, and the Philistines were gathered together in Machmas,

And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the peo­ple were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered them­selves together at Michmash;

But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Then Saul said, “When I saw that the people had scattered from me, and as for you, you had not come for a meet­ing during these days, and as for the Philistines, they were assemb­ling at Mikmash,

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל, מֶה עָשִׂיתָ; וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל כִּי-רָאִיתִי כִי-נָפַץ הָעָם מֵעָלַי, וְאַתָּה לֹא- בָאתָ לְמוֹעֵד הַיָּמִים, וּפְלִשְׁתִּים, נֶאֱסָפִים AGמִכְמָשׂ.

12

καὶ εἶπα νῦν καταβήσονται οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι πρός με εἰς Γαλγαλα καὶ τοῦ προσώπου τοῦ κυρίου οὐκ ἐδεήθην καὶ ἐνεκρατευσάμην καὶ ἀνήνεγκα τὴν ὁλοκαύτωσινAH

Then I said, Now will the Philistines come down to me to Galgala, and I have not sought the face of the Lord: so I forced myself and offered the whole-burnt-offering.

X I said: Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Galgal, and I have not appeased the face of the Lord. Forced by necessity, I offered the holocaust.

Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made suppli­cation unto the X XAI Lord: I forced myselfAJ therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

then I said, ‘The Philistines are going to come down on me now at Gilgal, yet I haven’t made re­quests before the face of Yahweh!’ So I re­strained myself and I offered up the whole-burnt-offering.”

וָאֹמַר, עַתָּה יֵרְדוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים אֵלַי הַגִּלְגָּל, וּפְנֵי יְהוָה, לֹא חִלִּיתִי; וָאֶתְאַפַּקAK, וָאַעֲלֶה הָעֹלָה. {ס}

13

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ μεματαίωταίAL σοι [ὅτι] οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὴν ἐντολήν [μου] ἣν ἐνετείλατό σοι κύριος X X ὡς νῦν ἡτοίμασεν κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἕως αἰῶνος ἐπὶ Ισραηλ

And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; [for] thou hast not kept my command X, which the Lord X X commanded thee, as now the Lord would have confirmed thy kingdom over Israel for ever.

And Samuel said to Saul: Thou hast done foolishly, [and] hast not kept the command­ment[s] of the Lord thy God, which he com­manded thee. [And if thou hadst not done] thus, the Lord would now have established thy kingdom over Israel for ever.

And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

Then Samuel said to Saul, “You acted foolishly, for you did not keep the command of Yahweh your God which He com­manded, for it was at this time that Yahweh would have set up your kingship over Israel for time-out-of-mind,

וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמוּאֵל אֶל-שָׁאוּל, נִסְכָּלְתָּ: AMלֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ, אֶת-מִצְוַת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּךְ, כִּי עַתָּה הֵכִין יְהוָה אֶת- מַמְלַכְתְּךָ אֶל- יִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד-עוֹלָם.

14

καὶ νῦν ἡ βασιλεία σου οὐ στήσεταιAN [καὶ] ζητήσει κύριος ἑαυτῷ ἄνθρωπον κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐντελ­εῗται κύριος αὐτῷ εἰς ἄρχοντα ἐπὶ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ὅτι οὐκ ἐφύλαξας ὅσα ἐνετείλατό σοι κύριος

But now thy king­dom shall not stand [to thee, and] the Lord shall seek for him­self a man after his own heart; and the Lord shall appoint him to be a ruler over his people, because thou hast not kept all that the Lord commanded thee.

But X thy king­dom shall not con­tinue. The Lord hath sought him a man accord­ing to his own heart: and him hath the Lord commanded to be prince over his people, because thou hast not observed that which the Lord commanded Χ.

But now thy king­dom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath com­manded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.

but now your kingdom will not go on. Yahweh has sought out for Himself a man [whose] heart is like His, and Yah­weh has comman­ded for him to preside over His people because you did not value what Yahweh commanded you.”

וְעַתָּה, מַמְלַכְתְּךָ לֹא-תָקוּם: בִּקֵּשׁ יְהוָה לוֹ אִישׁ כִּלְבָבוֹ, וַיְצַוֵּהוּ יְהוָה לְנָגִיד עַל-עַמּוֹ--כִּי לֹא שָׁמַרְתָּ, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-צִוְּךָ יְהוָה. {ס}


1“[T]he Masoretic text that has come down to us... cannot possibly be rendered... “Saul had been king for a year,” or “Saul reigned one year,” but can only mean “Saul was a year old when he became king.” ... there is an error in the text, namely, that between בֶּן and שָׁנָה the age has fallen out...” ~Keil & Delitzsch, 1891 AD (Tsumura’s NICOT commentary agreed, citing McCarter, Grayson, and Buccellati in support)

2Antiquities vol. 6. c. 14. sect. 9 “Now Saul, when he had reigned 18 years while Samuel was alive, and after his death two,to which his translator, William Whiston added “[and 20]to square with the Acts account.

3An alternate translation of nasib is that of the LXX, Goldman, Gill, and Tsumuah, indicating a single person – in other words, the assassination of a Philistine prefect/governor/tax-collector.

4So Henry, Jamieson, and Gill, despite K&D to the contrary.

5Judges 6:2 “...Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens [המנהרות], the caves [המערות], and the strongholds [המצדות] which are in the mountains.” (NKJV)

6NASB: Job 13:15; Psa. 31:24; 33:18,22; 38:15; 42:5,11; 43:5; 71:14; 119:49; 130:5,7; 131:3; Lam. 3:21,24; Eze. 13:6; 19:5 (plus a half dozen more in the KJV).

7Some commentators, such as Gill and K&D, interpreted this passage to mean that qualified priests who were with Saul offered the sacrifice and that this was not part of the offense against God.

8“...a piece of presumption which king Uzziah [also] paid dearly for [in] 2 Chronicles 26:16” (Henry)

9 See Appendix for more information.

10“[T]his is not spoken in respect of God’s immutable decree, but in regard of the outward possibilitie and likelihood, which Saul had to hold the kingdome.” ~Andrew Willett, 1607 AD

11[H]e wished to rule as an autocrat, who possessed absolute power both in civil and sacred things~Robert Jamieson, 1871 AD

12“It is not sinning that ruins men, but sinning and not repenting” ~Matthew Henry

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. There is no known Dead Sea Scroll containing any part of 1 Samuel 13. Where I believe that the LXX text is superior to the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

B Symmachus adds “approximately” ‘ως

CLXX omits. NASB/NIV = “ was thirty years old when he began to reign/became king,” ESV = “lived for one year [and then] became king X” Syriac combined the 1 with the 2 later in the verse to make “21.”

DAlthough the manuscripts are not in agreement about this verse, its pattern is consistent with the pattern of giving the age of a king at the beginning of his reign (lit. “son of x years in his reign”) and the number of years he reigned over Israel. However, there appears to be a word missing in the MT because Saul couldn't have begun his reign at age one. Viz.
* Ishbosheth in
2 Sam. 2:10
בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה אִישׁ־בֹּשֶׁת בֶּן־שָׁאוּל בְּמָלְכוֹ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל
* David in ‎
2 Sam. 5:4
בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה דָּוִד בְּמָלְכוֹ אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה מָלָךְ׃
* Rehoboam in ‎
1 Ki. 14:21
בֶּן־אַרְבָּעִים וְאַחַת שָׁנָה רְחַבְעָם בְּמָלְכוֹ וּשֲׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִַם
* Jehoshaphat in ‎
1 Ki. 22:42
יְהוֹשָׁפָט בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה בְּמָלְכוֹ וְעֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם
* Same with Jehoram (‎2 Ki. 8:17/ 2 Chr. 21:5), Ahazian (‎2 Ki. 8:26/2 Chr. 22:2), Jehoash (2 Ki. 12:1 / 2 Chr. 24:1), Amaziah in ‎(2 Ki. 14:2/ 2 Chr. 26:3), Azariah (2 Kin. 15:2), Jotham (2 Ki. 15:33/ 2 Chr. 27:8), Ahaz (2 Ki. 16:2/2 Chr. 28:1), Hezekiah (2 Ki. 18:2), Manasseh (2 Ki. 21:1/2 Chr. 33:1), Amon (2 Ki. 21:19/2 Chr. 33:21), Josiah (2 Ki. 22:1/2 Chr. 34:1), Jehoahaz (2 Ki. 23:31/2 Chr. 36:2), Jehoiakim (2 Ki. 23:36/2 Chr. 36:5), Jehoiachin (2 Ki. 24:8/2 Chr. 36:9), Zedekiah (2 Ki. 24:18/2 Chr. 36:11)

EK&D’s supposition that a dropped-out number here was penned as an alphanumeric instead of as a morpheme has been challenged by A. Millard, who claimed that individual letters representing numbers weren’t used until the Hellenistic period.

FThere are some manuscript variants over whether the word “tent” is singular or plural. The MT, LXX, Vulgate, and NIV read plural, whereas the Syriac, KJV, and NASB went with singular. Apparently Targums go both ways. It makes no difference in meaning. “[A]s no other summoning together of the people has been mentioned before, except to the war upon the Ammonites at Jabesh... it was there at Gilgal, after the renewal of the monarchy, that Saul formed the resolution at once to make war upon the Philistines, and selected 3000 fighting men for the purpose out of the whole number that were collected together, and then dismissed the remainder to their homes.” ~Keil & Delitzsch

GLXX translators transliterated this Hebrew word as though it were a proper name rather than translating it “garrison.” Aquila and Symmachus corrected it to uposthma/ekstasin (station/outpost)

HLXX translators seem to have mistaken the MT ישׁמעו העברים for ישׁטמו העבדים . Later Greek translators corrected the Greek to the MT: A = akousatwsan 'oi 'Ebraioi, S = akousatwsan oi en tw peran (interpreting “Hebrews” as “those who have crossed over,” which was the original meaning but came to be a designation for the Jewish people) Some ancient Latin manuscripts contain both the LXX and the MT run together, indicating both variants were around at that time: audiant Haebrei dereliquerunt servi, but the Vulgate supports the MT.

INASB, NIV = “attacked,” ESV = “defeated” - same in v.4

JThe Vaticanus, the oldest-known manuscript reads 'οι υιοι Ισραελ, which was followed by Brenton.

Kcf. NASB =had become repulsive to,” NIV = “has become obnoxious to,” and ESV = “had become a stench to”

LNASB, NIV = “summoned”

MLiterally “stink,” but used in this political sense in Gen. 34:30; Exod. 5:21; 1 Sam. 27:12; 2 Sam. 10:6; & 16:21.

NLit. “were cried out,” cf. 10:17. Note this verb is plural, whereas “the people” is singular. I suggest that this verb could be referring to the two things that were announced listed immediately prior, and that “the people” could be the subject of the subsequent clause. Something about the wording of the LXX makes me think that if we had a DSS manuscript of this verse, it would say what the LXX says, but without objective proof I will keep the MT reading.

OESV = “mustered” - Same in v.11.

PNASB = “abundance,” NIV = “numerous”

QLXX reads as though the Hebrew were לו נגש להם instead of כי נגש העם

RNASB & ESV = “in trouble,” NIV = “critical”

SNASB = “crevasses,” ESV = “holes”

TNASB = “crypts,” NIV = “pits,” ESV = “tombs”

UCf. NIV & ESV = “cisterns”

VThis word only occurs here and in Judges 9:46-49, where a fire is built over the top of an underground hiding place.

WThe plural form consistently denotes cisterns (Gen. 37:20; Deut. 6:11; 2 Chr. 26:10; Neh. 9:25; Jer. 2:13).

XSymmachus unnecessarily rendered the Hebrew more literalistically oi ek tou peran (“those from the other side”).

YAquila translated with the synonym exeplagh (“struck senseless”), but Symmachus attempted to edit by changing to a smoother reading, giving a verb hkolouqhse (“followed”) for the adverb “after” to modify.

Z NASB, NIV, ESV = “crossed the” (ESV inexplicably adds “the fords of”)

AA Tsumura called this copula a “waw explicative (which is),” noting that “the lands of Gad and Reuben made up Gilead, the Israelite lands east of the Jordan (see Josh. 13:24-28).”

ABcf. synonyms in Aquila & Symmachus’ versions (peri/anemeinen... eiV suntaghn) and Theodotian’s (...kairon). Notably, most removed the “said” to conform to the MT.

ACMasorite scribes lengthened the stem on one letter to change it from Niphal to Hiphil (וַיּוֹחֶל), to match Samuel’s command in chapter 10, but there is no difference in meaning between the two stems, and although the Hiphil is more common, the Niphal also appears at Gen. 8:12 & Ezek. 19:5.

AD There appears to be a verb missing in the MT, which all the English versions attempt to supply. The oldest-known manuscripts are Latin and Greek versions which do have a verb, and there are Chaldee and Hebrew manuscripts with the verb אמר, so perhaps the LXX is accurate to the original.

AE The only other occurrences of עלה העלה in 1. Sam are 6:14-15; 7:9-10; & 10:8. Cf. “the priest shall...” Lev. 1:9 & 14:20

AF “Calling” and “blessing” occasionally occur together in greeting: Gen. 5:2; 28:1; 48:16; Num. 24:10; Ruth 4:14; 2 Sam. 18:28; 2 Ki. 10:15; 2 Chr. 20:26; Isa. 51:2

AG Several Hebrew manuscripts - as well as the Syriac version - insert a beth preposition at the beginning of this word, reflected in the LXX eis, and the insertion of the word “at” in English versions.

AHcf. synonymous verbs and additional pronoun (underlined) in S = litaneusw, kai biasqeiV anhnegka thn olokautwsin sou. “I will offer supplication and be forced to offer up your burnt offering”

AI NASB, NIV, and ESV = “asked/sought the favor [lit. ‘face’] of”

AJ NASB = “worked up the courage,” NIV = “felt compelled”

AK The other hithpael instances of this verb are at Gen. 43:31 & 45:1 (Joseph restrained himself around his brothers); Est. 5:10 (Haman restrained himself around Mordecai); Isa. 42:14; 63:15; 64:11 (God restraining Himself from mercy or people restraining themselves from heartfelt worship of God).

AL cf. synonyms A. hgnwmonhsaV (“ignorantly”). S. hfronhsaV (“thoughtlessly”).

AM Many Hebrew manuscripts have “for” or “and” here, and almost all the ancient versions do too, including Septuagint, Latin, Vulgate, and Syriac.

AN Vaticanus, the oldest LXX manuscript (which doesn’t always agree with the majority of Septuagint manuscripts compiled by Rahlf) adds σοι, hence my bracketed phrase in Brenton’s translation. This could be explained by ditography, although there is no copula in the Masoretic Hebrew or in the Latin (or, I presume, in the Syriac) to translate as και or mistake as σοι.

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