English Standard Version
1 Samuel 13:6
6When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns,
1 Samuel 13:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.
- New King James Version (NKJV)When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns.
Context of 1 Samuel 13:6
4And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal. 5And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, 7and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 8He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.
Read all of 1 Samuel 131 Samuel 13:6 word by word
וְאִ֨ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל רָאוּ֙ כִּ֣י צַר־ל֔וֹ כִּ֥י נִגַּ֖שׂ הָעָ֑ם וַיִּֽתְחַבְּא֣וּ הָעָ֗ם בַּמְּעָר֤וֹת וּבַֽחֲוָחִים֙ וּבַסְּלָעִ֔ים וּבַצְּרִחִ֖ים וּבַבֹּרֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- When the menאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- that they were in a straitצָרַרtsârar · to confineH6887
- for the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- were distressedנָגַשׂnâgaώ · to oppressH5065
- did hideחָבָאchâbâ' · to hideH2244
- themselves in cavesמְעָרָהme‛ârâh · caveH4631
- and in thicketsחָוָחchâvâch · thicketH2337
- and in rocksסֶ֫לַעsela‛ · cragH5553
- and in high placesצְרִיחַtserîyach · excavationH6877
- and in pitsבּוֹרbôr · pitH953
Cross-references for 1 Samuel 13:6
- Exodus 14:10When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the Lord.
- Joshua 8:20So when the men of Ai looked back, behold, the smoke of the city went up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that, for the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers.
- Judges 10:9And the Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.
- Judges 20:41Then the men of Israel turned, and the men of Benjamin were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them.
- 2 Samuel 24:14Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man."
- Philippians 1:23I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
- 1 Samuel 14:11So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, "Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves."
- 1 Samuel 23:19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, "Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon?
- 1 Samuel 24:3And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.
- Judges 6:2And the hand of Midian overpowered Israel, and because of Midian the people of Israel made for themselves the dens that are in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds.
- Isaiah 42:22But this is a people plundered and looted; they are all of them trapped in holes and hidden in prisons; they have become plunder with none to rescue, spoil with none to say, "Restore!"
- Hebrews 11:38of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 13:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6The people did hide themselves - They, being few in number, and totally unarmed as to swords and spears, were terrified at the very numerous and well-appointed army of the Philistines. Judea was full of rocks, caves, thickets, etc., where people might shelter themselves from their enemies. While some hid themselves, others fled beyond Jordan: and those who did cleave to Saul followed him trembling.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6In thickets - literally, “among thorns.” High places - Not the high places for worship, but holds or towers Judges 9:46, Judges 9:49; that particular kind of tower which was the work of the old Canaanite inhabitants, and which remained as ruins in the time of Saul.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-14Saul lost power through three key events, similar to how he gained it (see study note on 1 Samuel 9:1–11:15): He offered the sacrifices himself instead of waiting for Samuel (1 Samuel 13:1–14); he made a hasty oath that endangered Jonathan's life (1 Samuel 14:1–46); and he disobeyed God by not destroying the Amalekites and their possessions (1 Samuel 15:1–35).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait--Though Saul's gallantry was unabated, his subjects displayed no degree of zeal and energy. Instead of venturing an encounter, they fled in all directions. Some, in their panic, left the country (1Sa 13:7), but most took refuge in the hiding-places which the broken ridges of the neighborhood abundantly afford. The rocks are perforated in every direction with "caves," and "holes," and…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Samuel 13:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Samuel 13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries