New English Translation
1 Samuel 13:6
6The men of Israel realized they had a problem because their army was hard pressed. So the army hid in caves, thickets, cliffs, strongholds, and 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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,
- 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.
Context of 1 Samuel 13:6
4All Israel heard this message, “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel is repulsive to the Philistines!” So the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal. 5For the battle with Israel the Philistines had amassed 3,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven. The men of Israel realized they had a problem because their army was hard pressed. So the army hid in caves, thickets, cliffs, strongholds, and cisterns. 7Some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan River to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul stayed at Gilgal; the entire army that was with him was terrified. 8He waited for seven days, the time period indicated by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the army began to abandon Saul.
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 got closer, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians marching after them, and they were terrified. The Israelites cried out to the Lord,
- Joshua 8:20When the men of Ai turned around, they saw the smoke from the city ascending into the sky and were so shocked they were unable to flee in any direction. In the meantime the men who were retreating to the desert turned against their pursuers.
- Judges 10:9The Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight with Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. Israel suffered greatly.
- Judges 20:41When the Israelites turned around, the Benjaminites panicked because they could see that disaster was on their doorstep.
- 2 Samuel 24:14David said to Gad, “I am very upset! I prefer that we be attacked by the Lord, for his mercy is great; I do not want to be attacked by men!”
- Philippians 1:23I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far,
- 1 Samuel 14:11When they made themselves known to the Philistine garrison, the Philistines said, “Look! The Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they hid themselves.”
- 1 Samuel 23:19Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Isn’t David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon?
- 1 Samuel 24:3He came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave. Saul went into it to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave.
- Judges 6:2The Midianites overwhelmed Israel. Because of Midian the Israelites made shelters for themselves in the hills, as well as caves and strongholds.
- Isaiah 42:22But these people are looted and plundered; all of them are trapped in pits and held captive in prisons. They were carried away as loot with no one to rescue them; they were carried away as plunder, and no one says, “Bring that back!”
- Hebrews 11:38(the world was not worthy of them); they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and openings in 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
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