New International Version
1 Samuel 13:6
6When 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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
4So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal. 5The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven. 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. 7Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter.
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 14:10As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord.
- Joshua 8:20The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers.
- Judges 10:9The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin and Ephraim; Israel was in great distress.
- Judges 20:41Then the Israelites counterattacked, and the Benjamites were terrified, because they realized that disaster had come on them.
- 2 Samuel 24:14David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
- Philippians 1:23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
- 1 Samuel 14:11So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.”
- 1 Samuel 23:19The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon?
- 1 Samuel 24:3He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave.
- Judges 6:2Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds.
- Isaiah 42:22But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become plunder, with no one to rescue them; they have been made loot, with no one to say, “Send them back.”
- Hebrews 11:38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
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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