New King James Version
1 Samuel 13:6
6When 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.
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 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
4Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal. 5Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven. 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. 7And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 8Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered 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 14:10And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.
- Joshua 8:20And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended to heaven. So they had no power to flee this way or that way, and the people who had fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers.
- Judges 10:9Moreover the people of Ammon crossed over the Jordan to fight against Judah also, against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was severely distressed.
- Judges 20:41And when the men of Israel turned back, the men of Benjamin panicked, for they saw that disaster had come upon them.
- 2 Samuel 24:14And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”
- Philippians 1:23For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
- 1 Samuel 14:11So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.”
- 1 Samuel 23:19Then the Ziphites came up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?
- 1 Samuel 24:3So he came to the sheepfolds by the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to attend to his needs. (David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave.)
- Judges 6:2and the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made for themselves the dens, the caves, and the strongholds which are in the mountains.
- Isaiah 42:22But this is a people robbed and plundered; All of them are snared in holes, And they are hidden in prison houses; They are for prey, and no one delivers; For plunder, and no one says, “Restore!”
- Hebrews 11:38of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries