1 Samuel 13:19

1 Samuel 13:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
• New International Version (NIV)Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.”

Context of 1 Samuel 13:19

17Three raiding parties soon left the camp of the Philistines. One went north toward Ophrah in the land of Shual, 18another went west to Beth-horon, and the third moved toward the border above the valley of Zeboim near the wilderness. There were no blacksmiths in the land of Israel in those days. The Philistines wouldn’t allow them for fear they would make swords and spears for the Hebrews. 20So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, or sickles, they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith. 21The charges were as follows: a quarter of an ounce of silver for sharpening a plowshare or a pick, and an eighth of an ounce for sharpening an ax or making the point of an ox goad.

1 Samuel 13:19 word by word

וְחָרָשׁ֙ לֹ֣א יִמָּצֵ֔א בְּכֹ֖ל אֶ֣רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־אָמְר֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים פֶּ֚ן יַעֲשׂ֣וּ הָעִבְרִ֔ים חֶ֖רֶב א֥וֹ חֲנִֽית׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now there was no smithחָרָשׁ, חֲרָשִׁיםchârâsh · artificerH2796
• foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• throughout all the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• for the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Lest the Hebrewsעִבְרִי‛ibrîy · HebrewH5680
• makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• swordsחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• or spearsחֲנִיתchănîyth · spearH2595

Cross-references for 1 Samuel 13:19

• Judges 5:8When Israel chose new gods, war erupted at the city gates. Yet not a shield or spear could be seen among forty thousand warriors in Israel!
• 2 Kings 24:14King Nebuchadnezzar took all of Jerusalem captive, including all the commanders and the best of the soldiers, craftsmen, and artisans—10,000 in all. Only the poorest people were left in the land.
• Isaiah 54:16“I have created the blacksmith who fans the coals beneath the forge and makes the weapons of destruction. And I have created the armies that destroy.
• Jeremiah 24:1After King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon exiled Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, to Babylon along with the officials of Judah and all the craftsmen and artisans, the Lord gave me this vision. I saw two baskets of figs placed in front of the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem.

Commentaries on 1 Samuel 13:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Now there was no smith found - It is very likely that in the former wars the Philistines carried away all the smiths from Israel, as Porsenna did in the peace which he granted to the Romans, not permitting any iron to be forged except for the purposes of agriculture: "Ne ferro, nisi in agricultura, uterentur." The Chaldeans did the same to the Jews in the time of Nebuchadnezzar; they carried away all the artificers, 2 Kings 24:14; Jeremiah 24:1; Jeremiah…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19There was no smith - This was the result of the fierce inroads described in the preceding verses, and the method adopted to make the Philistine conquests permanent.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-23Verses 15-23 See how politic the Philistines were when they had power; they not only prevented the people of Israel from making weapons of war, but obliged them to depend upon their enemies, even for instruments of husbandry. How impolitic Saul was, who did not, in the beginning of his reign, set himself to redress this. Want of true sense always accompanies want of grace. Sins which appear to us very little, have dangerous consequences. Miserable is a…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-22no blacksmith: The Philistines prevented the Israelites from having weapons by controlling all the iron needed to make them. Iron technology was new in Canaan. It likely developed in the Aegean region and was brought to Canaan by seafaring people, like the Philistines.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2019-20. Now there was no smith found throughout ... Israel--The country was in the lowest state of depression and degradation. The Philistines, after the great victory over the sons of Eli, had become the virtual masters of the land. Their policy in disarming the natives has been often followed in the East. For repairing any serious damage to their agricultural implements, they had to apply to the neighboring forts.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Samuel 13:19

• Agriculture
• Canaan
• Israel
• Smith

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Philistines
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Carpenter
• Continue
• Palestine
• Samuel
• Smith
• Armor; Arms

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