Inauspicious Prep for Battle

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Study Group meeting August 22 to study 1 Samuel 13.  This is one funky chapter.  Linguistically, it's full of really strange words only used once or twice for technical items, odd grammatical structures, and my Hebrew program left things out and mistranslated others a few times.  The essence of what's going on is hard to follow regardless of whatever problems I had working through it.

Read through the chapter a few times.  Read forward to Chapter 14 to get context.  This chapter is short, and the next one is way long, but really completes the story started here.  Read through chapter 13 a few times, and jot down odd things and questions (you will probably have plenty).  Go through again using the questions below:

• Verse 1 is missing in older texts, when it does appear has various numbers for his age, the length of reign is often missing, and when it is there is 2 years.  What do you think it changes if we ignore it entirely?
• Cities are one of the hard parts of this chapter.  Remember the starting positions: Saul in Michmash, Jonathan in Gibeah, and the Philistines in Geba.  Find these on a map, think about how much space is being referenced.  So why might everything happen in Benjamin when it's so small?
• Since Jonathan starts the conflict, what might that reveal about Jonathan's character?
• In this chapter (and throughout the book) two terms are used for the people, "Hebrews" and "Israel".  What clues do you see that there may be a distinction between these terms?
• Where is Gilgal from the rest of the events in this chapter?  Consider the difference in elevation, why might this be a bad idea?  So, why meet there?
• What is odd about where the Philistines make their camp?  Why there?
• Again in verse 6 and 7, there seems to be a difference between Hebrews and Israel.  Who does what, and what do you think that means about the difference?
• In verse 8 we're given the reason they meet in Gilgal, and what does this "appointed time set by Samuel" refer back to?  What do you think that means about the historical timing of Saul's reign?
• Saul offers the offerings without waiting for Samuel, what does this say about Saul's character?
• Considering the punishment described by Samuel, does it seem to fit the crime?  Why do you think it would it be so severe for not waiting?
• So, now Saul is in Gibeah, but then he and Jonathan are in Geba and the Philistines are in Michmash.  We've traded places.  Why might that have happened?
• Why do you think the Philistines would send out raiding parties instead of assaulting 600 men across the gorge from them (see 1 Samuel 14:5)?
• What do you think the point about the "blacksmith's" is about?  Why do you think this detail is important here?  
• Again, the term used here is "Hebrews".  How does this help us understand differences in terms?
• What sort of weapons would the people have if not swords and spears?
• What do you think it means that Saul and Jonathan have swords and spears?