1 Samuel 13 22

1 Samuel 13:22 kjv

So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.

1 Samuel 13:22 nkjv

So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.

1 Samuel 13:22 niv

So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

1 Samuel 13:22 esv

So on the day of the battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.

1 Samuel 13:22 nlt

So on the day of the battle none of the people of Israel had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan.

1 Samuel 13 verses

1 Samuel 13 22 Meaning

The verse starkly portrays the extreme military unpreparedness of the Israelite army during the time of Saul's reign. It reveals that aside from King Saul and his son Jonathan, none of the soldiers possessed the essential offensive weapons—swords or spears—for battle. This highlights the severe economic and technological subjugation by the Philistines, leaving Israel highly vulnerable and reliant on divine intervention or the ingenuity of its few armed leaders.

1 Samuel 13 22 Context

This verse is situated during a critical period in early Israelite monarchy, specifically under the reign of King Saul. The immediate context of 1 Samuel chapter 13 describes the escalating conflict with the Philistines after Jonathan strikes their garrison at Geba. Saul then rallies Israel at Gilgal, but the Philistine army gathers in overwhelming numbers (1 Sam 13:5). As the Israelite soldiers wait, panic and desertion begin (1 Sam 13:6-7). This dire situation, exacerbated by the delayed arrival of Samuel, leads Saul to unlawfully offer the burnt offering himself (1 Sam 13:8-12), resulting in God's pronouncement that his kingdom would not endure (1 Sam 13:13-14). Verse 22 provides the concrete military disadvantage that underlies Israel's fear and Saul's desperation.

The historical and cultural context is the early Iron Age, where the Philistines, with their superior iron technology and smelting techniques, maintained a deliberate monopoly on metallurgy in the region (as described in 1 Sam 13:19-21). This meant that Israelites could not forge their own weapons and had to rely on the Philistines for even sharpening agricultural tools. This forced dependence served as a strategic subjugation, severely hindering Israel's military capability and maintaining Philistine control. The lack of swords and spears directly illustrates this oppressive system and emphasizes the seemingly insurmountable odds facing Saul and the nascent Israelite army.

1 Samuel 13 22 Word analysis

• So: Connects this grim reality directly to the preceding verses (1 Sam 13:19-21) which explain the Philistine metallurgical monopoly, implying that the lack of weapons is a direct consequence of this policy.
• in the day of battle: Highlights the most critical and vulnerable moment for an army. It emphasizes that this lack of weaponry was not a temporary oversight but a stark reality when their lives depended on it.
• there was neither sword nor spear found: Expresses the absolute and total absence of these primary offensive weapons. This isn't just a scarcity, but a complete deficiency among the ranks.
  • sword (חֶרֶב, ḥereḇ): A versatile, close-combat weapon essential for infantry. Its absence denotes a complete inability to engage an enemy hand-to-hand effectively.
  • spear (חֲנִית, ḥănîṯ): A long-range thrusting weapon, also crucial for line formation and engaging at a distance. Its absence leaves them without effective ranged combat for ground troops.
  • found (נִמְצָא, nimṣāʾ): A passive verb, emphasizing that these weapons simply did not exist within the army's reach. It was not that they were hidden or misplaced, but truly unavailable.
• in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan: Specifies that the vast majority of the Israelite fighting force was disarmed. It clarifies that this dire situation applied to the common soldier.
• but Saul and Jonathan had them: Creates a sharp contrast, identifying the only two individuals possessing standard military weapons. This underlines their unique positions as leaders and the gravity of the military destitution among the general army. Their individual possession emphasizes the corporate deficiency.

1 Samuel 13 22 Bonus section

The complete lack of weaponry among the common Israelite soldiers underlines the extent of Philistine subjugation. It highlights a common theme throughout Scripture where God chooses to deliver His people in ways that explicitly show His power, rather than relying on human strength or conventional military might (e.g., Gideon's reduced army, David facing Goliath without armor). This desperate situation created an undeniable reliance on the LORD for victory, rather than on their own arms or strategic prowess, making the subsequent Israelite victories against the Philistines (even if momentary or partial) powerful testaments to divine intervention. This reality also put immense pressure on Saul, the first king, who was expected to lead a defense without adequate means.

1 Samuel 13 22 Commentary

This verse encapsulates Israel's profound military weakness under Philistine dominance, illustrating a strategic oppression where a nation was denied the very means of defense and offense. The Philistine monopoly on iron weaponry left Israel's soldiers essentially unarmed against their better-equipped enemy. This deliberate disarmament meant that any victory would undeniably have to come from divine intervention, showcasing God's power independently of human might. It presents the ultimate test of faith, highlighting that human ingenuity and resources are insufficient in true battles. This context explains the panic among Saul's troops and Saul's own desperate act of offering the sacrifice. The vulnerability shown here becomes the backdrop for future divine demonstrations of power, proving that salvation is "not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit." The fact that only Saul and Jonathan were armed emphasizes the king and heir's precarious position as almost single-handedly embodying the kingdom's military potential, making their leadership choices, like Jonathan's daring raid in the next chapter, even more remarkable.