SEV Biblia, Chapter 13:22
Así aconteció que el día de la batalla no se halló espada ni lanza en la mano de ninguno del pueblo que estaba con Saúl y con Jonatán, excepto Saúl y Jonatán su hijo, que las tenían.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 13:22
Verse 22. In the day of battle-these was neither sword nor spear] But if the Israelites enjoyed such profound peace and undisturbed dominion under Samuel, how is it that they were totally destitute of arms, a state which argues the lowest circumstances of oppression and vassalage? In answer to this we may observe, that the bow and the sling were the principal arms of the Israelites; for these they needed no smith: the most barbarous nations, who have never seen iron, have nevertheless bows and arrows; the arrow heads generally made of flint. Arrows of this kind are found among the inhabitants of the South Sea islands; and even axes, and different implements of war, all made of stone, cut and polished by stone, are frequent among them. The arms of the aboriginal Irish have been of this kind. I have frequently seen heads of axes and arrows of stone, which have been dug up out of the ground, formed with considerable taste and elegance. The former the common people term thunderbolts; the latter, elf- stones. Several of these from Ireland, from Zetland, and from the South Sea islands, are now before me. Now it is possible that the Israelites had still bows and arrows: these they could have without the smith; and it is as likely that they had slings, and for these they needed none. But then these were missiles; if they came into close fight, they would avail them nothing: for attacks of this kind they would require swords and spears; of these none were found but with Saul and Jonathan.
WE see, in this chapter, Israel brought to as low a state as they were under Eli; when they were totally discomfited, their priests slain, their ark taken, and the judge dead. After that, they rose by the strong hand of God; and in this way they are now to rise, principally by means of David, whose history will soon commence.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 22. So it came to pass in the day of battle , etc.] When that drew near, and they were called to it, and obliged to fight or flee, or surrender: that there were neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan : which was not owing to their leaving them behind in the camp, or casting them away from them through fear, as they followed Saul with trembling, but to the cause now mentioned. In what manner some preceding battles were fought with the Philistines and Ammonites, notwithstanding, have been accounted for on ( 1 Samuel 13:19), but it is strange that the Israelites did not furnish themselves with the arms of the Philistines at the defeat of them in Ebenezer, ( 1 Samuel 7:10,11) and with the arms of the Ammonites at Jabeshgilead, ( 1 Samuel 11:11) and that such a warlike prince as Saul appeared at his first setting out to be should not in the first place take care to provide armour for his men by some means or another; for that those that left him should have arms, and not those that abode with him, does not seem reasonable. It may be the Benjamites, being expert in slinging, were indifferent to and neglected the use of any other weapon, or method of fighting: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found ; swords and spears, and with them only.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 15-23 - See how politic the Philistines were when they had power; they not onl prevented the people of Israel from making weapons of war, but oblige them to depend upon their enemies, even for instruments of husbandry How impolitic Saul was, who did not, in the beginning of his reign, se himself to redress this. Want of true sense always accompanies want of grace. Sins which appear to us very little, have dangerou consequences. Miserable is a guilty, defenceless nation; much mor those who are destitute of the whole armour of God __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
והיה 1961 ביום 3117 מלחמת 4421 ולא 3808 נמצא 4672 חרב 2719 וחנית 2595 ביד 3027 כל 3605 העם 5971 אשׁר 834 את 854 שׁאול 7586 ואת 853 יונתן 3129 ותמצא 4672 לשׁאול 7586 וליונתן 3129 בנו׃ 1121
