Tyndale Open Study Notes on 1 Samuel 13:1

A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.

Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Modern study notes
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.

13:1–16:13 Saul’s fall from power involved a threefold sequence, as had his rise to power (see study note on 9:1–11:15): (1) He offered the sacrifices himself and did not wait for Samuel (13:1-14); (2) he made a rash oath that put Jonathan’s life in danger (14:1-46); and (3) he failed to obey God by eliminating the Amalekites and their belongings (15:1-35). 13:1 For the kings of Israel and Judah, Scripture normally records the age of ascension and the length of reign (e.g., 2 Sam 5:4-5; 1 Kgs 14:21). • thirty years old: The number represents a plausible age for Saul’s ascension. The Hebrew text and most Greek manuscripts omit the number , making it difficult to know the original wording. • reigned for forty-two years: See NLT textual note. Most scholars agree that something has fallen out of the original manuscript, most likely due to a copyist’s error. The majority of English translations have forty-two based on the approximate number in Acts 13:21.

Read 1 Samuel 13:1 →Read the full chapter →John Gill's Exposition →Jamieson, Fausset & Brown →Barnes' Notes →Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge →Keil & Delitzsch →

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