1 Samuel 13 · Verse 3

1 Samuel 13:3

And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
1 Samuel 13:3, King James Version

1 Samuel 13:3 in other translations

BSBThen Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
WEBJonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
ASVAnd Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba; and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
YLTAnd Jonathan smiteth the garrison of the Philistines which is in Geba, and the Philistines hear, and Saul hath blown with a trumpet through all the land, saying, ‘Let the Hebrews hear.'
DARBYAnd Jonathan smote the outpost of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.
BBEAnd Jonathan made an attack on the armed force of the Philistines stationed at Gibeah; and news was given to the Philistines that the Hebrews were turned against them. And Saul had a horn sounded through all the land,
WebsterAnd Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba; and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

What does 1 Samuel 13:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Samuel 13:3-4
3-4. And Jonathan--that is, "God-given." smote the garrison of the Philistines ... in Geba--Geba and Gibeah were towns in Benjamin, very close to each other (Jos 18:24, 28). The word rendered "garrison" is different from that of 1Sa 13:23; 14:1, and signifies, literally, something erected; probably a pillar or flagstaff, indicative of Philistine ascendency. That the secret demolition of this standard, so obnoxious to a young and noble-hearted patriot, was the feat of Jonathan referred to, is evident from the words, "the Philistines heard of it," which is not the way we should expect an attack on a fortress to be noticed. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land--This, a well-known sound, was the usual Hebrew war-summons; the first blast was answered by the beacon fire in the neighboring places. A second blast was blown--then answered by a fire in a more distant locality, whence the proclamation was speedily diffused over the whole country. As the Philistines resented what Jonathan had done as an overt attempt to throw off their yoke, a levy, en masse, of the people was immediately ordered, the rendezvous to be the old camping-ground at Gilgal. 1Sa 13:5. The Philistines' Great Host.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Jonathan smote - He appears to have taken this garrison by surprise, for his men had no arms for a regular battle, or taking the place by storm. This is the first place in which this brave and excellent man appears; a man who bears one of the most amiable characters in the Bible. Let the Hebrews hear - Probably this means the people who dwelt beyond Jordan, who might very naturally be termed here העברים haibrim, from עבר abar, he passed over; those who are beyond the river Jordan: as Abraham was called עברי Ibri because he dwelt beyond the river Euphrates.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Samuel 13:1-7

Saul reigned one year, and nothing particular happened; but in his second year the events recorded in this chapter took place. For above a year he gave the Philistine time to prepare for war, and to weaken and to disarm the Israelites. When men are lifted up in self-sufficiency, they are often led into folly. The chief advantages of the enemies of the church are derived from the misconduct of its professed friends…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 13:1-7 →

1 Samuel 13:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיַּ֣ךְvai.Yakhand he attackedH5221
יוֹנָתָ֗ןyo.na.TanJonathanH3129
אֵ֣ת'et<obj.>H853
נְצִ֤יבne.Tziv[the] garrison ofH5333
פְּלִשְׁתִּים֙pe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
בְּגֶ֔בַעbe.Ge.va'[was] at GebaH1387
וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּvai.yish.me.'Uand they heardH8085
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑יםpe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
וְשָׁאוּל֩ve.sha.'Uland SaulH7586
תָּקַ֨עta.Ka'he gave a blastH8628
בַּשּׁוֹפָ֤רba.sho.Faron the trumpetH7782
בְּכָל\־be.kholin allH3605
הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ha.'A.retzthe landH776
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
יִשְׁמְע֖וּyish.me.'Ulet them hearH8085
הָעִבְרִֽים\׃ha.'iv.Rimthe HebrewsH5680

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Samuel 13:3

  • 1 Samuel 10:5

    After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:

  • Judges 3:27

    And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him from the mount, and he before them.

  • Judges 6:34

    But the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet; and Abi–ezer was gathered after him.

  • Zechariah 14:10

    All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin’s gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king’s winepresses.

  • 2 Samuel 20:1

    And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

  • Joshua 21:17

    And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba with her suburbs,

  • Isaiah 10:29

    They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.

  • 1 Samuel 14:1-6

    Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father. And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men; And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, I–chabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. …

  • Joshua 18:24

    And Chephar–haammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages:

  • 2 Samuel 23:14

    And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth–lehem.

  • 2 Samuel 2:28

    So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

  • 1 Samuel 13:16

    And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the garrison.
10:5; 14:1-6; 2Sa 23:14
Geba. or, the hill.
Jos 18:24
Gaba.
Jos 21:17; Isa 10:29; Zec 14:10
blew.
Jud 3:27; 6:34; 2Sa 2:28; 20:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Samuel 13:2

    Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Beth–el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.

  • 1 Samuel 13:3

    And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

  • 1 Samuel 13:4

    And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

Read all of 1 Samuel 13

1 Samuel 13:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Jonathán hirió la guarnición de los Filisteos que había en el collado, y oyéronlo los Filisteos. E hizo Saúl tocar trompetas por toda la tierra, diciendo: Oigan los Hebreos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Jonathan frappa le poste des Philistins qui était à Guéba, et les Philistins l’apprirent; et Saül sonna de la trompette par tout le pays, disant: Que les Hébreux l’entendent!
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Jonathan schlug die Aufstellung der Philister, die zu Geba war, und die Philister hörten es. Und Saul ließ im ganzen Lande in die Posaune stoßen und sprach: Die Hebräer sollen es hören!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et percussit Jonathas stationem Philisthinorum quæ erat in Gabaa. Quod cum audissent Philisthiim, Saul cecinit buccina in omni terra, dicens: Audiant Hebræi.