1 Samuel 13 · Verse 4

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.
1 Samuel 13:4, King James Version

1 Samuel 13:4 in other translations

BSBAnd all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines!” Then the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
WEBAll Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was considered an abomination to the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.
ASVAnd all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.
YLTAnd all Israel have heard, saying, ‘Saul hath smitten the garrison of the Philistines,' and also, ‘Israel hath been abhorred by the Philistines;' and the people are called after Saul to Gilgal.
DARBYAnd all Israel heard say, Saul has smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and Israel also has become odious to the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
BBEAnd all Israel had the news that Saul had made an attack on the Philistines, and that Israel was bitterly hated by the Philistines. And the people came together after Saul to Gilgal.
WebsterAnd all Israel heard it said 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.

What does 1 Samuel 13:4 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…

Read the full comment on 1 Samuel 13:3-4 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 The people were called together - The smiting of this garrison was the commencement of a war, and in effect the shaking off of the Philistine yoke; and now the people found that they must stand together, and fight for their lives.

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 13:4 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.

וְכָל\־ve.kholand allH3605
יִשְׂרָאֵ֞לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
שָׁמְע֣וּsha.me.'Uthey heardH8085
לֵאמֹ֗רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
הִכָּ֤הhi.Kahhe has attackedH5221
שָׁאוּל֙sha.'UlSaulH7586
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
נְצִ֣יבne.Tziv[the] garrison ofH5333
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔יםpe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
וְגַם\־ve.gam-and alsoH1571
נִבְאַשׁniv.'ashit has made itself odiousH887
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑יםba.pe.lish.Timwith the PhilistinesH6430
וַיִּצָּעֲק֥וּvai.yi.tza.'a.Kuand they were summonedH6817
הָעָ֛םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
אַחֲרֵ֥י'a.cha.ReiafterH310
שָׁא֖וּלsha.'UlSaulH7586
הַגִּלְגָּֽל\׃ha.gil.Gal<the> GilgalH1537

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

Cross references for 1 Samuel 13:4

  • Genesis 34:30

    And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

  • Exodus 5:21

    And they said unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

  • 1 Samuel 11:14-15

    Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there. And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the Lord in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the Lord; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

  • 1 Samuel 10:8

    And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

  • Zechariah 11:8

    Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me.

  • Joshua 5:9

    And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

  • Genesis 46:34

    That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
was had in abomination. Heb. did stink.
Ge 34:30; 46:34; Ex 5:21; Zec 11:8
to Gilgal.
10:8; 11:14,15; Jos 5:9

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

Context

  • 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.

  • 1 Samuel 13:5

    And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth–aven.

Read all of 1 Samuel 13

1 Samuel 13:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y todo Israel oyó que se decía: Saúl ha herido la guarnición de los Filisteos; y también que Israel olía mal á los Filisteos. Y juntóse el pueblo en pos de Saúl en Gilgal.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et tout Israël entendit dire: Saül a frappé le poste des Philistins, et aussi Israël est détesté par les Philistins. Et le peuple se rassembla auprès de Saül à Guilgal.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und als ganz Israel sagen hörte: Saul hat die Aufstellung der Philister geschlagen, und auch hat sich Israel bei den Philistern stinkend gemacht, da versammelte sich das Volk hinter Saul her nach Gilgal.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et universus Israël audivit hujuscemodi famam: Percussit Saul stationem Philisthinorum, et erexit se Israël adversus Philisthiim. Clamavit ergo populus post Saul in Galgala.