Bible in a Year March 26 - 1 Samuel 11-13

 March 26 - 1 Samuel 11-13

If your Bible has study notes or text notes, you might want to look them over as you begin chapter 13. Apparently there have been some transcription errors over the years and different Bible versions deal with them in a variety of ways. The NIV says Saul was 30 years old when he started to reign, but some early translations do not have this information. Also, there is some confusion about whether the text says “he reigned over Israel for 42 years” (NIV, NLT, NASB, HCSB) or “when he had reigned for two years over Israel” (ESV, NKJV, ASV). According to the Bible Knowledge Commentary, the earliest recorded Hebrew is literally “Saul was years old when he began to rein and he reigned two years over Israel.”  If you are into the history of the Bible, you may want to investigate this further!

 So, we will presume this battle took place two years after he was named king. We see mention of his son Jonathon for the first time, and he had to be experienced enough to lead 1000 men into battle. It seems, therefore, that Saul must have married early. Saul heads to Gilgal, something that was told him during his first meeting with Samuel (see ch 10:9). Obviously Saul remembered that discussion because he knew to wait seven days. He moves forward with what he thinks is the right thing to do, but he is so wrong.

 Have you ever stepped out thinking you were doing the right thing but forgot to ask God about it first? Because of this Saul would lose the establishment of his kingdom for all time. Oh, this brings up questions for me! We were told back in Genesis 49:10, when Jacob blesses Judah, that the “scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.” Was Samuel not given this information? We know God himself chose Saul (a Benjamite), and we know God knew Saul would mess up and his descendants wouldn’t reign eternally. Did the Israelites demand a king before David was old enough? Obviously more questions to ask when I get to Heaven.

 Lots more interesting stuff in today’s passage, but I’ve gone on long enough. What was most interesting to you?

 TOMORROW’S TEXT: 1 Samuel 14-15