I Samuel 13:5
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Now the Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Those that desired a king like all the nations fancied that, when they had one, they should look very great and considerable; but in this chapter we find it proved much otherwise. While Samuel was joined in commission with Saul things went well (Sa1 11:7). But, now that Saul began to reign alone, all went to decay, and Samuel's words began to be fulfilled: "You shall be consumed, both you and your king;" for never was the state of Israel further gone in a consumption than in this chapter. I. Saul appears here a very silly prince. 1. Infatuated in his counsels (Sa1 13:1-3). 2. Invaded by his neighbours (Sa1 13:4, Sa1 13:5). 3. Deserted by his soldiers (Sa1 13:6, Sa1 13:7). 4. Disordered in his own spirit, and sacrificing in confusion (Sa1 13:8-10). 5. Chidden by Samuel (Sa1 13:11-13). 6. Rejected of God from being king (Sa1 13:14). II. The people appear hear a very miserable people. 1. Disheartened and dispersed (Sa1 13:6, Sa1 13:7). 2. Diminished (Sa1 13:15, Sa1 13:16). 3. Plundered (Sa1 13:17, Sa1 13:18). 4. Disarmed (Sa1 13:19-23). This they got by casting off God's government, and making themselves like the nations: all their glory departed from them.
Open source ↗13:5 The Israelites were massively outnumbered, hence their fearful responses. • The Philistine army’s 3,000 chariots and 6,000 charioteers indicate Israel’s underdog status. Nowhere in 1 Samuel is Israel said to have had any chariots (see study note on 13:19-22).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth-aven.
So these kings came out with all their armies, a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore, along with a great number of horses and chariots.
On the north side their border began at the Jordan, went up past the northern slope of Jericho, headed west through the hill country, and came out at the wilderness of Beth-aven.
I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.
Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’
The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn with its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced in its glory— for it has been taken from them into exile.
Now the Midianites, Amalekites, and all the other people of the east had settled in the valley like a swarm of locusts, and their camels were as countless as the sand on the seashore.
Your descendants would have been as countless as the sand, and your offspring as numerous as its grains; their name would never be cut off or eliminated from My presence.”
I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. I will bring a destroyer at noon against the mothers of young men. I will suddenly bring upon them anguish and dismay.
Now, O LORD God, let Your promise to my father David be fulfilled. For You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.