Bible Strands

1 Samuel 13:19

And no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews must not be allowed to make swords or spears.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator explains a tactical reality during Israel’s mobilization against the Philistines, noting a total shortage of metalworkers. The Philistines enforced a decree prohibiting Hebrews from producing swords or spears.

The words — חָרָשׁ (cha.Rash) literally denotes a “craftsman” or “blacksmith,” while לֹא יִמָּצֵא (lo' yimmaTze') means “he was not found.” These terms record the absolute absence of armament production in the region.

The thread — This enforced disarmament parallels Judges 5:8, where no shield or spear was found among forty thousand Israelites, and prefigures later exiles that removed Judah’s craftsmen (2 Kings 24:14; Jeremiah 24:1).

Why it lands — The text establishes that Israel’s military weakness resulted from foreign economic control rather than mere battlefield loss. It requires the reader to acknowledge how monopolizing industry directly enables political subjugation.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְחָרָשׁ֙ve./cha.Rashand/ a craftsmanלֹ֣אlo'notיִמָּצֵ֔אyi.ma.Tze'he was foundבְּכֹ֖לbe./Kholin/ allאֶ֣רֶץ'E.retz[the] land ofיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelכִּֽי־ki-forאָמְר֣וּ'a.marthey saidפְלִשְׁתִּ֔יםfe.lish.Tim[the] Philistinesפֶּ֚ןpenlestיַעֲשׂ֣וּya.'a.Suthey should makeהָעִבְרִ֔יםha./'iv.Rimthe/ Hebrewsחֶ֖רֶבChe.reva swordא֥וֹ'oorחֲנִֽית׃cha.Nita spear

King James Version

Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:

Cross-references