King James Bible

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1 Samuel

13

:

2

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

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Hebrew: Transliteration:
Saul Saul Noun H7586 שָׁא֜וּל sha·'ul
Analysis:
Read more about: Saul, Saul
chose acceptable Verb H977 וַיִּבְחַר־ vai·yiv·char-
[men] of Israel Israel Noun H3478 מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל֒ mi·yis·ra·'el
Analysis:
Read more about: Israel
thousand thousand Noun H505 אַלְפַּ֗יִם al·pa·yim
were with Saul Saul Noun H7586 שָׁא֜וּל sha·'ul
Analysis:
Read more about: Saul, Saul
in Michmash Mikmas Noun H4363 בְּמִכְמָשׂ֙ be·mich·mas
Analysis:
Read more about: Michmash
and in mount hill Noun H2022 וּבְהַ֣ר u·ve·har
Bethel Beth-el Noun H1008 אֵ֔ל el,
Analysis:
Read more about: Bethel
[whereof] two thousand thousand Noun H505 וְאֶ֗לֶף ve·'e·lef
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

in Gibeah Gibeah Noun H1390 בְּגִבְעַ֖ת be·giv·'at
Analysis:
Read more about: Gibeah
of Benjamin Benjamin Noun H1144 בִּנְיָמִ֑ין bin·ya·min;
he sent forsake Verb H7971 שִׁלַּ֖ח shil·lach
and the rest abundant Noun H3499 וְיֶ֣תֶר ve·ye·ter
of the people folk Noun H5971 הָעָ֔ם ha·'am,
every man great Noun H376 אִ֥ישׁ ish
to his tent covering Noun H168 לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃ le·'o·ha·lav.

Locations

Bethel

BETHELbeth'-el (beth-'el; Baithel and oikos theou, literally, "house of God"):(1) A town near the place where Abraham halted and offered sacrifice on his way south from Shechem.1. Identification and Description:It lay West of Ai (Genesis 12:8). It is named as on the northern border of Benjamin (the southern of Ephraim, Joshua 16:2), at the top of the ascent... View Details

Gibeah

GIBEAHgib'-e-a (gibh`ah, "hill"): The Hebrew word denotes generally an eminence or hill, in distinction from har, which is used for mountain, or mountain range. It occurs, however, in two instances, as a place-name. Under GEBA (which see) we have seen that Geba, Gibeah, and Gibeon are liable to be confused. This arises from their resemblance in form and mean... View Details

Israel

ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF" I. THE FIRST PERIOD1. The Two Kingdoms2. The Ist Dynasty3. The IInd Dynasty4. Civil WarII. PERIOD OF THE SYRIAN WARS1. The IIIrd Dynasty2. World-Politics3. Battle of Karkar4. Loss of Territory5. Reform of Religion6. Revolution7. The IVth Dynasty8. Renewed Prosperity9. AnarchyIII. DECLINE AND FALL1. Loss of Independence2. Decline3. Extinct... View Details

Michmash

MICHMASHmik'-mash (mikhmash; Machmas): A town in the territory of Benjamin, apparently not of sufficient importance to secure mention in the list of cities given in Joshua 18:21;. It first appears as occupied by Saul with 2,000 men, when Jonathan, advancing from Gibeah, smote the Philistine garrison in Geba (1 Samuel 13:2). To avenge this injury, the Philist... View Details

People

Saul

Saul [N] [H] [S] asked for.  A king of Edom ( Genesis 36:37  Genesis 36:38 ); called Shaul in  1 Chronicles 1:48.    The son of Kish (probably his only son, and a child of prayer, "asked for"), of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of the Jewish nation. The singular providential circumstances connected with his election as king are recorded in  1 ... View Details

Saul

Saul [N] [H] [S] asked for.  A king of Edom ( Genesis 36:37  Genesis 36:38 ); called Shaul in  1 Chronicles 1:48.    The son of Kish (probably his only son, and a child of prayer, "asked for"), of the tribe of Benjamin, the first king of the Jewish nation. The singular providential circumstances connected with his election as king are recorded in  1 ... View Details

Parallel Verses

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King James Bible Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
Hebrew Greek English Now Saul chose him three thousand for himself 3,000 men of Israel; whereof two thousand Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in Michmash and in mount the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand while 1,000 were with Jonathan in at Gibeah of Benjamin: and Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people he sent every man people, each to his tent.
New American Standard Bible 1995 Now Saul chose him three thousand for himself 3,000 men of Israel; whereof two thousand Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in Michmash and in mount the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand while 1,000 were with Jonathan in at Gibeah of Benjamin: and Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people he sent every man people, each to his tent.