1 Samuel 13:20
◄  1 Samuel 13:20  ►
New International Version (©2011)
So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened.

New Living Translation (©2007)
So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, or sickles, they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith.

English Standard Version (©2001)
But every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle,

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
So all the Israelites went to the Philistines to sharpen their plows, mattocks, axes, and sickles.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Everyone in Israel would have to go to the Philistines so each person could sharpen his plow, his mattock, his axe, and his sickle.

NET Bible (©2006)
So all Israel had to go down to the Philistines in order to get their plowshares, cutting instruments, axes, and sickles sharpened.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Everyone in Israel had to go to the Philistines to sharpen the blade of his plow, his mattock, ax, or sickle.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, and his mattock, and his ax, and his sickle.

American King James Version
But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock.

American Standard Version
but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock;

Douay-Rheims Bible
So all Israel went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his ploughshare, and his spade, and his axe, and his rake.

Darby Bible Translation
And all Israel went down to the Philistines, every man to get his ploughshare, and his hoe, and his axe, and his sickle sharpened,

English Revised Version
but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock;

Webster's Bible Translation
But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his colter, and his ax, and his mattock.

World English Bible
but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle;

Young's Literal Translation
and all Israel go down to the Philistines, to sharpen each his ploughshare, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock;

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

13:15-23 See how politic the Philistines were when they had power; they not only prevented the people of Israel from making weapons of war, but obliged them to depend upon their enemies, even for instruments of husbandry. How impolitic Saul was, who did not, in the beginning of his reign, set himself to redress this. Want of true sense always accompanies want of grace. Sins which appear to us very little, have dangerous consequences. Miserable is a guilty, defenceless nation; much more those who are destitute of the whole armour of God.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 20. - The Israelites went down to the Philistines. I.e. to their land. This could only have applied to the districts near the Philistines, unless we suppose that they set up forges also at their garrisons. To sharpen. The verb chiefly refers to such work as required an anvil and hammer. As regards the implements, not only do the versions disagree in their renderings, but the Septuagint has a very curious different reading, to the effect that at harvest time the Israelites had to pay the Philistines three shekels for repairing and whetting their tools. The share is more probably a sickle. The coulter is certainly a ploughshare, as rendered in Isaiah 2:4; Joel 3:10. Of the ax there is no doubt; and the mattock is a heavy hoe for turning up the ground, as spades for that purpose are scarcely anywhere used, except in our own country.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines,.... Were obliged to go into Palestine, into some one or other of the cities of the Philistines, or to their garrisons, where the trade of a smith was exercised:

to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter; which are the parts of the plough made of iron, with which the earth is cut and thrown up:

and his axe and his mattock; or pick axe; with the one wood is felled and cut, and with the other stones are dug; and each of these for their several uses needed sharpening; and when they did, they were obliged to go to the Philistines to have them done, they having no smiths among them.

1 Samuel 13:20 Parallel Commentaries

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Israel without Weapons
19Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: 20But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock. 21Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. …

Deuteronomy 32:41 when I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me.
1 Samuel 13:19 Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!"
1 Samuel 13:21 The price was two-thirds of a shekel for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.
2 Chronicles 34:6 In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them,