1 Samuel 13:20

1Sa 13:20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.

Ver. 20. But all the Israelites went down.] Which many of them could not do, without much trouble and expense of time. See into what straits sinful people plunge themselves!

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa 13:20-21. The Israelites went down to the Philistines — Not to the country of the Philistines, for that was too far from many parts of the land of Israel; but to their garrisons, which they held among them even after Samuel had driven the main body of them out of the country. In these, it seems, the Philistines kept all the smiths, and there they allowed them to exercise their art for the uses following. Yet they had a file, &c. — They were allowed some proper instruments and tools for sharpening their implements of husbandry, in some degree; but no other.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 20. But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines] We find from this that they did not grant them as much as Porsenna did to the Romans; he permitted the people to manufacture the implements of husbandry.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(20) To sharpen every man his share, and his coulter.—Porsenna, we read, in the time of the wars of the Republic, allowed the Romans iron implements for agriculture only. Coulter.—In Isa_2:4, Joe_3:10, this word is rendered “ploughshares “; so most of the older versions. We cannot now with any precision distinguish between these two implements of tillage.

And his mattock.—Jerome renders the Hebrew word here by “hoe” (sarculum). It was probably a kind of heavy hoe, used for turning up the ground.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. to sharpen] The word signifies “to sharpen by forging.”

his share, &c.] The agricultural implements mentioned cannot be identified with any certainty. The words rendered “share” and “mattock” are derived from the same root meaning to cut, and are almost identical in form. That rendered “coulter” is elsewhere translated “plow-share” (Isa_2:4, &c.).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The best rendering of the passage is perhaps as follows: “But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen etc. 1Sa 13:21, whenever there was bluntness of edge to their shares and coulters and prong-forks and axes, and to point their goads.” Coulters and mattocks were cutting instruments of the type of the share.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

All Israel, whom the Philistines had conquered, particularly the neighbouring tribes. (Calmet) --- They were obliged to go to the places where the enemy kept garrisons, (Menochius) as they did at Gabaa, Bethel, &c. --- Share. Septuagint, Syriac, &c., "scythe," or "sickle for corn;" Greek: theristerion. (Haydock) --- The original term, macharesha, may signify all sorts of implements. --- Spade. Hebrew is supposed to mean, "a coulter." Septuagint, "instrument," which the prophets often say will be turned into a sword, in times of war, Joel iii. 15., and Micheas iv. 3. --- Rake. The same generical term is used in Hebrew as was before translated a plough-share. Septuagint have "scythe;" Greek: drepanon. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

To the Philistines; not to the land of the Philistines, for it is not said so, and that was too remote; but to the stations and garrisons which the Philistines yet retained in several parts of Israel’s land, though Samuel’s authority had so far overawed them, that they durst not give the Israelites much disturbance. In these, therefore, the Philistines kept all the smiths, and here they allowed them the exercise of their art for the uses here following.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. Share… mattock — It is hardly possible to determine the real meaning of the Hebrew words thus translated here. Both words are from the same root, (חרשׁ,) and may signify the sickle, the coulter, or the hoe, as well as the ploughshare or the mattock. In view of the uncertainty respecting these and other agricultural terms of the Hebrews, the reader may as well abide by the English version as any other.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Israelites went down to the Philistines. Ie. 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 Joe_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.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Philistines - Not to the land of the Philistines, but to the stations and garrisons which the Philistines retained in several parts of Israel's land, though Samuel's authority had so far over- awed them, that they durst not give the Israelites much disturbance. In these, therefore, the Philistines kept all the smiths; and here they allowed them the exercise of their art for the uses following.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

And all of Yisroel would go down to the Philistines. And when Yiroel needed iron smiths to sharpen mattocks, axes and tools, they had to go down to the land of the Philistines.

His plowshare. Soc in O.F.

His mattock. Coltre in O.F.

His axe. Besague in O.F.

His tools. Fosoir in O.F.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.