One year was Shaul in his reign. Our Rabbis, of sainted memory, said,¹ [Shaul was] like a one year old, who did not experience the taste of sin. It may also be interpreted, "Shaul was a year in his reign," i.e., in the first year in which he was made king, though he actually ruled over Yisroel two years, in the first year, immediately, "Shaul chose for himself three thousand [men]."

footnotes: ¹ Maseches Yoma 22b.

The Philistine governor. They had a government official [who ruled] over Yisroel and they stationed him in Givas Binyomin.²

footnotes: ² Yonoson assassinated him as an open act of rebellion against the Philistines.—Radak

Let the Hebrews hear. That we have rebelled against the Philistines and they should beware of them.

And that Yisroel has become hateful. Literally, they have come in bad odor with the Philistines, an expression of hatred.

To follow Shaul to Gilgol. This is what Shmuel had said to him, "you shall go down to Gilgol ahead of me."³

footnotes: ³ Above 10:8.

To the east of Beis Oven. [קִדְמַת] meaning the east of Beis Oven.

In thorn bushes. A place where thorns are concentrated; espineid in O.F.

In the towers. Pleisiz in O.F.

And in pits. Cisterns.

Crossed the Yardein to the land of Gad. To escape from the Philistines, because the Philistines were in the land of Canaan on the west side of the Yardein.

Hurried after him. They hurried to go after him.⁴

footnotes: ⁴ I.e., to join forces with Shaul.

He waited. He waited.⁵

footnotes: ⁵ See Bereishis 8:10.

Till the time set by Shmuel. This verse has a missing word. [The verse means to say], "till the appointed time set by Shmuel," or "to the appointed time of Shmuel." An example of this is, "And two men, officers of troops were the son of Shaul." Scripture should have written, "were to the son of Shaul."⁶ Here too, "which was set by Shmuel," who had said to him, "Wait seven days until I come to you."⁷

footnotes: ⁶ II Shmuel 4:2. ⁷ Above 10:8.

Bring me the burnt-offering. A non-kohein is permitted to sacrifice on a high place.

What have you done? Did I not say to you, "I will go down to you to offer the burnt-offering?" I will offer it up, and not you.

At the appointed day. At the beginning of the [appointed] day.

So I forced myself. I overcame my will, for my heart told me to wait for you, and against my will I suppressed my heart, and offered the burnt-offering.⁸

footnotes: ⁸ Shaul realized that it was not proper for him to offer the sacrifice. But he saw that the people who had gathered became impatient and began to desert him for his not taking action. Therefore, in desperation he overcame his inclination to wait longer for Shmuel’s arrival and acted against his better judgement.

For now. Before you had done this,

Adonoy would have established your kingship … forever. Because when a high position is assigned to a person, it is assigned to him and to his descendants.⁹

footnotes: ⁹ See Maseches Megillah 13b.

But now, your kingship shall not endure. Because Moshe said so in the Torah, "[and] he does not stray from the commandment right or left, so that days of his reign are lengthy…."¹⁰ Hence, if he does stray, the days [of his reign] will not be lengthy. And if you will argue that this was not said in reference to a Prophet's commandment, but only in reference to a commandment of the Torah, [I will answer that] it was already stated, "[and] to guard every word of this Torah" and afterwards, "that his pride not increase… and he turn not stray from the commandment"¹¹ [to include] even a prophet's commandment.

footnotes: ¹⁰ Devarim 17:20. ¹¹ Devarim 18:19. And now that you failed to obey the commandment of ‘ה to obey His word as delivered by His prophets, you will be held accountable for your actions.

Who were [still] with him. For the people had scattered from him, and these remained.

The Valley of the Tzvo'im. Where the Tzvo'im are found. This is the animal referred to by R. Meir when he said, 'also the '.¹²צָּבוֹעַ Targum Yonoson renders, ''¹³אֲפָעַיָא and so did our Rabbis of sainted memory, explain, צָבוֹעַ is ,¹⁴אֶפְעֶה a species of fierce and destructive animals.

footnotes: ¹² Maseches Bava Kama 16a. ¹³ Perhaps it is the hyena or the fox. ¹⁴ A particular species of snake.

A blacksmith was not to be found. I.e., was not available at the beginning of Shaul's reign, because the Philistines who ruled over Yisroel, eliminated all the iron smiths from Yisroel, lest they make weapons to wage war.

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.

There was a multi-edged file that was used for the tools. For those who found it troublesome to go down to the Philistines to sharpen, had the פְּצִירָה פִים, lime in O.F., which has many mouths, i.e. many sharp and jagged surfaces to sharpen the tools and mattocks.

Three pronged pitchforks. A fork similar to a pitchfork, which is called 'forche' [in O.F.], having three prongs.

And for setting the yoke. To sharpen the tip, and to insert it and set it into the handle.

But they could be found with Shaul. By means of a miracle.¹⁵

footnotes: ¹⁵ See Vayikra Rabbah 25:8.

A Philistine garrison. It is the custom of soldiers to form a garrison and a raiding party, [the latter] spread out into a city and seek its plunder. It is called 'cenbel' in O.F.

Garrison. They are the ones who stand guard that no raiders come out of the city against them.

Towards the Pass of Michmos. The Philistines were camped in Michmos, and Michmos was on a mountain. Yisroel was in a city named Geva, and Geva was also on top of a mountain, and those two mountains were opposite each other. The valley was between them, as is stated in this episode, "and the Phillistine garrison went out toward the Pass of Michmos," which is on the side toward Geva, to the valley between them.