1 Samuel 13:21
1 Samuel 13:21 Meaning and Explanation
“Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The Israelites kept only a file for their tools and goads, having no means to make true weapons.
What Does 1 Samuel 13:21 Mean?
The narrator adds that the people had merely a file to maintain their farming tools and goads. Even this modest provision underscores how far they were from being able to forge arms.
This last touch completes the portrait of a disarmed and dependent nation on the eve of war. The smaller their resources, the larger looms the question of how Israel can possibly stand. The answer Scripture gives, again and again, is that salvation belongs to the LORD.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Samuel 13:21
What does 1 Samuel 13:21 mean?
The Israelites kept only a file for their tools and goads, having no means to make true weapons.