| I Samuel 13:19
| Now there was no smith to be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had taken this precaution, lest the Hebrews should make them swords or spears.
| Smith. The Philistines had taken these precautions before Samuel gained the victory over them, and he consented that the people should employ the Philistines as before, when he made peace with them; (Salien) or they had again begun to get the upper hand at the beginning of Saul's reign, as the Israelites had been long in the enjoyment of peace, and negligent. (Tirinus) --- Josephus extends this species of servitude only to the neighbourhood of Gabaa, and says the major part of Saul's 600 men "was destitute of arms, because that country had neither iron nor people to make arms." The immense army which had so lately discomfited the Ammonites, was surely not without weapons. But most of them had retired, (Haydock) and those who accompanied the king might rely chiefly on their expertness in using the sling, Judges 20:16. (Menochius) --- The brave men who came to join David, are praised on this account, as well as for shooting with bow and arrow, 1 Paralipomenon 12:2. Furious battles have been also fought with sharpened stakes, burnt at the end, (Virgil, Aeneid vii.) and with various implements of husbandry, of which the Hebrews were not deprived. In the defeat of Sisara, they had not a buckler nor a lance among 40,000 (Judges 5:8.; Calmet) as the Philistines had already begun to deprive the Israelites of such weapons. (Haydock) -- Other nations have since imitated their policy, 4 Kings 24:14. (Justin. 1:7.)
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