The background to 1 Samuel 13 is the resurgence of the Philistine threat. Verses 5-7 show that Saul faced a very serious situation and was hardly able to hold his army together as many of the Israelites ran away. Samuel had told Saul that he would meet him, apparently to offer sacrifice to God before the Israelites went to fight, but when Samuel was late in coming to the appointed place, Gilgal, Saul offered sacrifice himself. The reason, given in verse 8, is that the Israelites were deserting and running away to escape from the Philistines; Saul feared that unless God gave his army victory quickly, the Philistines would destroy them. Samuel arrived just as Saul had offered a burnt sacrifice to God, and was very angry at what he saw to be Saul's lack of faith. He prophesied the end of Saul's rule as king; lack of faith in God and lack of obedience to the word of God's prophet were such serious faults in Israel's king that they could only result in his rejection.

Saul's election to kingship did not change him into a sinless human being who could not fail, in the same way that Israel's election to be God's own people did not take from them the ability to sin. At the moment of crisis, Saul's faith was not strong enough and he tried to save the situation in his own strength.