1 Samuel 13

1 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.

2 He chose for himself three thousand men of Israel: Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the troops he sent away, each to his own home.

3 Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”

4 And all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines!” Then the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

6 Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns.

7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul, however, remained at Gilgal, and all his troops were quaking in fear.

8 And Saul waited seven days for the time appointed by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the troops began to desert Saul.

9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt offering.

10 Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.

11 “What have you done?” Samuel asked. And Saul replied, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me, and that you did not come at the appointed time and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash,

12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

13 “You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.

14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”

15 Then Samuel set out from Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin. And Saul numbered the troops who were with him, about six hundred men.

16 Now Saul and Jonathan his son and the troops with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash.

17 And raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three divisions. One headed toward Ophrah in the land of Shual,

18 another toward Beth-horon, and the third down the border road overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the wilderness.

19 And no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews must not be allowed to make swords or spears.”

20 Instead, all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles.

21 The charge was a pim for sharpening a plowshare or mattock, a third of a shekel for sharpening a pitchfork or an axe, and a third of a shekel for repointing an oxgoad.

22 So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hands of the troops with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.

23 And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.

1 ¶ Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

2 Saul chose him three thousand [men] of Israel; [whereof] two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.

3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that [was] in Geba, and the Philistines heard [of it]. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

4 And all Israel heard say [that] Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and [that] Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which [is] on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

7 And [some of] the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he [was] yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 ¶ And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel [had appointed]: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.

10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and [that] thou camest not within the days appointed, and [that] the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;

12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him [to be] captain over his people, because thou hast not kept [that] which the LORD commanded thee.

15 ¶ And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people [that were] present with him, about six hundred men.

16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people [that were] present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

17 And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way [that leadeth to] Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:

18 And another company turned the way [to] Bethhoron: and another company turned [to] the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make [them] swords or spears:

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.

21 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.

22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that [were] with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.

23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

1 Saul had reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

2 And he chose him three thousand men out of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash, and in mount Bethel, and one thousand with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people let him go every man to his tent.

3 And Jonathan smote the Philistines in their camp, which was at Gibeah; and it came before the Philistines. And Saul sounded a trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Ebramites hear.

4 And all Israel heard say, Saul hath smitten the camp of the Philistines: for Israel stank because of the Philistines. And all the people cried after Saul unto Gilgal.

5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to battle with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and the rest of the people, as the sand that was by the sea side: and they came up, and pitched at Michmash on the east side before Bethaven.

6 And when the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble, (for the people were afraid,) they hid themselves in caves, and in clefts, and in rocks, and in holes, and in pits.

7 And the Ebramites passed over Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. And Saul was yet at Gilgal, and all the people were timid behind him.

8 And he tarried seven days for the time appointed of Samuel. And when Samuel came not to Gilgal, the people dispersed themselves from him.

9 And Saul said, Bring me burnt offerings and peace offerings. And he offered burnt offerings.

10 And when he had finished the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him, to bless him.

11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? Saul answered: And I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not at a time appointed: and the Philistines were gathered together to Michmash.

12 And I said, Now the Philistines will come down to me to Gilgal, and I have not asked the face of the LORD: so I ventured, and offered burnt offerings.

13 And Samuel said unto Saul, Thou hast done foolishly, and hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for he would have established thy kingdom over Israel for ever.

14 But now thy kingdom shall not stand. The LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, whom the LORD commanded to be ruler over his people: for thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD.

15 And Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were with him about six hundred men.

16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were with him, dwelt in the hill of Benjamin. And the Philistines were encamped at Michmash.

17 And out of the camp of the Philistines went three companies to devastate the land. And one of them went by the way of Ophrah unto the land of Shual;

18 And the second turned unto the way of Bethhoron; and the third turned unto the way of the valley of Zeboim, which is by the wilderness.

19 And there was not found a smith in all the land of Israel: for the Philistines thought that the Ebramites would make swords and spears.

20 And all Israel went down to the Philistines, if any man had a plowshare, or a hoe, or an axe, or a scythe, to sharpen.

21 And the edges of the scythes, and of the pruning hooks, and of the forks, and of the axes, were worn out, and the pricks were blunted.

22 And it came to pass, when the day of battle was come, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of all the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: only Saul and his son had weapons.

23 And the camp of the Philistines went out before Michmash.