1 Samuel 13:16-23

16Saul and his son Jonathan were staying in Geba, in the land of Benjamin's tribe. They had their soldiers with them there. The Philistines had their camp at Michmash.

17The Philistines sent out three small groups of soldiers to attack towns in Israel. One group went towards Ophrah in the land of Shual.

18The second group went towards Beth Horon. The third group went to Israel's border where they could see across Zeboim Valley towards the wilderness.

19At that time, there were no people in Israel who could use iron to make things. The Philistines had said, ‘We must not let the Hebrew people make swords and spears.’

20So the Israelites had to ask the Philistines to mend their ploughs, axes, hoes and knives that they used on their farms.

21The Israelites had to pay eight grams of silver for the Philistines to make each plough or hoe sharp again. They paid four grams of silver for each axe, knife or ox-goad.

22So when the fight started, the soldiers that were with Saul and Jonathan did not have any swords or spears. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

23A group of Philistine soldiers went to the narrow road across the hills at Michmash.