1 Samuel 13

War with the Philistines

1Saul was 1thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 2forty two years over Israel.

2Now Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in 3Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at 4Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent. 3Jonathan smote 5the garrison of the Philistines that was in 6Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul 7blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” 4All Israel heard 8the news that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel 9had become odious to the Philistines. The people were then summoned 10to Saul at Gilgal.

5Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and 11people like the sand which is on the seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of 12Beth-aven. 6When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed), then 13the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits. 7Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of 14Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8Now 15he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. 9So Saul said, “Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And 16he offered the burnt offering. 10As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and 17Saul went out to meet him and to 18greet him. 11But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that 19the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, 12therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.” 13Samuel said to Saul, “20You have acted foolishly; 21you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for now the Lord would have established your kingdom 22over Israel 23forever. 14But 24now your kingdom shall not endure. 25The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

15Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to 26Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul 27numbered the people who were present with him, 28about six hundred men. 16Now Saul and his son Jonathan and the people who were present with them were staying in 29Geba of Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash. 17And 30the 31raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three 32companies: one 33company turned 34toward 35Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18and another 36company turned 37toward 38Beth-horon, and another 39company turned 40toward the border which overlooks the valley of 41Zeboim toward the wilderness.

19Now 42no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make 4344swords or spears.” 20So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe. 21The charge was 45two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to fix the hoes. 22So it came about on the day of battle that 46neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan. 23And 47the garrison of the Philistines went out to 48the pass of Michmash.