1 Samuel 13

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

Saul was [thirty] years old when he began to reign; and, when he had reigned two years over Israel,

2 Saul had chosen three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand of them were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and another thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the army home.

Saul chose him three thousand men out of Israel, of whom there were with Saul, two thousand in Michmash and in the hill-country of Bethel, and, a thousand, were with Jonathan, in Gibeah of Benjamin, —but, the rest of the people, he let go, every man to his own home.

3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison at Geba. The Philistines soon heard about it, so Saul had the trumpet call to arms sounded throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, pay attention!”

Then did Jonathan smite the garrison of Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it, —and, Saul, blew with a horn throughout all the land saying, Let the Hebrews hear!

4 All of Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison, and now Israel is like a bad smell to the Philistines!” So the whole army was called up to join Saul at Gilgal.

And, all Israel, heard say—Saul hath smitten the garrison of the Philistines, Moreover, also, Israel have made themselves odious among the Philistines, —so the people were called together to follow Saul, to Gilgal.

5 The Philistines gathered to fight against Israel. They had three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and soldiers as numerous as sand on the seashore. They advanced and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

And, the Philistines, gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, a people also like the sand that is on the sea-shore for multitude, —and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

6 When the Israelite men realized the tough situation they were in, and that the army was taking a beating, they hid themselves in caves, holes, rocks, pits, and cisterns.

So, the men of Israel, saw they were in a strait, for the people had been harassed, —and the people had hidden themselves in caves, and in thickets, and among cliffs, and in holes, and in pits.

7 Some of the Hebrews even crossed the Jordan into the territory of Gad and Gilead, but Saul stayed at Gilgal, and all the men with him were trembling with fear.

And, Hebrews, had passed over the Jordan, to the land of Gad, and Gilead, —but, Saul, was yet in Gilgal, and all the people, trembled after him.

8 Saul waited there seven days for the time that Samuel had said, but Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal, and the army started to desert him.

And he waited seven days, by the set time that Samuel had named, but Samuel came not to Gilgal, —and the people were scattered from him.

9 So Saul ordered, “Bring the burnt offering and the friendship offerings to me,” and he presented the burnt offering.

Then said Saul, Bring near unto me, the ascending-sacrifice and the peace-offerings. And he offered up the ascending-sacrifice.

10 Just as he finished presenting the burnt offering, he saw Samuel arrive. Saul went over to meet him and say hello.

And it came to pass, as he had made an end of offering up the ascending-sacrifice, lo! Samuel, had come, —and Saul went out to meet him, that he might bless him.

11 “What have you done?” Samuel asked. Saul replied, “Well I saw my men were deserting me, and you hadn't arrived when you said you would, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash to attack.

Then said Samuel—What hast thou done? And Saul said—Because I saw that the people had been scattered from me, and, thou, hadst not come within the appointed days, and, the Philistines, had gathered themselves together to Michmash,

12 I said to myself, ‘The Philistines are about to attack me at Gilgal, and I haven't asked the Lord for his help.’ So I felt I had to present the burnt offering myself.”

therefore I said—Now, will the Philistines come down against me, at Gilgal, but, the face of Yahweh, have I not appeased: So I forced myself, and offered up the ascending-sacrifice.

13 “You've been really stupid,” Samuel told him. “You haven't kept the commands of the Lord your God. If you had, the Lord would have made your kingdom over Israel secure forever.

And Samuel said unto Saul—Thou hast shewn thyself foolish, —thou hast not kept the commandment of Yahweh thy God, which he commanded thee, for, now, would Yahweh have established thy kingdom unto Israel until times age-abiding;

14 But now your kingdom won't last. The Lord has found for himself a man who thinks like him, and has chosen him as ruler over his people, because you haven't kept the commands of the Lord.”

Whereas, now, shall thy kingdom not be established, —Yahweh hath sought out for him a man after his own heart, and Yahweh hath commanded him to be leader over his people, because thou hast not kept that which Yahweh commanded thee.

15 Then Samuel left Gilgal. The rest of the soldiers followed Saul to meet the army, going from Gilgal to Geba in Benjamin. Saul counted the number of soldiers who were with him and there were about six hundred.

And Samuel arose, and ascended from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were found with him, about six hundred men.

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

Now, Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were found with him, were abiding in Geba of Benjamin, —but, the Philistines, had encamped in Michmash.

17 Three groups of raiders left the Philistine camp to go and attack. One group went towards Ophrah in the land of Shual,

And the spoilers came forth out of the camp of the Philistines, in three companies, the first company, turned unto the way of Ophrah, unto the land of Shual;

18 one towards Beth-horon, and one towards the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim by the wilderness.

and, the second company, turned unto the way of Beth-horon, —and, the third company, turned unto the way of the boundary that overlooketh the valley of Zeboim, towards the wilderness.

19 There wasn't a blacksmith to be found anywhere in Israel, because the Philistines had said, “So that the Hebrews don't make swords and spears.”

Now, a smith, could not be found, throughout all the land of Israel—for the Philistines had said, Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear.

20 All the Israelites had to go to the Philistines to sharpen their iron plowshares, pickaxes, axes, and sickles.

So all Israel went down to the Philistines, —to sharpen every man his share, and his mattock, and his axe, and his sickle.

21 The fee was two-thirds of a shekel for plowshares and pickaxes, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and cattle prods.

Howbeit they had a file for the sickles, and the mattocks, and the three-pronged forks, and the axes, —and for setting the goads.

22 So when it came to the day of battle none of the soldiers with Saul and Jonathan had swords or spears—only Saul and his son Jonathan had such weapons.

Thus would it come to pass, in the day of battle, that there was found—neither sword nor spear, in the hand of any of the people, that were with Saul and Jonathan, but such were found belonging to Saul and to Jonathan his son.

23 A Philistine garrison had taken control of the pass at Michmash.

Now the garrison of the Philistines had come out to the pass of Michmash.