1 Samuel 13

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

Saul was a child of one year when he began to reign, and he reigned two years over Israel.

2 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.

And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel: and two thousand were with Saul in Machmas, and in mount Bethel: and a thousand with Jonathan in Gabaa of Benjamin, and the rest of the people he sent back every man to their dwellings.

3 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!

And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines which was in Gabaa. And when the Philistines had heard of it, Saul sounded the trumpet over all the land, saying: Let the Hebrews hear.

4 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.

And all Israel heard this report: Saul hath smitten the garrison of the Philistines: and Israel took courage against the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Galgal.

5 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.

The Philistines also were assembled to fight against Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and a multitude of people besides, like the sand on the sea shore for number. And going up they camped in Machmas at the east of Bethaven.

6 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.

And when the men of Israel saw that they were straitened, (for the people were distressed, ) they hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in dens, and in pits.

7 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.

And some of the Hebrews passed over the Jordan into the land of Gad and Galaad. And when Saul was yet in Galgal, all the people that followed him were greatly afraid.

8 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.

And he waited seven days according to the appointment of Samuel, I and Samuel came not to Galgal, and the people slipt away from him.

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

Then Saul said: Bring me the holocaust, and the peace offerings. And he offered the holocaust.

10 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.

And when he had made an end of offering the holocaust, behold Samuel came: and Saul went forth to meet him and salute him.

11 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,

And Samuel said to him: What hast thou done? Saul answered: Because I saw that the people slipt from me, and thou wast not come according to the days appointed, and the Philistines were gathered together in Machmas,

12 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.

I said: Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Galgal, and I have not appeased the face of the Lord. Forced by necessity, I offered the holocaust.

13 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;

And Samuel said to Saul: Thou hast done foolishly, and hast not kept the commandments of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee. And if thou hadst not done thus, the Lord would now have established thy kingdom over Israel for ever.

14 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.

But thy kingdom shall not continue. The Lord hath sought him a man according to his own heart: and him hath the Lord commanded to be prince over his people, because thou hast not observed that which the Lord commanded.

15 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.

And Samuel arose and went up from Galgal to Gabaa of Benjamin. And the rest of the people went up after Saul, to meet the people who fought against them, going from Galgal to Gabaa in the hill of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people, that were found with him, about six hundred men.

16 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.

And Saul and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, were in Gabaa of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Machmas.

17 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;

And there went out of the camp of the Philistines three companies to plunder. One company went towards the way of Ephra to the land of Sual;

18 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.

And another went by the way of Beth-horon, and the third turned to the way of the border, above the valley of Seboim towards the desert.

19 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.

Now there was no smith to be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had taken this precaution, lest the Hebrews should make them swords or spears.

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

So all Israel went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his ploughshare, and his spade, and his axe, and his rake.

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

So that their shares, and their spades, and their forks, and their axes were blunt, even to the goad, which was to be mended.

22 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.

And when the day of battle was come, there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan, except Saul and Jonathan his son.

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

And the army of the Philistines went out in order to advance further in Machmas.