1 Samuel 13

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

And Saul chooses for himself three thousand men of the men of Israel: and there were with Saul two thousand who were in Machmas, and in mount Baethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gabaa of Benjamin: and he sent the rest of the people every man to his tent.

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.

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 struck Nasib the Philistine that lived in the hill; and the Philistines hear of it, and Saul sounds the trumpet through all the land, saying, The servants have despised [us].

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 say, Saul has struck Nasib the Philistine; now Israel had been put to shame before the Philistines; and the children of Israel went up after Saul in Galgala.

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.

And the Philistines gather together to war with Israel; and then come up against Israel thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand by the seashore for multitude: and they come up, and encamp in Machmas, opposite Baethoron southward.

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 the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait so that they could not draw near, and the people hid themselves in caves, and sheepfolds, and rocks, and ditches, and 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 they that went over went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Galaad: and Saul was yet in Galgala, and all the people followed after him in amazement.

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 continued seven days for the appointed testimony, as Samuel told him, and Samuel came not to Galgala, and his people were dispersed from him.

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

And Saul said, Bring hither [victims], that I may offer whole burnt offerings and peace-offerings: and he offered the whole burnt offering.

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 it came to pass when he had finished offering the whole burnt offering, that Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to meet him, [and] to bless 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, What have you done? and Saul said, Because I saw how the people were scattered from me, and you was not present as you purposed according to the set time of the days, and the Philistines were gathered to 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.

Then I said, Now will the Philistines come down to me to Galgala, and I have not sought the face of the Lord: so I forced myself and offered the whole burnt offering.

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, You have done foolishly; for you have not kept my command, which the Lord commanded you, as now the Lord would have confirmed your 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 now your kingdom shall not stand to you, and the Lord shall seek for himself a man after his own heart; and the Lord shall appoint him to be a ruler over his people, because you have not kept all that the Lord commanded you.

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 departed from Galgala, and the remnant of the people went after Saul to meet [him] after the men of war, when they had come out of Galgala to Gabaa 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 found with them, halted in Gabaa, of Benjamin; and they wept: and the Philistines had 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 men came forth to destroy out of the land of the Philistines in three companies; one company turning by the way of Gophera toward the land of Sogal,

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 company turning the way of Baethoron, and another company turning by the way of Gabae that turns aside to Gai of Sabim.

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.

And there was not found a smith in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make themselves sword or spear.

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

And all Israel went down to the Land of the Philistines to forge every one his reaping-hook and his tool, and every one his axe and his sickle.

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.

And it was near the time of vintage: and their tools were [valued at] three shekels for a plowshare, and there was the same rate for the axe and the sickle.

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 it came to pass in the days of the war of Machmas, that there was not a sword or spear found in the hand of all the people, that were with Saul and Jonathan; but with Saul and Jonathan his son was there found.

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

And there went out some from the camp of the Philistines to the place beyond Machmas.