1 Samuel 13

1 Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign; when he had reigned forty years over Israel,

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

2 he chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with him in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the soldiers he sent home, each man to his tent.

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 Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet 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 All Israel heard that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a rotten smell to the Philistines. Then the soldiers were summoned together to join Saul at 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 The Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand men to drive the chariots, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They came up and encamped at 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 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble—for the people were distressed, the people hid in caves, in the underbrush, in rocks, in wells, 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 Some of the Hebrews went over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

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 He waited seven days, the time Samuel had set. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from Saul.

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 Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering.

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

10 As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet him and to greet 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 Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “When I saw that the people were leaving me, and that you did not come within the set time, and that the Philistines had assembled at 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 I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of Yahweh.' So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”

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 Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the command of Yahweh your God that he gave you. For then Yahweh would have established your rule over Israel forever.

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 But now your rule will not continue. Yahweh has sought out a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not obeyed what he commanded you.”

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 Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Then Saul numbered the people who were present 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 Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin. But the Philistines camped at 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 Raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three groups. One group turned toward Ophrah, to 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 Another group turned toward Beth Horon, and another group turned toward the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboyim toward 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 No blacksmith could be found throughout all of Israel, because the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews would make swords or spears for themselves.”

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 But all the men of Israel used to go down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plow points, his mattock, his ax, 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 The charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plow points, and the mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for sharpening axes and for straightening 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 So on the day of battle, there were no swords or spears found in the hands of any of the soldiers who were with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

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 The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

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