1 Samuel 13

1 Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign; when he had reigned forty 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 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.

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 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 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 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 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.

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

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

10 As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet him and to greet 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 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, 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 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.”

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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 found with them, halted in Gabaa, of Benjamin; and they wept: and the Philistines had 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 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 Another group turned toward Beth Horon, and another group turned toward the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboyim toward 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 No blacksmith could be found throughout all of Israel, because the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews would make swords or spears for themselves.”

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 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.

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 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.

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

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