Old Testament · 1 Samuel

1 Samuel 13

War with the Philistines

1A son of a year was Saul when he became king, and two years he reigned over Israel. 2And Saul chose for himself three thousand from Israel; and two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountain of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; and the rest of the people he sent away, each man^a to his tents.

3And Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard. And Saul blew the shofar throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."

4And all Israel heard, saying, "Saul has struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also Israel has become odious among the Philistines." And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

5And the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people like the sand which is on the shore of the sea in multitude; and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

6And the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait—for the people were hard pressed—then the people hid themselves in the caves, and in the thickets, and in the rocks, and in the strongholds, and in the pits. 7And Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but Saul was still in Gilgal, and all the people trembled after him.

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice

8And he waited seven days, according to the appointed time (mo-ed) that Samuel had set; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9And Saul said, "Bring near to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings." And he offered up the burnt offering.

10And it came to pass, as he finished offering up the burnt offering, that behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, to bless him.

11And Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and you did not come within the appointed time (mo-ed) of the days, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash, 12then I said, Now the Philistines will come down to me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the face of the LORD; so I forced myself, and offered up the burnt offering."

13And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment^b of the LORD your God, which he commanded you^c; for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14But now your kingdom shall not stand; the LORD has sought for himself a man according to his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be leader over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you."

15And Samuel arose, and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were found with him, about six hundred men.

Israel without Weapons

16And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were found with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17And the destroyer came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: the one company turned to the way of Ophrah, to the land of Shual; 18and the one company turned to the way of Beth-horon; and the one company turned to the way of the border that looks down over the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

19And no smith was found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear"; 20but all Israel went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his plowshare, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. 21And the charge was a pim for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the three-pronged forks, and for the axes, and to set the goad.

22And it came to pass in the day of battle, that neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but with Saul and with Jonathan his son they were found.

23And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.