1 Samuel 13

13 ¹Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years. ^a a v1 The numbers in this verse have dropped out of the Hebrew, which reads "Saul was one year old… and reigned two years." The figures here follow the reading of most modern Bibles. ²Saul chose 3,000 of Israel: 2,000 with him at Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, 1,000 with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest he sent home, each to his tent. ³Jonathan struck down the Philistine garrison at Geba, and the Philistines heard. Then Saul blew the trumpet through the land: "Let the Hebrews hear!" ⁴All Israel heard Saul had struck down the Philistine garrison, and that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. So the people rallied to Saul at Gilgal. ⁵The Philistines assembled to fight Israel—3,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and troops as countless as the sand on the seashore. They came up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven. ⁶When Israel's men saw they were in trouble—the people were hard pressed—they hid in caves, thickets, rocks, pits, and cisterns. ^b b v6 Cisterns were rock-hewn underground tanks built to collect and store rainwater. ⁷Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to Gad and Gilead. But Saul stayed at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

Saul Acts Without the Father's Word

⁸He waited seven days, the time Samuel set; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people scattered from him. ⁹Saul said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings." And he offered up the burnt offering.

¹⁰As he finished the burnt offering, Samuel came, and Saul went out to meet and greet him. ¹¹"What have you done?" Samuel asked. Saul replied, "I saw the people scattering from me, you did not come at the set time, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash,

¹²I thought, 'The Philistines will come against me at Gilgal, and I haven't sought our Father's favor.' So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering."

¹³"You acted foolishly," Samuel told Saul. "You didn't keep the command your Father gave you. Had you kept it, our Father would have set your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴But now your kingdom will not last. Our Father has sought for himself a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler over his people, because you did not keep what he commanded you."

¹⁵Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul counted the people with him—about 600 men.

Israel Left Without Weapons

¹⁶Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people with them stayed at Geba in Benjamin; the Philistines camped at Michmash. ¹⁷Raiders left the Philistine camp in three companies. One turned toward Ophrah, in the land of Shual; ¹⁸another turned toward Beth-horon; the third toward the border overlooking the Valley of Zeboim, toward the wilderness. ¹⁹No blacksmith could be found in all Israel, because the Philistines had said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears." ²⁰So all Israel went down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, and sickles. ²¹The charge was about a quarter ounce of silver for sharpening plowshares, picks, and forks, and about an eighth of an ounce for sharpening axes and for resharpening the goads. ^c c v21 A goad was a long stick with a sharpened metal tip used to prod cattle into moving. ²²On the day of battle no sword or spear was found among all the people with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

²³A detachment of the Philistines went out to the pass at Michmash.