The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Samuel 13
1 Saul was thirty years old when he
became king, and he reigned over Israel
forty-two years.†
2 Saul chose for himself three thousand
men of Israel, of which two thousand were
with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount
of Bethel, and one thousand were with
Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent
the rest of the people to their own tents.
3 Jonathan struck the garrison of the
Philistines that was in Geba, and the
Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpetthroughout allthe land, saying, “Letthe
Hebrews hear!”
4 AllIsrael heard that Saul had struck the
garrison of the Philistines, and also that
Israel was considered an abomination to
the Philistines. The people were gathered
together after Saul to Gilgal.
5 The Philistines assembled themselves
together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousandhorsemen, and
people as the sand whichis onthe seashore
inmultitude. They cameup and encamped
in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven.
6 When the men of Israel saw that they
were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in
caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, and in
pits.
7 Now some of the Hebrews had gone
over the Jordan to the land of Gad and
Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal,
and all the people followed him trembling.
8 He stayed seven days, according to
the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn’t
come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.
9 Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering to
me here, and the peace offerings.” He
offered the burnt offering.
10 It came to pass that as soon as he
had finished offering the burnt offering,
behold, Samuel came; and Saul went outto
meet him, that he might greet him.
11 Samuel said, “What have you done?”
Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you
didn’t come within the days appointed,
and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash,
12 therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines
will come down on me to Gilgal, and I
haven’t entreated the favor of Yahweh.’ I
forced myself therefore, and offered the
burnt offering.”
13 Samuel said to Saul, “You have done
foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he
commanded you; for now Yahweh would
have established your kingdom on Israel
forever.
14 But now your kingdom will not continue. Yahweh has sought for himself a
man after his own heart, and Yahweh has
appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which
Yahweh commanded you.”
15 Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal
to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the
people who were present with him, about
six hundred men.
16 Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the
people who were present with them,
stayed in Geba of Benjamin; but the
Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17 The raiders came out of the camp of
the Philistines in three companies: one
company turned to the way that leads to
phrah, to the land of Shual;
18 another company turned the way to
Beth Horon; and another company turned
the way of the border that looks down on
the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 Now there was no blacksmith found
throughout all the land of Israel, for the
Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make
themselves swords or spears”;
20 but all the Israelites went down to the
Philistines, each man to sharpen his own
plowshare, mattock, ax, and sickle.
21 The price was one payim‡ each to
sharpen mattocks, plowshares, pitchforks,
axes, and goads.
22 So 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 Saul and
Jonathan his son had them.
23 The garrison of the Philistines went
out to the pass of Michmash.