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War with the Philistines

¹ Saul was ^(F1)thirty years old when he began to reign, and ^(F2)he reigned ^(F3)forty-two years over Israel.

² Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel; of whom 2,000 were with him in ^(C1)Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at ^(C2)Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent the rest of the people away, each one to his own tent.³ Jonathan attacked and defeated ^(C1)the Philistine garrison which was at ^(C2)Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul ^(C3)blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."⁴ All Israel heard that Saul had defeated the Philistine garrison, and also that Israel ^(C1)had become despicable to the Philistines. And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ Now the Philistines gathered to fight against Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and ^(C1)troops in multitude, like sand on the seashore. They came up and camped at Michmash, east of ^(C2)Beth-aven.⁶ When the men of Israel saw that they were in a tight situation (for their troops were hard-pressed), ^(C1)they hid in caves, in thickets, in cellars, and in dry cisterns (pits).⁷ Also some of the Hebrews had crossed the river Jordan to the land of ^(C1)Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him, trembling in fear and anticipation.

^8 (C1)Now Saul waited seven days, according to the appointed time which Samuel had set, but Samuel had not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering away from Saul.⁹ So Saul said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings." And ^(F1)(C1)he offered the burnt offering which he was forbidden to do.¹⁰ As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, ^(F1)Samuel finally came; ^(C1)Saul went out to meet and to ^(F2)welcome him.¹¹ But Samuel said, "What have you done?" Saul said, "Since I saw that the people were scattering away from me, and that you did not come within the appointed time, and that ^(C1)the Philistines were assembling at Michmash,¹² therefore, I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked for the LORD'S favor by making supplication to Him.' So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering."¹³ Samuel said to Saul, "^(C1)You have acted foolishly; ^(C2)you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for if you had obeyed the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel ^(C3)forever.¹⁴ "But ^(C1)now your kingdom shall not endure. ^(C2)The LORD has sought out for Himself a man (David) after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as leader and ruler over His people, because you have not kept (obeyed) what the LORD commanded you."

¹⁵ Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to ^(C1)Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul assembled and counted the people who were still with him, only ^(C2)about six hundred fighting men.¹⁶ Saul and his son Jonathan and the people with them were staying in ^(C1)Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash.¹⁷ And the ^(C1)raiding party came from the Philistine camp in three companies: one company turned toward ^(C2)Ophrah, to the land of Shual,¹⁸ another company turned toward ^(C1)Beth-horon, and another toward the border overlooking the Valley of ^(C2)Zeboim toward the wilderness.

¹⁹ Now ^(C1)no ^(F1)blacksmith (metal-worker) could be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make ^(C2)swords or spears."²⁰ So all the men of Israel went down to the Philistines, each to get his plowshare, pick, axe, or sickle sharpened.²¹ The fee for sharpening was a pim (two-thirds of a shekel) for the plowshares, the picks, the pitchforks, and the axes, and to straighten the goads (cattle prods).²² So it came about on the day of battle that ^(F1)(C1)neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.²³ And ^(C1)the garrison of the Philistines went out to ^(C2)the pass at Michmash.