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Saul’s Failure

¹ Saul was thirty years^(F1) old when he became king, and he reigned forty-two years^(F2) over Israel.^{(F3) 2} He chose three thousand men from Israel for himself: two thousand were with Saul at Michmash^(C1) and in Bethel’s hill country, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah^(C2) of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the troops away, each to his own tent.

³ Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison^(F1)(C1) that was in Geba,^(C2) and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land^(C3) saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” ^{(F2)(C4) 4} And all Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison, and Israel is now repulsive to the Philistines.” Then the troops were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines also gathered to fight against Israel: three thousand^(F1) chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore.^(C1) They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.^(F2)(C2)

⁶ The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because the troops were in a difficult situation. They hid in caves, in thickets, among rocks, and in holes and cisterns.^{(C1) 7} Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

Saul, however, was still at Gilgal, and all his troops were gripped with fear. ⁸ He waited seven days for the appointed time that Samuel had set,^(C1) but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the troops were deserting him. ⁹ So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering.

¹⁰ Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. So Saul went out to greet him, ¹¹ and Samuel asked, “What have you done?”

Saul answered, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me and you didn’t come within the appointed days and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash, ¹² I thought, ‘The Philistines will now descend on me at Gilgal, and I haven’t sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”

¹³ Samuel said to Saul, “You have been foolish.^(C1) You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.^(C2) It was at this time that the Lord would have permanently established your reign over Israel,^{(C3) 14} but now your reign will not endure.^(C1) The Lord has found a man after his own heart,^(F1)(C2) and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over his people, because you have not done what the Lord commanded.” ¹⁵ Then Samuel went^(F1) from Gilgal to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul registered the troops who were with him, about six hundred men.

¹⁶ Saul, his son Jonathan, and the troops who were with them were staying in Geba^(C1) of Benjamin, and the Philistines were camped at Michmash. ¹⁷ Raiding parties^(C1) went out from the Philistine camp in three divisions. One division headed toward the Ophrah^(C2) road leading to the land of Shual. ¹⁸ The next division headed toward the Beth-horon^(C1) road, and the last division headed down the border road that looks out over the Zeboim Valley^(C2) toward the wilderness.

¹⁹ No blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel^(C1) because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise, the Hebrews will make swords or spears.” ²⁰ So all the Israelites went to the Philistines to sharpen their plows, mattocks, axes, and sickles.^{(F1) 21} The price was two-thirds of a shekel^(F1) for plows and mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for pitchforks and axes, and for putting a point on a cattle prod. ²² So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hand of any of the troops who were with Saul^(C1) and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.

Jonathan’s Victory over the Philistines

²³ Now a Philistine garrison^(C1) took control of the pass at Michmash.