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War with the Philistines

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

² Now Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in ^(C1)Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at ^(C2)Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent.³ Jonathan smote ^(C1)the garrison of the Philistines that was in ^(C2)Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul ^(C3)blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."⁴ All Israel heard ^(F1)the news that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel ^(C1)had become odious to the Philistines. The people were then summoned ^(F2)to Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and ^(C1)people like the sand which is on the seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of ^(C2)Beth-aven.⁶ When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed), then ^(C1)the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits.⁷ Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of ^(C1)Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

⁸ Now ^(C1)he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him.⁹ So Saul said, "Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings." And ^(C1)he offered the burnt offering.¹⁰ As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and ^(C1)Saul went out to meet him and to ^(F1)greet him.¹¹ But Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, 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 the favor of the LORD.' So I forced myself and offered 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 now the LORD would have established your kingdom ^(F1)over Israel ^(C3)forever.¹⁴ "But ^(C1)now your kingdom shall not endure. ^(C2)The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."

¹⁵ Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to ^(C1)Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul ^(F1)numbered the people who were present with him, ^(C2)about six hundred men.¹⁶ Now Saul and his son Jonathan and the people who were present with them were staying in ^(C1)Geba of Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash.¹⁷ And ^(C1)the ^(F1)raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three ^(F2)companies: one ^(F3)company turned ^(F4)toward ^(C2)Ophrah, to the land of Shual,¹⁸ and another ^(F1)company turned ^(F2)toward ^(C1)Beth-horon, and another ^(F1)company turned ^(F2)toward the border which overlooks the valley of ^(C2)Zeboim toward the wilderness.

¹⁹ Now ^(C1)no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make ^(F1)(C2)swords or spears."²⁰ So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe.²¹ The charge was ^(F1)two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to fix the hoes.²² So it came about on the day of battle that ^(C1)neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan.²³ And ^(C1)the garrison of the Philistines went out to ^(C2)the pass of Michmash.