1 Samuel 13

1 Saul was thirty when he became king, and he reigned over Israel for forty-two years.

Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign; when he had reigned forty years over Israel,

2 Saul had chosen three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand of them were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and another thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the army home.

he chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with him in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the soldiers he sent home, each man to his tent.

3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison at Geba. The Philistines soon heard about it, so Saul had the trumpet call to arms sounded throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, pay attention!”

Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.”

4 All of Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison, and now Israel is like a bad smell to the Philistines!” So the whole army was called up to join Saul at Gilgal.

All Israel heard that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a rotten smell to the Philistines. Then the soldiers were summoned together to join Saul at Gilgal.

5 The Philistines gathered to fight against Israel. They had three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and soldiers as numerous as sand on the seashore. They advanced and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

The Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand men to drive the chariots, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They came up and encamped at Michmash, east of Beth Aven.

6 When the Israelite men realized the tough situation they were in, and that the army was taking a beating, they hid themselves in caves, holes, rocks, pits, and cisterns.

When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble—for the people were distressed, the people hid in caves, in the underbrush, in rocks, in wells, and in pits.

7 Some of the Hebrews even crossed the Jordan into the territory of Gad and Gilead, but Saul stayed at Gilgal, and all the men with him were trembling with fear.

Some of the Hebrews went over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 Saul waited there seven days for the time that Samuel had said, but Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal, and the army started to desert him.

He waited seven days, the time Samuel had set. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from Saul.

9 So Saul ordered, “Bring the burnt offering and the friendship offerings to me,” and he presented the burnt offering.

Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering.

10 Just as he finished presenting the burnt offering, he saw Samuel arrive. Saul went over to meet him and say hello.

As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet him and to greet him.

11 “What have you done?” Samuel asked. Saul replied, “Well I saw my men were deserting me, and you hadn't arrived when you said you would, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash to attack.

Then Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “When I saw that the people were leaving me, and that you did not come within the set time, and that the Philistines had assembled at Michmash,

12 I said to myself, ‘The Philistines are about to attack me at Gilgal, and I haven't asked the Lord for his help.’ So I felt I had to present the burnt offering myself.”

I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of Yahweh.' So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”

13 “You've been really stupid,” Samuel told him. “You haven't kept the commands of the Lord your God. If you had, the Lord would have made your kingdom over Israel secure forever.

Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the command of Yahweh your God that he gave you. For then Yahweh would have established your rule over Israel forever.

14 But now your kingdom won't last. The Lord has found for himself a man who thinks like him, and has chosen him as ruler over his people, because you haven't kept the commands of the Lord.”

But now your rule will not continue. Yahweh has sought out a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not obeyed what he commanded you.”

15 Then Samuel left Gilgal. The rest of the soldiers followed Saul to meet the army, going from Gilgal to Geba in Benjamin. Saul counted the number of soldiers who were with him and there were about six hundred.

Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Then Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

16 Saul, his son Jonathan, and the soldiers with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines were camped at Michmash.

Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin. But the Philistines camped at Michmash.

17 Three groups of raiders left the Philistine camp to go and attack. One group went towards Ophrah in the land of Shual,

Raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three groups. One group turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual.

18 one towards Beth-horon, and one towards the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim by the wilderness.

Another group turned toward Beth Horon, and another group turned toward the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboyim toward the wilderness.

19 There wasn't a blacksmith to be found anywhere in Israel, because the Philistines had said, “So that the Hebrews don't make swords and spears.”

No blacksmith could be found throughout all of Israel, because the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews would make swords or spears for themselves.”

20 All the Israelites had to go to the Philistines to sharpen their iron plowshares, pickaxes, axes, and sickles.

But all the men of Israel used to go down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plow points, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle.

21 The fee was two-thirds of a shekel for plowshares and pickaxes, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and cattle prods.

The charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plow points, and the mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for sharpening axes and for straightening the goads.

22 So when it came to the day of battle none of the soldiers with Saul and Jonathan had swords or spears—only Saul and his son Jonathan had such weapons.

So on the day of battle, there were no swords or spears found in the hands of any of the soldiers who were with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

23 A Philistine garrison had taken control of the pass at Michmash.

The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.