1 Samuel 13

1 Saul was [thirty] years old when he began to reign; and, when he had reigned two years over Israel,

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

2 Saul chose him three thousand men out of Israel, of whom there were with Saul, two thousand in Michmash and in the hill-country of Bethel, and, a thousand, were with Jonathan, in Gibeah of Benjamin, —but, the rest of the people, he let go, every man to his own 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 Then did Jonathan smite the garrison of Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it, —and, Saul, blew with a horn throughout all the land saying, Let the Hebrews hear!

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 And, all Israel, heard say—Saul hath smitten the garrison of the Philistines, Moreover, also, Israel have made themselves odious among the Philistines, —so the people were called together to follow Saul, to 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 And, the Philistines, gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, a people also like the sand that is on the sea-shore for multitude, —and they came up, and encamped in 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 So, the men of Israel, saw they were in a strait, for the people had been harassed, —and the people had hidden themselves in caves, and in thickets, and among cliffs, and in holes, and in pits.

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 And, Hebrews, had passed over the Jordan, to the land of Gad, and Gilead, —but, Saul, was yet in Gilgal, and all the people, trembled after him.

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 And he waited seven days, by the set time that Samuel had named, but Samuel came not to Gilgal, —and the people were scattered from 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 Then said Saul, Bring near unto me, the ascending-sacrifice and the peace-offerings. And he offered up the ascending-sacrifice.

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

10 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of offering up the ascending-sacrifice, lo! Samuel, had come, —and Saul went out to meet him, that he might bless him.

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

11 Then said Samuel—What hast thou done? And Saul said—Because I saw that the people had been scattered from me, and, thou, hadst not come within the appointed days, and, the Philistines, had gathered themselves together to Michmash,

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 therefore I said—Now, will the Philistines come down against me, at Gilgal, but, the face of Yahweh, have I not appeased: So I forced myself, and offered up the ascending-sacrifice.

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 And Samuel said unto Saul—Thou hast shewn thyself foolish, —thou hast not kept the commandment of Yahweh thy God, which he commanded thee, for, now, would Yahweh have established thy kingdom unto Israel until times age-abiding;

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 Whereas, now, shall thy kingdom not be established, —Yahweh hath sought out for him a man after his own heart, and Yahweh hath commanded him to be leader over his people, because thou hast not kept that which Yahweh commanded thee.

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 And Samuel arose, and ascended from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were found with him, about six hundred men.

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 Now, Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were found with him, were abiding in Geba of Benjamin, —but, the Philistines, had encamped in 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 And the spoilers came forth out of the camp of the Philistines, in three companies, the first company, turned unto the way of Ophrah, unto 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 and, the second company, turned unto the way of Beth-horon, —and, the third company, turned unto the way of the boundary that overlooketh the valley of Zeboim, towards 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 Now, a smith, could not be found, throughout all the land of Israel—for the Philistines had said, Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear.

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

20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines, —to sharpen every man his share, and his mattock, and his axe, and his sickle.

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 Howbeit they had a file for the sickles, and the mattocks, and the three-pronged forks, and the axes, —and for setting the goads.

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 Thus would it come to pass, in the day of battle, that there was found—neither sword nor spear, in the hand of any of the people, that were with Saul and Jonathan, but such were found belonging to Saul and to Jonathan his son.

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 Now the garrison of the Philistines had come out to the pass of Michmash.

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