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 became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.

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.

Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people to their own tents.

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 struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the shofar 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 struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was considered an abomination to the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to 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 assembled themselves together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, eastward 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), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, 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.

Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in 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 stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.

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 the burnt offering to me here, and the peace offerings.” 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.

It came to pass that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might 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,

Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together 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.

therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favor of the LORD.’ I forced myself therefore, and offered 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;

Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for now the LORD would have established your kingdom on 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 kingdom will not continue. The LORD has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD 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.

Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted 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, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped in 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;

The raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to 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 company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim 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.

Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all Eretz-Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears”;

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 Israelites went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his own plowshare, mattock, ax, and 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 price was one payim each to sharpen mattocks, plowshares, pitchforks, axes, and 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 it came to pass in the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son 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.