1 Samuel 13

1 son: aged (thirty *X) year Saul in/on/with to reign he (and forty *X) and two year to reign upon Israel

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

2 and to choose to/for him Saul three thousand from Israel and to be with Saul thousand in/on/with Michmash and in/on/with mountain: hill country Bethel Bethel and thousand to be with Jonathan in/on/with Gibeah Benjamin and remainder [the] people to send: depart man: anyone to/for tent his

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.

3 and to smite Jonathan [obj] garrison Philistine which in/on/with Geba and to hear: hear Philistine and Saul to blow in/on/with trumpet in/on/with all [the] land: country/planet to/for to say to hear: hear [the] Hebrew

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!”

4 and all Israel to hear: hear to/for to say to smite Saul [obj] garrison Philistine and also to stink Israel in/on/with Philistine and to cry [the] people after Saul [the] Gilgal

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.

5 and Philistine to gather to/for to fight with Israel thirty thousand chariot and six thousand horseman and people: soldiers like/as sand which upon lip: shore [the] sea to/for abundance and to ascend: rise and to camp in/on/with Michmash east Beth-aven Beth-aven

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.

6 and man: anyone Israel to see: see for distress to/for him for to oppress [the] people and to hide [the] people in/on/with cave and in/on/with thistle and in/on/with crag and in/on/with stronghold and in/on/with pit

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.

7 and Hebrew to pass [obj] [the] Jordan land: country/planet Gad and Gilead and Saul still he in/on/with Gilgal and all [the] people to tremble after him

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.

8 (and to wait: wait *Qk) seven day to/for meeting: time appointed which Samuel and not to come (in): come Samuel [the] Gilgal and to scatter [the] people from upon him

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.

9 and to say Saul to approach: bring to(wards) me [the] burnt offering and [the] peace offering and to ascend: offer up [the] burnt offering

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

10 and to be like/as to end: finish he to/for to ascend: offer up [the] burnt offering and behold Samuel to come (in): come and to come out: come Saul to/for to encounter: meet him to/for to bless him

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

11 and to say Samuel what? to make: do and to say Saul for to see: see for to disperse [the] people from upon me and you(m. s.) not to come (in): come to/for meeting: time appointed [the] day and Philistine to gather Michmash

“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.

12 and to say now to go down Philistine to(wards) me [the] Gilgal and face of LORD not to beg and to refrain and to ascend: offer up [the] burnt offering

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.”

13 and to say Samuel to(wards) Saul be foolish not to keep: obey [obj] commandment LORD God your which to command you for now to establish: establish LORD [obj] kingdom your to(wards) Israel till forever: enduring

“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.

14 and now kingdom your not to arise: establish to seek LORD to/for him man like/as heart his and to command him LORD to/for leader upon people his for not to keep: obey [obj] which to command you LORD

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.”

15 and to arise: rise Samuel and to ascend: rise from [the] Gilgal (and to go: went to/for way: journey his and remainder [the] people to ascend: rise after Saul to/for to encounter: meet people [the] battle and to come (in): come from [the] Gilgal *X) Gibeah Benjamin and to reckon: list Saul [obj] [the] people [the] to find with him like/as six hundred man

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.

16 and Saul and Jonathan son: child his and [the] people [the] to find with them to dwell in/on/with Geba Benjamin and Philistine to camp in/on/with Michmash

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

17 and to come out: come [the] to ruin from camp Philistine three head: group [the] head: group one to turn to(wards) way: direction Ophrah to(wards) land: country/planet Shual

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

18 and [the] head: group one to turn way: direction Beth-horon Beth-horon and [the] head: group one to turn way: direction [the] border: boundary [the] to look upon (Zeboim) Valley [the] (Valley of) Zeboim [the] wilderness [to]

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

19 and artificer not to find in/on/with all land: country/planet Israel for (to say *QK) Philistine lest to make [the] Hebrew sword or spear

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.”

20 and to go down all Israel [the] Philistine to/for to sharpen man: anyone [obj] plowshare his and [obj] plowshare his and [obj] axe his and [obj] plowshare his

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

21 and to be [the] bluntness lip: one third to/for plowshare and to/for plowshare and to/for three fork and to/for [the] axe and to/for to stand [the] goad

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.

22 and to be in/on/with day battle and not to find sword and spear in/on/with hand all [the] people which with Saul and with Jonathan and to find to/for Saul and to/for Jonathan son: child his

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.

23 and to come out: come station Philistine to(wards) ford Michmash

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