Chapter 13

Saul reigned² one year; ⁸¹⁴¹ and when he had reigned¹ two years over Israel,

Saul chose⁴ him three thousand [men] of Israel; [whereof] two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent¹⁴ every man to his tent.

And Jonathan smote⁵⁵ the garrison of the Philistines that [was] in Geba, and the Philistines heard⁴ [of it]. And Saul blew¹ the trumpet throughout all the land, saying,² Let the Hebrews hear.⁴

And all Israel heard¹ say² [that] Saul had smitten⁵² a garrison of the Philistines, and [that] Israel also was had in abomination⁸ with the Philistines. And the people were called together¹¹ after Saul to Gilgal.

And the Philistines gathered⁸ themselves together to fight⁹ with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which [is] on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up,⁴ and pitched⁴ in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

When the men of Israel saw¹ that they were in a strait,¹ (for the people were distressed,)⁸ then the people did hide¹⁰¹ themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

And [some of] the Hebrews went over¹ Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he [was] yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.¹

And he tarried^{55 3176 11} seven days, according to the set time that Samuel [had appointed]: but Samuel came¹ not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered⁵⁵ from him.

And Saul said,⁴ Bring hither⁵⁴ a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered⁵⁵ the burnt offering.

And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end¹⁵ of offering⁵³ the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came;⁶ and Saul went out⁴ to meet² him, that he might salute² him.

And Samuel said,⁴ What hast thou done?¹ And Saul said,⁴ Because I saw¹ that the people were scattered¹ from me, and [that] thou camest¹ not within the days appointed, and [that] the Philistines gathered¹² themselves together at Michmash;

Therefore said⁴ I, The Philistines will come down⁴ now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication¹⁴ unto the LORD: I forced¹⁰¹ myself therefore, and offered⁵⁵ a burnt offering.

And Samuel said⁴ to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly:⁸ thou hast not kept¹ the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded¹⁴ thee: for now would the LORD have established⁵² thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

But now thy kingdom shall not continue:⁴ the LORD hath sought¹⁴ him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded¹⁷ him [to be] captain over his people, because thou hast not kept¹ [that] which the LORD commanded¹⁴ thee.

And Samuel arose,⁴ and gat him up⁴ from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered⁴ the people [that were] present¹² with him, about six hundred men.

And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people [that were] present¹² with them, abode⁶ in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped¹ in Michmash.

And the spoilers⁵⁶ came out⁴ of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned⁴ unto the way [that leadeth to] Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:

And another company turned⁴ the way [to] Bethhoron: and another company turned⁴ [to] the way of the border that looketh¹² to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

Now there was no smith found¹¹ throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said,¹ Lest the Hebrews make⁴ [them] swords or spears:

But all the Israelites went down⁴ to the Philistines, to sharpen² every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.

Yet they had a file ⁶³¹⁰ for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, ⁷⁰⁵³ and for the axes, and to sharpen⁵³ the goads.

So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found⁸ in the hand of any of the people that [were] with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.¹¹

And the garrison of the Philistines went out⁴ to the passage of Michmash.