1 Samuel 13
13
Samuel Judges Saul’s Sin
1Saul was 30 years old when he became king. He ruled over Israel for 42 years.
2Saul chose 3,000 of Israel’s men. Two thousand of them were with him at Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel. One thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. Saul sent the rest back to their homes.
3Some Philistine soldiers were stationed at Geba. Jonathan attacked them. The other Philistines heard about it. Saul announced, “Let the Hebrew people hear about what has happened!” He had trumpets blown all through the land. 4So all the Israelites heard the news. They were told, “Saul has attacked the Philistine army camp at Geba. Now the Philistines can’t stand the Israelites.” The Israelites were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.
5The Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel. They had 3,000 chariots and 6,000 chariot drivers. Their soldiers were as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash. It was east of Beth Aven. 6The Israelites saw that their army was in deep trouble. So they hid in caves. They hid among bushes and rocks. They also hid in pits and empty wells. 7Some of them even went across the Jordan River. They went to the lands of Gad and Gilead.
Saul remained at Gilgal. All the troops with him were shaking with fear. 8He waited seven days, just as Samuel had told him to. But Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal. And Saul’s men began to scatter. 9So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the friendship offerings.” Then he offered up the burnt offering. 10Just as Saul finished offering the sacrifice, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to greet him.
11“What have you done?” asked Samuel.
Saul replied, “I saw that the men were scattering. I saw that the Philistines were gathering together at Mikmash. You didn’t come when you said you would. 12So I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down to attack me at Gilgal. And I haven’t asked the Lord for his blessing.’ So I felt I had to sacrifice the burnt offering.”
13“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You haven’t obeyed the command the Lord your God gave you. If you had, he would have made your kingdom secure over Israel for all time to come. 14But now your kingdom won’t last. The Lord has already looked for a man who is dear to his heart. He has appointed him king of his people. That’s because you haven’t obeyed the Lord’s command.”
15Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. Saul counted the men who were with him. The total number was about 600.
Israel Doesn’t Have Weapons
16Saul and his son Jonathan were staying in Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. The men who remained in the army were there with them. At the same time, the Philistines camped at Mikmash. 17Three groups of soldiers went out from the Philistine camp to attack Israel. One group turned and went toward Ophrah in the area of Shual. 18Another went toward Beth Horon. The third went toward the border that looked out over the Valley of Zeboim. That valley faces the desert.
19There weren’t any blacksmiths in the whole land of Israel. That’s because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews might hire them to make swords or spears!” 20So all the Israelites had to go down to the Philistines. They had to go to them to get their plows, hoes, axes and sickles sharpened. 21It cost a fourth of an ounce of silver to sharpen a plow or a hoe. It cost an eighth of an ounce to sharpen a pitchfork or an axe. That’s also what it cost to put new tips on the large sticks used to drive oxen.
22So the Israelite soldiers went out to battle without swords or spears in their hands. That was true for all of Saul’s and Jonathan’s soldiers. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had those weapons.
Jonathan Attacks the Philistines
23A group of Philistine soldiers had gone out to the pass at Mikmash.
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1 Samuel 13: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
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1 Samuel 13
13
Saul’s Failure
1Saul was 30 years # Some LXX mss; MT reads was one year old when he became king, and he reigned 42 years # Text emended; MT reads two years over Israel. # Some LXX mss omit v. 1 2He chose 3,000 men from Israel for himself: 2,000 were with Saul at Michmash # 1Sm 14:31 and in Bethel’s hill country, and 1,000 were with Jonathan in Gibeah # 1Sm 10:26 of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the troops away, each to his own tent.
3Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison # Or governor # 1Sm 10:5 that was in Geba, # 1Sm 13:16; 14:5 and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land # Jdg 3:27; 6:34 saying, “Let the Hebrews hear! ” # LXX reads The slaves have revolted # Nm 10:9; Jdg 3:27; 6:34 4And all Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison, # Or governor and Israel is now repulsive to the Philistines.” Then the troops were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5The Philistines also gathered to fight against Israel: 3,000 # One LXX ms, Syr; MT reads 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. # Jos 11:4 They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven. # LXX reads Michmash, opposite Beth-horon to the south # 1Sm 14:23
6The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because the troops were in a difficult situation. They hid in caves, thickets, among rocks, and in holes and cisterns. # Jdg 6:2 7Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
Saul, however, was still at Gilgal, and all his troops were gripped with fear. 8He waited seven days for the appointed time that Samuel had set, # 1Sm 10:8 but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the troops were deserting him. 9So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering.
10Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. So Saul went out to greet him, 11and Samuel asked, “What have you done? ”
Saul answered, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me and you didn’t come within the appointed days and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash, 12I thought: The Philistines will now descend on me at Gilgal, and I haven’t sought the Lord’s favor. So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”
13Samuel said to Saul, “You have been foolish. # 2Ch 16:9 You have not kept the command which the Lord your God gave you. # 1Sm 15:22,28 It was at this time that the Lord would have permanently established your reign over Israel, # 1Sm 1:22 14but now your reign will not endure. # 1Sm 15:28 The Lord has found a man loyal to Him, # Lit man according to His heart # 1Sm 16:7; Ac 13:22 and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not done what the Lord commanded.” 15Then Samuel went # LXX reads Samuel left Gilgal and went on his way, and the rest of the people followed Saul to join the people in his army. They went from Gilgal to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul registered the troops who were with him, about 600 men.
16Saul, his son Jonathan, and the troops who were with them were staying in Geba # 1Sm 13:2-3 of Benjamin, and the Philistines were camped at Michmash. 17Raiding parties # 1Sm 14:15 went out from the Philistine camp in three divisions. One division headed toward the Ophrah # Jos 18:23 road leading to the land of Shual. 18The next division headed toward the Beth-horon # Jos 18:13-14 road, and the last division headed down the border road that looks out over the Valley of Zeboim # Neh 11:34 toward the wilderness.
19No blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, # Jdg 5:8; 2Kg 24:14 because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise, the Hebrews will make swords or spears.” 20So all the Israelites went to the Philistines to sharpen their plows, mattocks, axes, and sickles. # LXX; MT reads plowshares 21The price was two-thirds of a shekel # Lit of a pim ; about 1/4 ounce of silver for plows and mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for pitchforks and axes, and for putting a point on an oxgoad. 22So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hand of any of the troops who were with Saul # Jdg 5:8 and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.
Jonathan’s Victory over the Philistines
23Now a Philistine garrison # 1Sm 14:1; 2Sm 23:14 took control of the pass at Michmash.
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