1 Samuel 13
13
War with the Philistines
1Saul was #13:1 As in some mss of the LXX; Hebrew omits thirty. The original wording of this verse is uncertain.thirty years old when he began to reign, and #13:1 Or after he reigned two years over Israel Saul chose…he reigned #13:1 See Acts 13:21; Hebrew omits forty.forty-two years over Israel.
2Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel; of whom 2,000 were with him in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent the rest of the people away, each one to his own tent. 3Jonathan attacked and defeated the Philistine garrison which was at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” 4All Israel heard that Saul had defeated the Philistine garrison, and also that Israel had become despicable to the Philistines. And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5Now the Philistines gathered to fight against Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and troops in multitude, like sand on the seashore. They came up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven. 6When the men of Israel saw that they were in a tight situation (for their troops were hard-pressed), they hid in caves, in thickets, in cellars, and in [dry] cisterns (pits). 7Also some of the Hebrews had crossed the [river] Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him, trembling [in fear and anticipation].
8Now Saul waited seven days, according to the appointed time which Samuel had set, but Samuel had not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering away from Saul. 9So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And #13:9 This was a direct violation of the instructions Samuel had given to Saul (10:8).he offered the burnt offering [which he was forbidden to do]. 10As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, #13:10 Lit behold, Samuel came.Samuel finally came; Saul went out to meet and to #13:10 Lit bless.welcome him. 11But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “Since I saw that the people were scattering away from me, and that you did not come within the appointed time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, 12therefore, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked for the Lord’s favor [by making supplication to Him].’ So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.” 13Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for [if you had obeyed] the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man (David) after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as leader and ruler over His people, because you have not kept (obeyed) what the Lord commanded you.”
15Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul assembled and counted the people who were still with him, [only] about six hundred [fighting] men. 16Saul and his son Jonathan and the people with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash. 17And the raiding party came from the Philistine camp in three companies: one company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18another company turned toward Beth-horon, and another toward the border overlooking the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19Now no #13:19 Israel lacked the ability to produce iron until the time of Solomon.blacksmith (metal-worker) could be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears.” 20So all [the men of] Israel went down to the Philistines, each to get his plowshare, pick, axe, or sickle sharpened. 21The fee [for sharpening] was a pim (two-thirds of a shekel) for the plowshares, the picks, the pitchforks, and the axes, and to straighten the goads (cattle prods). 22So it came about on the day of battle that #13:22 Because the Israelite did not yet know how to work iron, their weapons were limited to the bow and arrow, and the sling. The sling was a formidable projectile weapon that had a small cradle or pouch between two lengths of cord. It was used not only in combat by ancient people, but also for hunting game.neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them. 23And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass at Michmash.
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Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 13
13
1Sha’ul was ... years old when he began to reign. And when he had reigned two years over Yisra’ĕl,
2Sha’ul chose for himself three thousand men of Yisra’ĕl. And two thousand were with Sha’ul in Miḵmash and in the mountains of Bĕyth Ěl, and a thousand were with Yonathan in Giḇ‛ah of Binyamin. And the rest of the people he sent away, each to his tent.
3And Yonathan struck the watch-post of the Philistines that was in Geḇa, and the Philistines heard of it. And Sha’ul blew with the shophar#An animal horn. Traditionally a ram’s horn. throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
4And all Yisra’ĕl heard the news that Sha’ul had stricken a watch-post of the Philistines, and also that Yisra’ĕl had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were summoned to Sha’ul at Gilgal.
5And the Philistines gathered to fight Yisra’ĕl, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as numerous as the sand on the seashore. And they came up and encamped in Miḵmash, east of Bĕyth Awen.
6And the men of Yisra’ĕl saw that they were in trouble, for the people were distressed, and the people hid in caves, and in thorny bushes, and in rocks, and in holes, and in pits.
7And some Hebrews passed over the Yardĕn to the land of Gaḏ and Gil‛aḏ. But Sha’ul was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him, trembling.
8And he waited for seven days, according to the appointment with Shemu’ĕl. But Shemu’ĕl did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him.
9And Sha’ul said, “Bring an ascending offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the ascending offering.
10And it came to be, as he had finished offering the ascending offering, look, Shemu’ĕl came. And Sha’ul went out to meet him, to bless him.
11Then Shemu’ĕl said, “What have you done?” And Sha’ul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered at Miḵmash,
12so I said, ‘The Philistines are going to come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not appeased the face of יהוה.’ So I felt compelled, and offered an ascending offering.”
13And Shemu’ĕl said to Sha’ul, “You have been foolish. You have not guarded the command of יהוה your Elohim, which He commanded you. For now יהוה would have established your reign over Yisra’ĕl forever.
14“But now, your reign is not going to stand. יהוה shall seek for Himself a man after His own heart,#See Acts 13:22 and יהוה shall command him to be leader over His people, because you have not guarded what יהוה commanded you.”
15And Shemu’ĕl arose and went up from Gilgal to Giḇ‛ah of Binyamin. And Sha’ul mustered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.
16And Sha’ul, and Yonathan his son, and the people who were present with them remained in Giḇ‛ah of Binyamin, while the Philistines camped at Miḵmash.
17And from the camp of the Philistines raiders went out in three companies. The one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shu‛al,
18and another company turned toward the way of Bĕyth Ḥoron, and another company turned toward the way of the border that overlooks the Valley of Tseḇo‛im toward the wilderness.
19Now no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Yisra’ĕl, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.”
20And all Yisra’ĕl went down to the Philistines, each one to sharpen his ploughshare, and his mattock, and his axe, and his sickle.
21And the charge was a pim for the ploughshares, and the mattocks, and the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads.
22And it came to be, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Sha’ul and Yonathan. But they were found with Sha’ul and Yonathan his son.
23And the outpost of the Philistines went out to the pass of Miḵmash.
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