1 Samuel 13
13
Saul’s Misguided Sacrifice
1Saul was 30 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for 42 years over Israel.
2Now Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in Michmas and in the hill country of Beth-el, and 1,000 were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the troops he sent away, each one to his tent.
3Now Jonathan struck down the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. So Saul blew the shofar throughout the country, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.”
4All Israel heard the news, “Saul had struck down the garrison of the Philistines, so Israel has become a stench to the Philistines.” Then the people were summoned to Saul at Gilgal.
5Meanwhile the Philistines assembled themselves to fight with Israel: 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They marched up and camped in Michmas, east of Beth-aven.
6When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble, because the people were hard-pressed, they hid in caves, thickets, cliffs, crevices and pits.
7Some of the Hebrews even crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, but all the people following him were trembling.
8So he waited seven days—the time set by Samuel—but Samuel had not come to Gilgal so the people began to scatter from him.
9Then Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings,” so he offered the burnt offering.
10But as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and greet him.
11But Samuel asked, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you had not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmas,
12I thought: ‘Now the Philistines are about to advance against me at Gilgal, but I have not yet entreated Adonai.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.”
13Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly by not keeping the commandment of Adonai your God which He commanded you. For now, Adonai would have established your kingship over Israel forever.
14But now your kingship will not last. Adonai has sought for Himself a man after His own heart. So Adonai will appoint him as ruler over His people—because you have not guarded what Adonai commanded you.”
15Samuel then departed and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Then Saul numbered the troops that were with him, about 600 men.
16Now Saul and his son Jonathan and the people that were present with them were staying in Gibeah of Benjamin, while the Philistines encamped in Michmas.
17Raiders started to come out from the camp of the Philistines in three detachments: one detachment turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual,
18another detachment turned toward Beth-horon, and the third detachment turned toward the border road overlooking the Zeboim Wadi toward the wilderness.
19Now no blacksmith could be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!”
20So all the Israelites had to go down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his sickle, his axe or his hoe.
21The price of sharpening was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the sickles, the three-pronged forks or the axes, or to set the oxgoads.
22So it came about on the day of battle, there was no sword or spear to be found in the hand of any of the troops that were with Saul and Jonathan—only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
23Then the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmas.
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
1 Kings 13
13
1Saul was a child of one year when he began to reign, and he reigned two years over Israel.
2And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel. And two thousand were with Saul in Machmas, and in mount Bethel: and a thousand with Jonathan in Gabaa of Benjamin. And the rest of the people he sent back every man to their dwellings.
3And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines which was in Gabaa. And when the Philistines had heard of it, Saul sounded the trumpet over all the land, saying: Let the Hebrews hear.
4And all Israel heard this report: Saul hath smitten the garrison of the Philistines. And Israel took courage against the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Galgal.
5The Philistines also were assembled to fight against Israel: thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and a multitude of people besides, like the sand on the sea-shore for number. And going up they camped in Machmas at the east of Bethaven.
6And when the men of Israel saw that they were straitened (for the people were distressed), they hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in dens, and in pits.
7And some of the Hebrews passed over the Jordan into the land of Gad and Galaad. And when Saul was yet in Galgal, all the people that followed him were greatly afraid.
8And he waited seven days according to the appointment of Samuel; and Samuel came not to Galgal. And the people slipt away from him.
9Then Saul said: Bring me the holocaust, and the peace-offerings. And he offered the holocaust.
10And when he had made an end of offering the holocaust, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went forth to meet him and salute him.
11And Samuel said to him: What hast thou done? Saul answered: Because I saw that the people slipt from me, and thou wast not come according to the days appointed, and the Philistines were gathered together in Machmas,
12I said: Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Galgal; and I have not appeased the face of the Lord. Forced by necessity, I offered the holocaust.
13And Samuel said to Saul: Thou hast done foolishly, and hast not kept the commandments of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee. And if thou hadst not done thus, the Lord would now have established thy kingdom over Israel for ever.
14But thy kingdom shall not continue. The Lord hath sought him a man according to his own heart: and him hath the Lord commanded to be prince over his people, because thou hast not observed that which the Lord commanded.
15And Samuel arose and went up from Galgal to Gabaa of Benjamin. And the rest of the people went up after Saul, to meet the people who fought against them, going from Galgal to Gabaa in the hill of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people, that were found with him, about six hundred men.
16And Saul and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, were in Gabaa of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Machmas.
17And there went out of the camp of the Philistines three companies to plunder. One company went towards the way of Ephra to the land of Sual,
18And another went by the way of Beth-horon; and the third turned to the way of the border, above the valley of Seboim towards the desert.
19Now there was no smith to be found in all the land of Israel; for the Philistines had taken this precaution, lest the Hebrews should make them swords or spears.
20So all Israel went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his ploughshare, and his spade, and his axe, and his rake.
21So that their shares, and their spades, and their forks, and their axes were blunt, even to the goad, which was to be mended.
22And when the day of battle was come, there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan, except Saul and Jonathan his son.
23And the army of the Philistines went out in order to advance further in Machmas.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.