1 Samuel 13
13
Samuel rejects Saul’s dynasty
1Saul was 30 years old#13.1 LXXL; Syr twenty-one; MT lacks a number; 13:1 is omitted in LXXB. when he became king, and he ruled over Israel forty-two years.#13.1 Part of the number is missing in MT (… and two years) and all ancient witnesses. Acts 13:21 says Saul ruled forty years, as does Josephus (Ant. 6.14.9 [378]), though Josephus also says Saul ruled twenty years (Ant. 10.8.4 [143]). 2Saul selected three thousand men from Israel. Two thousand of those were with Saul at Michmash in the hills near Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. He sent the remaining men home. 3Jonathan attacked the Philistine fort at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul sounded the alarm#13.3 Heb shofar throughout the land and said, “Hebrews! Listen up!” 4When all Israel heard that Saul had attacked the Philistine fort and that Israel was hated by the Philistines, the troops were called to Saul’s side at Gilgal. 5The Philistines also were gathered to fight against Israel. They brought thirty thousand chariots with them, six thousand cavalry, and as many soldiers as there is sand on the seashore to fight Israel.#13.5 LXX; MT lacks They brought, with them,and to fight Israel. They marched up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven. 6When the Israelites saw that they were in trouble and that their troops were threatened, they hid in caves, in thickets, among rocks, in tunnels, and in cisterns. 7Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan River, going into the land of Gad and Gilead.
Saul stayed at Gilgal, and the troops followed him anxiously. 8He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel, but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and his troops began to desert. 9So Saul ordered, “Bring me the entirely burned offering and the well-being sacrifices.” Then he offered the entirely burned offering.
10The very moment Saul finished offering up the entirely burned offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet him and welcome him. 11But Samuel said, “What have you done?”
“I saw that my troops were deserting,” Saul replied. “You hadn’t arrived by the appointed time, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash. 12I thought, The Philistines are about to march against me at Gilgal and I haven’t yet sought the LORD’s favor. So I took control of myself#13.12 Or forced myself; Heb uncertain and offered the entirely burned offering.”
13“How stupid of you to have broken the commands the LORD your God gave you!” Samuel told Saul. “The LORD would have established your rule over Israel forever, 14but now your rule won’t last. The LORD will search for a man following the Lord’s own heart,#13.14 Or a man loyal to the Lord and the LORD will commission him as leader over God’s people, because you didn’t keep the LORD’s command.”
15Samuel got up and went on his way from Gilgal, but the rest of the people followed Saul to join the army, and they went from Gilgal#13.15 LXX; MT lacks much of this verse. to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul counted about six hundred men still with him. 16Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were with him were staying at Geba in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash. 17Three raiding parties left the Philistine camp. One took the road to Ophrah toward the territory of Shual. 18Another took the road to Beth-horon, and the last took the border road that overlooks the Zeboim Valley toward the desert.
Philistine ironworking
19No metalworker was to be found anywhere in Israelite territory because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews must not make swords and spears.” 20So every Israelite had to go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles. 21The cost was two-thirds of a shekel#13.21 Heb pim, which is two-thirds of a shekel for plowshares and mattocks, but one-third of a shekel for sharpening axes and for setting goads. 22So on the day of the battle, no swords or spears were to be found in the possession of any of the troops with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
Jonathan leads Israel to victory
23Now a group of Philistine soldiers had marched out to the pass at Michmash.
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1 Samuel 13: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
1 Samuel 13
13
War against the Philistines
1 # 13.1 One ancient translation does not have verse 1; Hebrew has as verse 1 Saul was … years old when he became king, and he was king of Israel for two years. The Hebrew text is defective at two points in this verse. 2Saul picked 3,000 men, keeping 2,000 of them with him in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel and sending 1,000 with his son Jonathan to Gibeah, in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. The rest of the men Saul sent home.
3Jonathan killed the Philistine commander#13.3 killed the Philistine commander; or defeated the Philistines camping. in Geba, and all the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul sent messengers to call the Hebrews to war by blowing a trumpet throughout the whole country. 4All the Israelites were told that Saul had killed the Philistine commander and that the Philistines hated them. So the people answered the call to join Saul at Gilgal.
5The Philistines assembled to fight the Israelites; they had 30,000 war chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and as many soldiers as there are grains of sand on the seashore. They went to Michmash, east of Bethaven, and camped there. 6Then they launched a strong attack against the Israelites, putting them in a desperate situation. Some of the Israelites hid in caves and holes or among the rocks or in pits and wells; 7others crossed the River Jordan into the territories of Gad and Gilead.
Saul was still at Gilgal, and the people with him were trembling with fear. 8#1 Sam 10.8He waited seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him to do, but Samuel still had not come to Gilgal. The people began to desert Saul, 9so he said to them, “Bring me the burnt sacrifices and the fellowship sacrifices.” He offered a burnt sacrifice, 10and just as he was finishing, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet him and welcome him, 11but Samuel said, “What have you done?”
Saul answered, “The people were deserting me, and you had not come when you said you would; besides that, the Philistines are gathering at Michmash. 12So I thought, ‘The Philistines are going to attack me here in Gilgal, and I have not tried to win the LORD's favour.’ So I felt I had to offer a sacrifice.”
13“That was a foolish thing to do,” Samuel answered. “You have not obeyed the command the LORD your God gave you. If you had obeyed, he would have let you and your descendants rule over Israel for ever. 14#Acts 13.22But now your rule will not continue. Because you have disobeyed him, the LORD will find the kind of man he wants and make him ruler of his people.”
15Samuel left Gilgal and went on his way. The rest of the people followed Saul as he went to join his soldiers. They went from Gilgal#13.15 Some ancient translations on his way… went from Gilgal; Hebrew does not have these words. to Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin. Saul inspected his troops, about 600 men. 16Saul, his son Jonathan, and their men camped in Geba in the territory of Benjamin; the Philistine camp was at Michmash. 17The Philistine soldiers went out on raids from their camp in three groups: one group went towards Ophrah in the territory of Shual, 18another went towards Beth Horon, and the other one went to the border overlooking the Valley of Zeboim and the wilderness.
19There were no blacksmiths in Israel because the Philistines were determined to keep the Hebrews from making swords and spears. 20(The Israelites had to go to the Philistines to get their ploughs, hoes, axes, and sickles#13.20 One ancient translation sickles; Hebrew ploughs. sharpened; 21the charge was one small coin for sharpening axes and for repairing ox goads,#13.21 Probable text the charge… repairing ox goads; Hebrew unclear. and two coins for sharpening ploughs or hoes.) 22And so on the day of battle none of the Israelite soldiers except Saul and his son Jonathan had swords or spears.
23The Philistines sent a group of soldiers to defend the pass of Michmash.
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.