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
Saul Disobeys the Lord
1Saul was a young man#13.1 a young man: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text; several manuscripts of one ancient translation have “thirty years old.” when he became king, and he ruled Israel for two years. 2Then#13.1,2 for … Then: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. he chose 3,000 men from Israel to be full-time soldiers and sent everyone else#13.2 everyone else: People who were not full-time soldiers, but fought together with the army when the nation was in danger. home. Two thousand of these troops stayed with him in the hills around Michmash and Bethel. The other 1,000 were stationed with Jonathan#13.2 Jonathan: Saul's son (see verse 16). at Gibeah#13.2 Michmash … Bethel … Gibeah: These three towns form a triangle, with Bethel to the north. in the territory of Benjamin.
3Jonathan led an attack on the Philistine army camp at Geba.#13.3 Geba: Geba was between Gibeah and Michmash. The Philistine camp was destroyed, but#13.3 led an attack … destroyed, but: Or “killed the Philistine military governor who lived at Geba, and.” the other Philistines heard what had happened. Then Saul told his messengers, “Go to every village in the country. Give a signal with the trumpet, and when the people come together, tell them what has happened.”
4The messengers then said to the people of Israel, “Saul has destroyed the Philistine army camp at Geba.#13.4 destroyed … Geba: Or “killed the Philistine military governor who lived at Geba.” Now the Philistines really hate Israel, so every town and village must send men to join Saul's army at Gilgal.”
5The Philistines called their army together to fight Israel. They had 3,000#13.5 3,000: Some ancient translations; Hebrew “30,000.” chariots, 6,000 cavalry, and as many foot soldiers as there are grains of sand on the beach. They went to Michmash and set up camp there east of Beth-Aven.#13.5 Beth-Aven: This Beth-Aven was probably located about one and a half kilometers southwest of Michmash, between Michmash and Geba.
6The Israelite army realized that they were outnumbered and were going to lose the battle. Some of the Israelite men hid in caves or in clumps of bushes,#13.6 in … bushes: Or “in cracks in the rocks.” and some ran to places where they could hide among large rocks. Others hid in tombs#13.6 tombs: The Hebrew word may mean a room cut into solid rock and used as a burial place, or it may mean a cellar. or in deep dry pits. 7Still others#13.7 Still others: This translates a Hebrew word which may be used of wandering groups of people who sometimes became outlaws or hired soldiers (see also 14.21). went to Gad and Gilead on the other side of the Jordan River.
Saul stayed at Gilgal. His soldiers were shaking with fear, 8#1 S 10.8. and they were starting to run off and leave him. Saul waited there seven days, just as Samuel had ordered him to do,#13.8 Samuel … to do: See 10.8. but Samuel did not come. 9Finally, Saul commanded, “Bring me some animals, so we can offer sacrifices to please the Lord and ask for his help.”
Saul killed one of the animals, 10and just as he placed it on the altar, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to welcome him.
11“What have you done?” Samuel asked.
Saul answered, “My soldiers were leaving in all directions, and you didn't come when you were supposed to. The Philistines were gathering at Michmash, 12and I was worried that they would attack me here at Gilgal. I hadn't offered a sacrifice to ask for the Lord's help, so I forced myself to offer a sacrifice on the altar fire.”
13“That was stupid!” Samuel said. “You didn't obey the Lord your God. If you had obeyed him, someone from your family would always have been king of Israel. 14#Ac 13.22. But no, you disobeyed, and so the Lord won't choose anyone else from your family to be king. In fact, he has already chosen the one he wants to be the next leader of his people.” 15Then Samuel left Gilgal.
Part of Saul's army had not deserted him, and he led them to Gibeah in Benjamin to join his other troops. Then he counted them#13.15 Then Samuel … counted them: Two ancient translations; Hebrew “Then Samuel left Gilgal and went to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul counted his army.” and found that he still had 600 men. 16Saul, Jonathan, and their army set up camp at Geba in Benjamin.
Jonathan Attacks the Philistines
The Philistine army was camped at Michmash. 17Each day they sent out patrols to attack and rob villages and then destroy them. One patrol would go north along the road to Ophrah in the region of Shual. 18Another patrol would go west along the road to Beth-Horon. A third patrol would go east toward the desert on the road to the ridge that overlooks Zeboim Valley.
19The Philistines would not allow any Israelites to learn how to make iron tools. “If we allowed that,” they said, “those worthless Israelites would make swords and spears.”
20-21Whenever the Israelites wanted to get an iron point put on a cattle prod,#13.20,21 cattle prod: A pole used to poke cattle and make them move. they had to go to the Philistines. Even if they wanted to sharpen plow-blades, picks, axes, sickles,#13.20,21 sickles: One ancient translation; Hebrew “plow-blades.” and pitchforks#13.20,21 pitchforks: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. they still had to go to them. And the Philistines charged high prices. 22So, whenever the Israelite soldiers had to go into battle, none of them had a sword or a spear except Saul and his son Jonathan.
23The Philistines moved their camp to the pass at Michmash,
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