1 Samuel 13
13
Saul Makes His First Mistake
1Saul was 30#13:1 30 This first number and part of the second number in this verse are missing in the Hebrew text. The whole verse is missing from most copies of the ancient Greek version, but a few late Greek copies have the numbers 30 and 42. Acts 13:21 says that Saul was king for 40 years. years old when he became king. He ruled over Israel 42 years.#13:1 He ruled … 42 years Or “After he had ruled over Israel for 2 years, ….” 2Saul chose 3000 men from Israel. There were 2000 men who stayed with him at Micmash in the hill country of Bethel. There were 1000 men who stayed with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul sent the other men in the army back home.
3Jonathan defeated the Philistines at their camp in Geba. The Philistines heard about this. They said, “The Hebrews have rebelled.”#13:3 They said … rebelled This is from the ancient Greek version.
Saul said, “Let the Hebrew people hear what happened.” So Saul told the men to blow trumpets through all the land of Israel. 4All the Israelites heard this news: “Saul has killed the Philistine leader. Now the Philistines will really hate the Israelites!”
The Israelites were called to join Saul at Gilgal. 5The Philistines gathered to fight Israel. The Philistines camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven. They had 3000#13:5 3000 This is found in some copies of the ancient Greek version and the Syriac version. The standard Hebrew text has “30,000.” chariots and 6000 horse soldiers. There were so many Philistines that they were like sand on the seashore.
6The Israelites saw that they were in trouble. They felt trapped. They ran away to hide in caves and cracks in the rock. They hid among the rocks, in wells, and in other holes in the ground. 7Some Hebrews even went across the Jordan River to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal. All the men in his army were shaking with fear.
8Samuel said he would meet Saul at Gilgal. Saul waited there seven days. But Samuel had not yet come to Gilgal, and the soldiers began to leave Saul. 9So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings.” Then Saul offered the burnt offering. 10As soon as Saul finished offering that sacrifice, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet him.
11Samuel asked, “What have you done?”
Saul answered, “I saw the soldiers leaving me. You were not here on time, and the Philistines were gathering at Micmash. 12I thought to myself, ‘The Philistines will come here and attack me at Gilgal, and I haven’t asked the Lord to help us yet.’ So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”
13Samuel said, “You did a foolish thing. You did not obey the Lord your God. If you had done what he commanded, the Lord would have let your family rule Israel forever. 14But now your kingdom won’t continue. The Lord was looking for a man who wants to obey him.#13:14 a man who wants to obey him Literally, “a man according to his heart.” This could also mean “a man of his own choosing.” He has found that man—and the Lord has chosen him to be the new leader of his people, because you didn’t obey his command.” 15Then Samuel got up and left Gilgal.
The Battle at Micmash
Saul and the rest of his army left Gilgal#13:15 Saul and the rest of his army left Gilgal This is found in the ancient Greek version but not in the standard Hebrew text. and went to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul counted the men who were still with him. There were about 600. 16Saul, his son Jonathan, and the soldiers went to Geba in Benjamin.
The Philistines were camped at Micmash. 17So their best soldiers began the attack. The Philistine army split into three groups. One group went north on the road to Ophrah, near Shual. 18The second group went southeast on the road to Beth Horon, and the third group went east on the road to the border. That road looks over the Valley of Zeboim toward the desert.
19There were no blacksmiths in Israel. The Philistines would not allow them because they were afraid the Israelites would make iron swords and spears. 20Only the Philistines could sharpen iron tools. So if the Israelites needed to sharpen their plows, hoes, axes, or sickles, they had to go to the Philistines. 21The Philistine blacksmiths charged 1/3 ounce#13:21 1/3 ounce Literally, “1 pim” (7.8 g). of silver for sharpening plows and hoes and 1/6 ounce#13:21 1/6 ounce Literally, “1/3 shekel” (3.8 g). of silver for sharpening picks, axes, and the iron tip on ox goads. 22So on the day of battle, none of the Israelite soldiers with Saul had iron swords or spears. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had such weapons.
23A group of Philistine soldiers guarded the mountain pass at Micmash.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
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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