1 Samuel 13
13
Saul Fights the Philistines
1Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel,#13:1 Hebrew Saul was one year old when he became king, and he reigned two years over Israel; some Greek manuscripts give Saul’s age when he began to reign as thirty years 2Saul chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in #ver. 5, 11, 16, 23; ch. 14:31 Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in #ver. 15; ch. 10:26Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent. 3Jonathan defeated #ch. 10:5 the garrison of the Philistines that was #ver. 16; ch. 14:5 at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul #[Judg. 3:27]blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” 4And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.
5And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops #Josh. 11:4 like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of #ch. 14:23Beth-aven. 6When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves #Judg. 6:2; Heb. 11:38in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, 7and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice
8 # ch. 10:8 He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 9So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. 11Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13And Samuel said to Saul, #2 Sam. 24:10; 1 Chr. 21:8; 2 Chr. 16:9 “You have done foolishly. #ch. 15:11You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14But now #ch. 15:28 your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man #Cited Acts 13:22after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince#13:14 Or leader over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” 15And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal. The rest of the people went up after Saul to meet the army; they went up from Gilgal#13:15 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks The rest of the people . . . from Gilgal to #ver. 2 Gibeah of Benjamin.
And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, #ch. 14:2about six hundred men. 16And Saul and Jonathan his son and the people who were present with them stayed in #ver. 3; ch. 14:5Geba of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17And #ch. 14:15raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual; 18another company turned toward #See Josh. 10:10 Beth-horon; and another company turned toward the border that looks down on the Valley of #Neh. 11:34Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 # [2 Kgs. 24:14] Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears.” 20But every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle,#13:20 Septuagint; Hebrew plowshare 21and the charge was two-thirds of a shekel#13:21 Hebrew was a pim for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekel#13:21 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads.#13:21 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain 22So on the day of the battle #[Judg. 5:8]there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and Jonathan his son had them. 23And #ch. 14:1, 4, 6, 11; 2 Sam. 23:14 the garrison of the Philistines went out to the #ch. 14:4, 5; Isa. 10:28, 29 pass of #Isa. 10:28Michmash.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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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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