The First Book of Samuel

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 13 -

Saul nowe had beene King one yeere, and he reigned two yeeres ouer Israel.

Then Saul chose him three thousand of Israel: and two thousande were with Saul in Michmash, and in mount Beth-el, and a thousande were with Ionathan in Gibeah of Beniamin: and the rest of the people he sent euery one to his tent.

And Ionathan smote the garison of the Philistims, that was in the hill: and it came to the Philistims eares: and Saul blewe the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Heare, O yee Ebrewes.

And al Israel heard say, Saul hath destroied a garison of the Philistims: wherefore Israel was had in abomination with the Philistims: and the people gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.

The Philistims also gathered themselues together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand charets, and sixe thousande horsemen: for the people was like the sand which is by the seas side in multitude, and came vp, and pitched in Michmash Eastward from Beth-auen.

And when the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were in distresse) the people hid themselues in caues, and in holdes, and in rockes, and in towres, and in pittes.

And some of the Ebrewes went ouer Iorden vnto the lande of Gad and Gilead: and Saul was yet in Gilgal, and al the people for feare followed him.

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice

And he taried seuen daies, according vnto the time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal, therefore the people were scattered from him.

And Saul sayde, Bring a burnt offering to me and peace offrings: and he offered a burnt offering.

And assoone as hee had made an ende of offering the burnt offering, beholde, Samuel came: and Saul went foorth to meete him, to salute him.

And Samuel saide, What hast thou done? Then Saul saide, Because I sawe that the people was scattred from me, and that thou camest not within the daies appoynted, and that the Philistims gathered themselues together to Michmash,

Therefore said I, The Philistims will come downe nowe vpon me to Gilgal, and I haue not made supplication vnto the Lord. I was bolde therefore and offred a burnt offring.

And Samuel saide to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for the Lord had nowe stablished thy kingdome vpon Israel for euer.

But nowe thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his owne heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be gouernour ouer his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord had commanded thee.

And Samuel arose, and gate him vp from Gilgal in Gibeah of Beniamin: and Saul nombred the people that were found with him, about sixe hundreth men.

Israel without Weapons

And Saul and Ionathan his sonne, and the people that were found with them, had their abiding in Gibeah of Beniamin: but the Philistims pitched in Michmash.

And there came out of the hoste of the Philistims three bandes to destroie, one bande turned vnto the way of Ophrah vnto the lande of Shual,

And another bad turned toward the way to Beth-horon, and the third band turned toward the way of the coast that looketh toward the valley of Zeboim, towarde the wildernesse.

Then there was no smith founde throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistims sayde, Lest the Ebrewes make them swordes or speares.

Wherefore all ye Israelites went downe to the Philistims, to sharpen euery man his share, his mattocke, and his axe, and his weeding hooke.

Yet they had a file for the shares, and for the mattockes, and for the picke forkes, and for the axes, and for to sharpen the goades.

So whe the day of battell was come, there was neither sworde nor speare founde in the handes of any of the people that were with Saul and with Ionathan: but onely with Saul and Ionathan his sonne was there founde.

And the garison of the Philistims came out to the passage of Michmash.

Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.(a)

Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people to their own tents.

Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”

All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was considered an abomination to the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.

The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven.

When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, and in pits.

Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice

He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.

Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering to me here, and the peace offerings.” He offered the burnt offering.

It came to pass that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.

Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash,

therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favor of the LORD.’ I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering.”

Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for now the LORD would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.

But now your kingdom will not continue. The LORD has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you.”

Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

Israel without Weapons

Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

The raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;

another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears”;

but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his own plowshare, mattock, ax, and sickle.

The price was one payim(b) each to sharpen mattocks, plowshares, pitchforks, axes, and goads.

So it came to pass in the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.

The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

Footnotes

(a)13:1 The traditional Hebrew text omits “thirty” and “forty-”. The blanks are filled in here from a few manuscripts of the Septuagint.

(b)13:21 A payim (or pim) was 2/3 shekel of silver, or 0.26 ounces, or 7.6 grams