“1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over
Israel, 2 Saul chose him three thousand [men] of Israel; [whereof] two
thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand
were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he
sent every man to his tent. 3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the
Philistines that [was] in Geba, and the Philistines heard [of it]. And
Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews
hear. 4 And all Israel heard say [that] Saul had smitten a garrison of
the Philistines, and [that] Israel also was had in abomination with the
Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal. 5
And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel,
thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the
sand which [is] on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and
pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven. 6 When the men of Israel
saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then
the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks,
and in high places, and in pits. 7 And [some of] the Hebrews went over
Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he [was] yet in
Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.”
“8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel
[had appointed]: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were
scattered from him. 9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to
me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 10 And it
came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt
offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he
might salute him. 11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul
said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and [that]
thou camest not within the days appointed, and [that] the Philistines
gathered themselves together at Michmash; 12 Therefore said I, The
Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made
supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a
burnt offering. 13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly:
thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he
commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon
Israel for ever. 14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD
hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded
him [to be] captain over his people, because thou hast not kept [that]
which the LORD commanded thee.”
“15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of
Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people [that were] present with him,
about six hundred men. 16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people
[that were] present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the
Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 And the spoilers came out of the
camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the
way [that leadeth to] Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: 18 And another
company turned the way [to] Bethhoron: and another company turned [to]
the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the
wilderness. 19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of
Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make [them] swords or
spears: 20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to
sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his
mattock. 21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters,
and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. 22 So it
came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor
spear found in the hand of any of the people that [were] with Saul and
Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 23
And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.”
(1 Samuel 13:1-23 AV)
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