19 (A)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.” 20 But every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle,[a] 21 and the charge was two-thirds of a shekel[b] for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekel[c] for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads.[d] 22 So on the day of the battle (B)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.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 13:20 Septuagint; Hebrew plowshare
  2. 1 Samuel 13:21 Hebrew was a pim
  3. 1 Samuel 13:21 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
  4. 1 Samuel 13:21 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain

19 Not a blacksmith(A) could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!(B) 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles[a] sharpened. 21 The price was two-thirds of a shekel[b] for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel[c] for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.

22 So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan(C) had a sword or spear(D) in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 13:20 Septuagint; Hebrew plow points
  2. 1 Samuel 13:21 That is, about 1/4 ounce or about 8 grams
  3. 1 Samuel 13:21 That is, about 1/8 ounce or about 4 grams