1 Samuel 13
Christian Standard Bible
Saul’s Failure
13 Saul was thirty years[a] old when he became king, and he reigned forty-two years[b] over Israel.[c] 2 He chose three thousand men from Israel for himself: two thousand were with Saul at Michmash(A) and in Bethel’s hill country, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah(B) of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the troops away, each to his own tent.
3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison[d](C) in Gibeah,[e] and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land(D) saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” [f](E) 4 And all Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison, and Israel is now repulsive to the Philistines.” Then the troops were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 The Philistines also gathered to fight against Israel: three thousand[g] chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore.(F) They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.[h](G)
6 The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because the troops were in a difficult situation. They hid in caves, in thickets, among rocks, and in holes and cisterns.(H) 7 Some 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. 8 He waited seven days for the appointed time that Samuel had set,(I) but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the troops were deserting him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering.
10 Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. So Saul went out to greet him, 11 and 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, 12 I 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.”
13 Samuel said to Saul, “You have been foolish.(J) You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.(K) It was at this time that the Lord would have permanently established your reign over Israel,(L) 14 but now your reign will not endure.(M) The Lord has found a man after his own heart,[i](N) and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over his people, because you have not done what the Lord commanded.” 15 Then Samuel went[j] from Gilgal to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul registered the troops who were with him, about six hundred men.
16 Saul, his son Jonathan, and the troops who were with them were staying in Geba(O) of Benjamin, and the Philistines were camped at Michmash. 17 Raiding parties(P) went out from the Philistine camp in three divisions. One division headed toward the Ophrah(Q) road leading to the land of Shual. 18 The next division headed toward the Beth-horon(R) road, and the last division headed down the border road that looks out over the Zeboim Valley(S) toward the wilderness.
19 No blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel(T) because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise, the Hebrews will make swords or spears.” 20 So all the Israelites went to the Philistines to sharpen their plows, mattocks, axes, and sickles.[k] 21 The price was two-thirds of a shekel[l] for plows and mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for pitchforks and axes, and for putting a point on a cattle prod. 22 So 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(U) and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.
Jonathan’s Victory over the Philistines
23 Now a Philistine garrison(V) took control of the pass at Michmash.
Footnotes
- 13:1 Some LXX mss; MT reads was one year
- 13:1 Text emended; MT reads two years
- 13:1 Some LXX mss omit v. 1
- 13:3 Or governor, also in v. 4
- 13:3 LXX; MT reads Geba
- 13:3 LXX reads “The slaves have revolted”
- 13:5 One LXX ms, Syr; MT reads 30,000
- 13:5 LXX reads Michmash, opposite Beth-horon to the south
- 13:14 Lit man according to his heart
- 13:15 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
- 13:20 LXX; MT reads plowshares
- 13:21 Lit of a pim; about one-fourth ounce of silver
1 Samuel 13
New Living Translation
Continued War with Philistia
13 Saul was thirty[a] years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty-two years.[b]
2 Saul selected 3,000 special troops from the army of Israel and sent the rest of the men home. He took 2,000 of the chosen men with him to Micmash and the hill country of Bethel. The other 1,000 went with Saul’s son Jonathan to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin.
3 Soon after this, Jonathan attacked and defeated the garrison of Philistines at Geba. The news spread quickly among the Philistines. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, hear this! Rise up in revolt!” 4 All Israel heard the news that Saul had destroyed the Philistine garrison at Geba and that the Philistines now hated the Israelites more than ever. So the entire Israelite army was summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 The Philistines mustered a mighty army of 3,000[c] chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore! They camped at Micmash east of Beth-aven. 6 The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns. 7 Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead.
Saul’s Disobedience and Samuel’s Rebuke
Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear. 8 Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. 9 So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.
10 Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him, 11 but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?”
Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. 12 So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”
13 “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
Israel’s Military Disadvantage
15 Samuel then left Gilgal and went on his way, but the rest of the troops went with Saul to meet the army. They went up from Gilgal to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin.[d] When Saul counted the men who were still with him, he found only 600 were left! 16 Saul and Jonathan and the troops with them were staying at Geba in the land of Benjamin. The Philistines set up their camp at Micmash. 17 Three raiding parties soon left the camp of the Philistines. One went north toward Ophrah in the land of Shual, 18 another went west to Beth-horon, and the third moved toward the border above the valley of Zeboim near the wilderness.
19 There were no blacksmiths in the land of Israel in those days. The Philistines wouldn’t allow them for fear they would make swords and spears for the Hebrews. 20 So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, or sickles,[e] they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith. 21 The charges were as follows: a quarter of an ounce[f] of silver for sharpening a plowshare or a pick, and an eighth of an ounce[g] for sharpening an ax or making the point of an ox goad. 22 So on the day of the battle none of the people of Israel had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan.
23 The pass at Micmash had meanwhile been secured by a contingent of the Philistine army.
Footnotes
- 13:1a As in a few Greek manuscripts; the number is missing in the Hebrew.
- 13:1b Hebrew reigned . . . and two; the number is incomplete in the Hebrew. Compare Acts 13:21.
- 13:5 As in Greek and Syriac versions; Hebrew reads 30,000.
- 13:15 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads Samuel then left Gilgal and went to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin.
- 13:20 As in Greek version; Hebrew reads or plowshares.
- 13:21a Hebrew 1 pim [8 grams].
- 13:21b Hebrew 1⁄3 [of a shekel] [4 grams].
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