1 Samuel 13
Expanded Bible
13 Saul was thirty years old when he ·became king [began to reign/rule], and he ·was king [reigned; ruled] over Israel forty-two years.[a] 2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel. Two thousand men stayed with him at Micmash in the ·mountains [hill country] of Bethel, and one thousand men stayed with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul sent the other men in the army back ·home [L to their tents].
3 Jonathan ·attacked [L struck] the Philistine ·camp [garrison] in Geba, and the other Philistines heard about it. Saul said, “Let the Hebrews hear what happened.” So he told the men to blow ·trumpets [ram’s horns] through all the land of Israel. 4 All the Israelites heard the news. The men said, “Saul has ·defeated [struck] the Philistine camp [garrison; C Saul receives credit for Jonathan’s victory]. Now ·the Philistines will really hate us [L Israel will stink among the Philistines]!” Then the Israelites were called to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 The Philistines gathered to fight Israel with three thousand[b] chariots and six thousand ·men to ride in them [horsemen; charioteers]. Their soldiers were as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. The Philistines went and camped at Micmash, which is east of Beth Aven. 6 When the Israelites saw that they were in ·trouble [a tight spot; desperate straits], they went to hide in caves and ·bushes [thickets; or holes], among the ·rocks [cliffs; crevices], and in ·pits [cellars; tombs; vaults] and ·wells [cisterns]. 7 Some Hebrews even went across the Jordan River to the land of Gad and Gilead.
But Saul stayed at Gilgal, and all the men in his army were ·shaking with fear [trembling; quaking]. 8 Saul waited seven days, ·because Samuel had said he would meet him then [L the period/time Samuel had set; C as a priest, Samuel had to offer sacrifices before battle]. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the soldiers began to ·leave [scatter; slip away].
9 So Saul said, “Bring me the whole burnt offering and the ·fellowship [peace; communion] offerings.” Then Saul ·offered [sacrificed] the whole burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished, Samuel arrived, and Saul went to greet him.
11 Samuel asked, “What have you ·done [been doing]?”
Saul answered, “I saw the soldiers ·leaving [scattering from] me, and you were not here ·when you said you would be [at the set/appointed time]. The Philistines were gathering at Micmash. 12 Then I thought, ‘The Philistines will come against me at Gilgal, and I haven’t asked for the Lord’s ·approval [help; favor].’ So I ·forced myself [felt compelled/it necessary] to offer the whole burnt offering.”
13 Samuel said, “You acted foolishly [C only priests could legitimately offer sacrifices]! You haven’t ·obeyed [kept] the command of the Lord your God [C frightened troops should have been allowed to leave; Deut. 20:8–9]. If you had obeyed him, the Lord would have ·made your kingdom continue [established your kingdom] ·in [over] Israel always [C Saul rather than David would have had a dynasty], 14 but now your kingdom will not ·continue [last; endure]. The Lord has ·looked for the kind of man he wants [L sought a man after his own heart; 16:6–13]. He has appointed him to ·rule [L be prince over] his people, because you haven’t ·obeyed his [kept the Lord’s] command.”
15 Then Samuel left Gilgal and went to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul counted the men who were still with him, and there were about six hundred.
Hard Times for Israel
16 Saul and his son Jonathan and the soldiers with him stayed in Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. The Philistines made their camp at Micmash. 17 Three ·groups [raiding parties] went out from the Philistine camp to make raids. One ·group [company] went on the Ophrah road in the land of Shual. 18 The second group went on the Beth Horon road. The third group went on the border road that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the ·desert [wilderness].
19 The whole land of Israel had no blacksmith because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews ·might [L must not] make swords and spears.” 20 So all the Israelites had to go down to the Philistines to have their plows, hoes, axes, and sickles sharpened. 21 The Philistine blacksmiths charged ·about one-fourth of an ounce of silver [L two-thirds of a shekel] for sharpening plows and hoes. And they charged ·one-eighth of an ounce of silver [L one-third of a shekel] for sharpening picks, axes, and the ·sticks used to guide oxen [goads].
22 So when the battle came, the ·soldiers [people] with Saul and Jonathan had no swords or spears [L in their hands]. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
Israel Defeats the Philistines
23 A ·group from [unit/detachment of] the Philistine army had gone out to the pass at Micmash.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 13:1 Saul… years This is how the verse is worded in some early Greek copies. The Hebrew is not clear here.
- 1 Samuel 13:5 three thousand Some Greek copies read “three thousand.” Hebrew copies say “thirty thousand.”
1 Samuel 13
New American Standard Bible
War with the Philistines
13 Saul was [a]thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for [b]forty-two years over Israel.
2 Now Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of whom two thousand were with Saul in (A)Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while a thousand were with Jonathan at (B)Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent the rest of the people away, each to his tent. 3 And Jonathan attacked (C)the garrison of the Philistines that was in (D)Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul (E)blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 And all Israel heard [c]the news that Saul had attacked the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel (F)had become repulsive to the Philistines. Then the people were summoned [d]to Saul at Gilgal.
5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and (G)people like the sand which is on the seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of (H)Beth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard-pressed), then (I)the people kept themselves hidden in caves, in crevices, in cliffs, in crypts, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of (J)Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him, trembling.
8 Now (K)he waited for seven days, until the appointed time that Samuel had set, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And (L)he offered the burnt offering. 10 But as soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and (M)Saul went out to meet him and to [e]greet him. 11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Since I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come at the appointed [f]time, and that (N)the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, 12 I [g]thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not [h]asked the favor of the Lord.’ So I worked up the courage and offered the burnt offering.” 13 But Samuel said to Saul, “(O)You have acted foolishly! (P)You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for the Lord would now have established your kingdom [i]over Israel (Q)forever. 14 But (R)now your kingdom shall not endure. (S)The Lord has sought for Himself a man [j]after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
15 Then Samuel set out and went up from Gilgal to (T)Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul [k]counted the people who were [l]present with him, (U)about six hundred men. 16 Now Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were [m]present with them were staying in (V)Geba of Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash. 17 Then (W)[n]raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three [o]companies: one [p]company turned [q]toward (X)Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 and another [r]company turned [s]toward (Y)Beth-horon, and another [t]company turned [u]toward the border that overlooks the Valley of (Z)Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 Now (AA)no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make [v](AB)swords or spears.” 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe. 21 The charge was [w]two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to fix the [x]cattle goads. 22 So it came about on the day of battle that (AC)neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan. 23 And (AD)the garrison of the Philistines went out to (AE)the gorge of Michmash.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 13:1 As in some LXX mss, but very uncertain; MT one year old
- 1 Samuel 13:1 See Acts 13:21; Heb two years
- 1 Samuel 13:4 Lit saying
- 1 Samuel 13:4 Lit after
- 1 Samuel 13:10 Lit bless
- 1 Samuel 13:11 Lit time of days
- 1 Samuel 13:12 Lit said
- 1 Samuel 13:12 Or appeased
- 1 Samuel 13:13 Lit to
- 1 Samuel 13:14 Lit like His
- 1 Samuel 13:15 Lit mustered
- 1 Samuel 13:15 Lit found
- 1 Samuel 13:16 Lit found
- 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit destroyers
- 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit heads
- 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit head
- 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit to the way of
- 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit head
- 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit the way of
- 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit head
- 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit the way of
- 1 Samuel 13:19 Lit sword or spear
- 1 Samuel 13:21 Heb pim
- 1 Samuel 13:21 I.e., spiked sticks for driving cattle
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