²⁷ And the people of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went against them. The people of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country.

⁵ And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops ^(A)like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of ^(B)Beth-aven. ⁶ When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves ^(C)in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, ⁷ and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

Saul's Unlawful Sacrifice

^8 (D)He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.

⁵ For they would come up with their livestock and their tents; they would come ^(A)like locusts in number—both they and their camels could not be counted—so that they laid waste the land as they came in.

Wisdom Better Than Folly

^11 (A)Again I saw that under the sun ^(B)the race is not to the swift, nor ^(C)the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and ^(D)chance ^(E)happen to them all.

^7 (A)“Be strong and courageous. ^(B)Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, ^(C)for there are more with us than with him. ⁸ With him is ^(D)an arm of flesh, ^(E)but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

² Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah in the pomegranate cave^[a] at ^(A)Migron. The people who were with him were about ^(B)six hundred men,

⁸ So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him ^(A)in the valley.

¹¹ “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for ^(A)within three days ^(B)you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’”