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1 Samuel 13:1-7
English Standard Version
1 Samuel 13:1-7
English Standard Version
Saul Fights the Philistines
13 Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel,[a] 2 Saul chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in (A)Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in (B)Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent. 3 Jonathan defeated (C)the garrison of the Philistines that was (D)at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul (E)blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” 4 And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops (F)like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of (G)Beth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves (H)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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 13:1 Hebrew Saul was one year old when he became king, and he reigned two years over Israel; some Greek manuscripts give Saul's age when he began to reign as thirty years
1 Samuel 13:1-7
Holman Christian Standard Bible
1 Samuel 13:1-7
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Saul’s Failure
13 Saul was 30 years[a] old when he became king, and he reigned 42 years[b] over Israel.[c] 2 He chose 3,000 men from Israel for himself: 2,000 were with Saul at Michmash(A) and in Bethel’s hill country, and 1,000 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) that was in Geba,(D) and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land(E) saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”[e](F) 4 And all Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison,[f] 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: 3,000[g] chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore.(G) They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.[h](H)
6 The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because the troops were in a difficult situation. They hid in caves, thickets, among rocks, and in holes and cisterns.(I) 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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 13:1 Some LXX mss; MT reads was one year
- 1 Samuel 13:1 Text emended; MT reads two years
- 1 Samuel 13:1 Some LXX mss omit v. 1
- 1 Samuel 13:3 Or governor
- 1 Samuel 13:3 LXX reads The slaves have revolted
- 1 Samuel 13:4 Or governor
- 1 Samuel 13:5 One LXX ms, Syr; MT reads 30,000
- 1 Samuel 13:5 LXX reads Michmash, opposite Beth-horon to the south
1 Samuel 13:1-7
New International Version
1 Samuel 13:1-7
New International Version
Samuel Rebukes Saul
13 Saul was thirty[a] years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-[b] two years.
2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand(A) were with him at Mikmash(B) and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah(C) in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.
3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost(D) at Geba,(E) and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet(F) blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious(G) to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 The Philistines assembled(H) to fight Israel, with three thousand[c] chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand(I) on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash,(J) east of Beth Aven.(K) 6 When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid(L) in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.(M) 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad(N) and Gilead.
Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking(O) with fear.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 13:1 A few late manuscripts of the Septuagint; Hebrew does not have thirty.
- 1 Samuel 13:1 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text (see Acts 13:21); Masoretic Text does not have forty-.
- 1 Samuel 13:5 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew thirty thousand
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.