1 Samuel 13:1-7
Legacy Standard Bible
Saul Strikes Down the Philistines
13 [a]Saul was [b]thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned [c]forty-two years over Israel.
2 And Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in (A)Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at (B)Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent. 3 And Jonathan struck (C)the garrison of the Philistines that was in (D)Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul (E)blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” 4 Then all Israel heard [d]the news that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel (F)had become odious to the Philistines. The people were then summoned [e]to Saul at Gilgal.
5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 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 Now the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed). Then (I)the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits. 7 Also 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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 13:1 The Heb is difficult; lit Saul was one year old when he began to reign. Now he reigned for two years over Israel
- 1 Samuel 13:1 As in some mss of the LXX; M.T. omits thirty
- 1 Samuel 13:1 See Acts 13:21; M.T. omits forty
- 1 Samuel 13:4 Lit saying
- 1 Samuel 13:4 Lit after
1 Samuel 13:1-7
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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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.
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