1 Samuel 13:15-22
New Living Translation
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.[a] 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,[b] they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith. 21 The charges were as follows: a quarter of an ounce[c] of silver for sharpening a plowshare or a pick, and an eighth of an ounce[d] 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.
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1 Samuel 13:15-22
International Standard Version
15 Then Samuel got up and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul mustered the people present with him, about 600 men. 16 Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people present with them remained in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped in Michmash. 17 Raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three companies. One company turned in the direction of[a] Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 one company turned in the direction of[b] Beth-horon, while the one company turned toward the border[c] that overlooks the valley of Zeboiim toward the desert.
The Philistine Monopoly on Metal Working
19 No blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel because the Philistines thought, “This will keep the Hebrews from making swords or spears.” 20 Everyone in Israel would have to go to the Philistines so each person could sharpen his plow, his mattock, his axe, and his sickle.[d] 21 The charge was one pin[e] for plows, mattocks, three pronged forks,[f] and axes, or for setting the goads. 22 On the day of battle, none of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan were armed with swords or spears, but Saul and his son Jonathan did have[g] them.
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- 1 Samuel 13:17 Or along the road to
- 1 Samuel 13:18 Or along the road to
- 1 Samuel 13:18 Or along the border road
- 1 Samuel 13:20 So LXX; MT, plow
- 1 Samuel 13:21 I.e. a unit of measurement equal to about 2/3 of a shekel, weighing about 0.3 ounces; one shekel weighed about 0.4 ounces
- 1 Samuel 13:21 The meaning of MT is uncertain
- 1 Samuel 13:22 Lit. were found with
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