1 Samuel 13:15-22

The Voice

¹⁵ Samuel left Gilgal then and went on his way to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. When Saul counted his forces, they numbered about 600 men. ¹⁶ Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who had remained with him camped at Geba in Benjamin, but the Philistines were camped at Michmash.

¹⁷ Philistine raiders left their camp in three divisions: one group went toward Ophrah, in the land of Shual. ¹⁸ Another group went toward Beth-horon, and another group went toward the borderland that looks down on the valley of Zeboim in the wilderness.

¹⁹ Now at that time there were no blacksmiths in all the land of Israel because the Philistines said, “Then the Hebrews will be capable of making swords or spears.” ²⁰ That meant that the Israelites had to go to Philistine blacksmiths to have their farm implements and their axes sharpened. ²¹ They charged one-fourth of an ounce to sharpen picks and plow blades, and one-eighth of an ounce for axes and goads. ²² That meant that on the day of the battle, none of the forces of Israel owned swords or spears, except for Saul and his son Jonathan.