1 Samuel 13:1-15
Christian Standard Bible
Saul’s Failure
13 Saul was thirty years[a] old when he became king, and he reigned forty-two years[b] over Israel.[c] 2 He chose three thousand men from Israel for himself: two thousand were with Saul at Michmash(A) and in Bethel’s hill country, and one thousand 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) in Gibeah,[e] and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land(D) saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” [f](E) 4 And all Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison, 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: three thousand[g] chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore.(F) They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.[h](G)
6 The men of Israel saw that they were in trouble because the troops were in a difficult situation. They hid in caves, in thickets, among rocks, and in holes and cisterns.(H) 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. 8 He waited seven days for the appointed time that Samuel had set,(I) but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the troops were deserting him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” Then he offered the burnt offering.
10 Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. So Saul went out to greet him, 11 and Samuel asked, “What have you done?”
Saul answered, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me and you didn’t come within the appointed days and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash, 12 I thought, ‘The Philistines will now descend on me at Gilgal, and I haven’t sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”
13 Samuel said to Saul, “You have been foolish.(J) You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.(K) It was at this time that the Lord would have permanently established your reign over Israel,(L) 14 but now your reign will not endure.(M) The Lord has found a man after his own heart,[i](N) and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over his people, because you have not done what the Lord commanded.” 15 Then Samuel went[j] from Gilgal to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul registered the troops who were with him, about six hundred men.
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- 13:1 Some LXX mss; MT reads was one year
- 13:1 Text emended; MT reads two years
- 13:1 Some LXX mss omit v. 1
- 13:3 Or governor, also in v. 4
- 13:3 LXX; MT reads Geba
- 13:3 LXX reads “The slaves have revolted”
- 13:5 One LXX ms, Syr; MT reads 30,000
- 13:5 LXX reads Michmash, opposite Beth-horon to the south
- 13:14 Lit man according to his heart
- 13:15 LXX reads Samuel left Gilgal and went on his way, and the rest of the people followed Saul to join the people in his army. They went
1 Samuel 13:1-15
New American Standard Bible
War with the Philistines
13 Saul was [a]thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for [b]forty-two years over Israel.
2 Now Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of whom two thousand were with Saul in (A)Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while a thousand were with Jonathan at (B)Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent the rest of the people away, each to his tent. 3 And Jonathan attacked (C)the garrison of the Philistines that was in (D)Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul (E)blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 And all Israel heard [c]the news that Saul had attacked the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel (F)had become repulsive to the Philistines. Then the people were summoned [d]to Saul at Gilgal.
5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand 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 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard-pressed), then (I)the people kept themselves hidden in caves, in crevices, in cliffs, in crypts, and in pits. 7 And 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.
8 Now (K)he waited for seven days, until the appointed time that Samuel had set, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And (L)he offered the burnt offering. 10 But as soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and (M)Saul went out to meet him and to [e]greet him. 11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Since I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come at the appointed [f]time, and that (N)the Philistines were assembling at Michmash, 12 I [g]thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not [h]asked the favor of the Lord.’ So I worked up the courage and offered the burnt offering.” 13 But Samuel said to Saul, “(O)You have acted foolishly! (P)You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for the Lord would now have established your kingdom [i]over Israel (Q)forever. 14 But (R)now your kingdom shall not endure. (S)The Lord has sought for Himself a man [j]after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
15 Then Samuel set out and went up from Gilgal to (T)Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul [k]counted the people who were [l]present with him, (U)about six hundred men.
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- 1 Samuel 13:1 As in some LXX mss, but very uncertain; MT one year old
- 1 Samuel 13:1 See Acts 13:21; Heb two years
- 1 Samuel 13:4 Lit saying
- 1 Samuel 13:4 Lit after
- 1 Samuel 13:10 Lit bless
- 1 Samuel 13:11 Lit time of days
- 1 Samuel 13:12 Lit said
- 1 Samuel 13:12 Or appeased
- 1 Samuel 13:13 Lit to
- 1 Samuel 13:14 Lit like His
- 1 Samuel 13:15 Lit mustered
- 1 Samuel 13:15 Lit found
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