1 Samuel 13:1-15
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. 8 He waited seven days for the appointed time that Samuel had set,(J) 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.(K) You have not kept the command which the Lord your God gave you.(L) It was at this time that the Lord would have permanently established your reign over Israel,(M) 14 but now your reign will not endure.(N) The Lord has found a man loyal to Him,[i](O) 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 600 men.
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- 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 13:14 Lit man according to His heart
- 1 Samuel 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
International Standard Version
Saul’s Battles against the Philistines
13 Saul was 30[a] years old when he began to reign, and he ruled for 42[b] years over Israel. 2 Saul chose for himself 3,000 men from Israel. There were 2,000 with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He had sent the rest of the people home.[c]
3 Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison[d] in Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout the land: “Listen, Hebrews!” 4 All Israel heard the report,[e] “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison[f] and Israel has also become repulsive to the Philistines.” Then the people were summoned to Saul at Gilgal.
5 The Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and people as numerous as the sand on the seashore. And they advanced and camped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in distress (for the people were in difficult circumstances), the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in crags, in tombs, and in pits. 7 Hebrews went across the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead, but Saul remained in Gilgal, and all the people followed him, trembling.
8 Saul[g] waited seven days for the appointment set by Samuel. When Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal, as the people began to scatter from Saul,[h] 9 Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering and the peace offering to me,” and he offered the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to meet and greet him.
11 Samuel said, “What have you done?”
Saul replied, “When? I saw that the people were scattering from me, that you didn’t come at the appointed time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash. 12 I[i] thought, ‘The Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal but I’ve not sought the favor of the Lord,’ so I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.”
13 Then Samuel told Saul, “You have acted foolishly. You haven’t obeyed the commandment of the Lord your God, which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, 14 but now your kingdom won’t be established. The Lord has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as Commander-in-Chief[j] over his people because you didn’t obey that which the Lord commanded you.”
15 Then Samuel got up and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul mustered the people present with him, about 600 men.
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- 1 Samuel 13:1 So a few late LXX mss.; the Heb. lacks 30
- 1 Samuel 13:1 Lit. two; cf. Acts 13:21; Josephus’s Antiquities VI.14.9 cites Saul as reigning 18 years before Samuel’s death and 22 years after. But Antiquities X.8.4 cites only 20 years for Saul’s reign.
- 1 Samuel 13:2 Lit. each to his own tent
- 1 Samuel 13:3 Or struck down the Philistine leader
- 1 Samuel 13:4 Lit. heard, saying
- 1 Samuel 13:4 Or struck down the Philistine leader
- 1 Samuel 13:8 Lit. He
- 1 Samuel 13:8 Lit. him
- 1 Samuel 13:12 Or When I … Michmash, 12 I
- 1 Samuel 13:14 Lit. Nagid; i.e. a senior officer entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and administrative authority
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