1 Samuel 13:15-22

Expanded Bible

¹⁵ Then Samuel left Gilgal and went to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul counted the men who were still with him, and there were about six hundred.

Hard Times for Israel

¹⁶ Saul and his son Jonathan and the soldiers with him stayed in Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. The Philistines made their camp at Micmash. ¹⁷ Three ·groups [raiding parties] went out from the Philistine camp to make raids. One ·group [company] went on the Ophrah road in the land of Shual. ¹⁸ The second group went on the Beth Horon road. The third group went on the border road that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the ·desert [wilderness].

¹⁹ The whole land of Israel had no blacksmith because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews ·might [^Lmust not] make swords and spears.” ²⁰ So all the Israelites had to go down to the Philistines to have their plows, hoes, axes, and sickles sharpened. ²¹ The Philistine blacksmiths charged ·about one-fourth of an ounce of silver [^Ltwo-thirds of a shekel] for sharpening plows and hoes. And they charged ·one-eighth of an ounce of silver [^Lone-third of a shekel] for sharpening picks, axes, and the ·sticks used to guide oxen [goads].

²² So when the battle came, the ·soldiers [people] with Saul and Jonathan had no swords or spears [^Lin their hands]. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.