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 [L must 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 [L two-thirds of a shekel] for sharpening plows and hoes. And they charged ·one-eighth of an ounce of silver [L one-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 [L in their hands]. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
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1 Samuel 13:15-22
New American Standard Bible
15 Then Samuel set out and went up from Gilgal to (A)Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul [a]counted the people who were [b]present with him, (B)about six hundred men. 16 Now Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were [c]present with them were staying in (C)Geba of Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash. 17 Then (D)[d]raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three [e]companies: one [f]company turned [g]toward (E)Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 and another [h]company turned [i]toward (F)Beth-horon, and another [j]company turned [k]toward the border that overlooks the Valley of (G)Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 Now (H)no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make [l](I)swords or spears.” 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe. 21 The charge was [m]two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to fix the [n]cattle goads. 22 So it came about on the day of battle that (J)neither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Samuel 13:15 Lit mustered
- 1 Samuel 13:15 Lit found
- 1 Samuel 13:16 Lit found
- 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit destroyers
- 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit heads
- 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit head
- 1 Samuel 13:17 Lit to the way of
- 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit head
- 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit the way of
- 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit head
- 1 Samuel 13:18 Lit the way of
- 1 Samuel 13:19 Lit sword or spear
- 1 Samuel 13:21 Heb pim
- 1 Samuel 13:21 I.e., spiked sticks for driving cattle
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