English Standard Version

New Living Translation

Saul Fights the Philistines

Saul lived for one year and then became king, and when he had reigned for two years over Israel,a

1

Continued War with Philistia

Saul was thirtya years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty-two years.b

2

Saul chose three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent.

2

Saul selected 3,000 special troops from the army of Israel and sent the rest of the men home. He took 2,000 of the chosen men with him to Micmash and the hill country of Bethel. The other 1,000 went with Saul’s son Jonathan to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin.

3

Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.”

3

Soon after this, Jonathan attacked and defeated the garrison of Philistines at Geba. The news spread quickly among the Philistines. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, hear this! Rise up in revolt!”

4

And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

4

All Israel heard the news that Saul had destroyed the Philistine garrison at Geba and that the Philistines now hated the Israelites more than ever. So the entire Israelite army was summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

5

And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven.

5

The Philistines mustered a mighty army of 3,000c chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore! They camped at Micmash east of Beth-aven.

6

When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns,

6

The men of Israel saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns.

7

and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

7

Some of them crossed the Jordan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilead.
Saul’s Disobedience and Samuel’s Rebuke

Meanwhile, Saul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear.

8

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice

He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.

8

Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away.

9

So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering.

9

So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.

10

As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him.

10

Just as Saul was finishing with the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and welcome him,

11

Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash,

11

but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?”
Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle.

12

I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.”

12

So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the LORD’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”

13

And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

13

“How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. Had you kept it, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

14

But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be princeb over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

14

But now your kingdom must end, for the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.”

15

And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal. The rest of the people went up after Saul to meet the army; they went up from Gilgalc to Gibeah of Benjamin.
And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

15

Israel’s Military Disadvantage

Samuel then left Gilgal and went on his way, but the rest of the troops went with Saul to meet the army. They went up from Gilgal to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin.d When Saul counted the men who were still with him, he found only 600 were left!

16

And Saul and Jonathan his son and the people who were present with them stayed in Geba of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

16

Saul and Jonathan and the troops with them were staying at Geba in the land of Benjamin. The Philistines set up their camp at Micmash.

17

And raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual;

17

Three raiding parties soon left the camp of the Philistines. One went north toward Ophrah in the land of Shual,

18

another company turned toward Beth-horon; and another company turned toward the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

18

another went west to Beth-horon, and the third moved toward the border above the valley of Zeboim near the wilderness.

19

Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears.”

19

There were no blacksmiths in the land of Israel in those days. The Philistines wouldn’t allow them for fear they would make swords and spears for the Hebrews.

20

But every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle,d

20

So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, or sickles,e they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith.

21

and the charge was two-thirds of a shekele for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekelf for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads.g

21

The charges were as follows: a quarter of an ouncef of silver for sharpening a plowshare or a pick, and an eighth of an ounceg for sharpening an ax or making the point of an ox goad.

22

So on the day of the battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.

22

So on the day of the battle none of the people of Israel had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan.

23

And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.

23

The pass at Micmash had meanwhile been secured by a contingent of the Philistine army.

Parallel

English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1 Samuel 13

1 Samuel 13