1 Samuel

1 Samuel 13

1Saul's select band. 3Jonathan smiteth the Philistines' garrison, whereupon the people are called together to Gilgal. 5The Philistines bring a great host into the field. 6The distress of the Israelites. 8Saul weary of staying for Samuel offereth a burnt offering. 11His excuse to Samuel, who sharply reproveth him. 17The Philistines send out three bands of spoilers. 19The policy of the Philistines in suffering no smith in Israel.


1SAUL 1reigned aone year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

1Heb. the son of one year in his reigning.

a ch. 10.24; 11.15.

2Saul bchose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in cMichmash and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in dGibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.

b ch. 8.11; 23.23. c ch. 14.5,31. Is. 10.28. v.5,11,23. Ne. 7.31; 11.31. d ch. 10.26. Jos. 18.28. Ju. 19.12. Is. 10.29.

3And Jonathan smote ethe garrison of the Philistines that was in 2Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul fblew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

2Or, the hill. Jos. 18.24.

e ch. 10.5. f Ju. 3.27; 6.34. 2Sa. 2.28; 20.22.

4And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also 3was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to gGilgal.

3Heb. did stink, Ge. 34.30; 46.34. 2Sa. 10.6. Ex. 5.21. ch. 27.12.

g Jos. 5.9,10; 4.19. ch. 10.8; 11.14,15.

5¶And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people has the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from iBeth-aven.

h Ge. 22.17. Jos. 11.4. Ju. 7.12. 2Ch. 1.9. Je. 15.8. Is. 48.19. i Jos. 18.12; 7.2. ch. 14.23.

6When the men of Israel saw that they jwere in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in khigh places, and in pits.

j Ex. 14.10-12. Ju. 10.9; 6.2. ch. 14.11,24. k Ju. 9.46,49.

7And lsome of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of mGad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and nall the people 4followed him trembling.

4Heb. trembled after him.

l Le. 26.17. De. 28.25. m Nu. 21.23-35; 32. n Ju. 7.3.

8¶And ohe tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed : but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

o ch. 10.8.

9And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he poffered the burnt offering.

p De. 12.6. ch. 14.18; 15.22. Is. 28.16. Pr. 3.5,6. 1Ki. 3.4.

10And it came to pass, that qas soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might 5salute him.

5Heb. bless him, Ru. 2.4. Ps. 129.8.

q Ps. 37.7. Pr. 20.22.

11¶And Samuel said, rWhat hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at sMichmash;

r Ge. 3.13; 4.10. Jos. 7.19. 2Ki. 5.25. s v.2,5,16,23. ch. 14.5. Is. 10.28.

12Therefore tsaid I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not 6made supplication unto the LORD: uI forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

6Heb. intreated the face.

t 1Ki. 12.26. Ps. 14.1. u Ja. 1.14. Ro. 2.1.

13And Samuel said to Saul, vThou hast done foolishly: wthou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

v Pr. 19.3. De. 4.6. 2Sa. 12.7,9; 24.10. 1Ki. 18.18. 2Ch. 16.9; 19.2. Mat. 14.3. w ch. 15.11.

14But xnow thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, ybecause thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

x ch. 2.30; 15.26,28. Ho. 13.10,11. Ps. 89.19,20; 78.70; 4.3. ch. 16.1,12. Ac. 13.22. y Is. 3.11; 59.1,2. La. 3.39. ch. 12.25. Je. 2.17,19; 4.18; 5.25; 6.19. Pr. 1.31; 13.21. Ps. 9.15,16; 140.11.

15And Samuel arose, and *gat him up from Gilgal unto zGibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were 7present with him, aabout six hundred men.

*gat-got.

7Heb. found.

z Jos. 18.28. a v.2,6,7. ch. 14.2.

16And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in 8Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

8Heb. Geba.

17¶And bthe spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to cOphrah, unto the land of dShual:

b ch. 14.15. c Jos. 18.23. not that Ju. 6.11; 8.27,32. d ch. 9.4.

18And another company turned the way to eBeth-horon: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to fthe valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

e Jos. 10.10; 16.3,5; 18.13. 2Ch. 8.5. 1Ch. 7.24. f Ne. 11.34.

19¶Now gthere was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:

g Ju. 5.8; 15.15. 2Ki. 24.14. ch. 17.45. Je. 24.1.

20But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his h*coulter, and his axe, and his *mattock.

*coulter-blade, part of a plough.

*mattock-pick axe.

h Is. 2.4. Joel 3.10. Mi. 4.3 in the Heb.

21Yet they had 9a file for the *mattocks, and for the *coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to 10sharpen the goads.

9Heb. a file with mouths.

*mattock-pick axe.

*coulter-blade, part of a plough.

10Heb. set.

22So it came to pass in the day of battle, ithat there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.

i Ju. 5.8. ch. 17.47. 1Co. 1.27. Zec. 4.6.

23And the 11garrison of the Philistines went out to jthe *passage of Michmash.

11Or, standing camp. ch. 14.1,4,6,11,15. 2Sa. 23.14.

*passage-mountain pass.

j ch. 14.4,5. Is. 10.29. Je. 22.20.