1 S aul was forty years old when he began to rule. He ruled over Israel thirty-two years.

¶ Saul was as a son of one year when he began to reign, and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

2 S aul chose 3, 000 men of Israel. There were 2, 000 of them with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel. And 1, 000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent.

Saul chose three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in Mount Bethel and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; and of the rest of the people he sent each one to his tent.

3 J onathan destroyed the place where the Philistine soldiers were in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul sounded the horn through all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.”

And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul caused the shofar to be blown throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

4 A ll Israel heard the news that Saul had destroyed the place where the Philistine soldiers were. And they heard that Israel had become a hated thing to the Philistines. Then the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

And all Israel heard it said that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines and also that Israel had become a stench unto the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

5 T he Philistines gathered to fight against Israel, with 30, 000 war-wagons, 6, 000 horsemen, and people like the sand on the sea shore. They came and set up their tents at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

Then the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude; and they came up and pitched camp in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

6 T he men of Israel saw that they were in trouble. The people were in a place of danger. So the people hid themselves in caves, bushes, hill-sides, graves and wells.

When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves and in thickets and in rocks and in high places and in pits.

7 S ome of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him in fear.

And some of the Hebrews went over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 S aul waited seven days, the time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal. And the people were leaving him.

¶ And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were deserting from him.

9 S o Saul said, “Bring me the burnt gift and the peace gifts.” And he gave the burnt gift to the Lord.

Then Saul said, Bring me a burnt offering and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.

10 A s soon as he finished giving the burnt gift, Samuel came. Saul went out to meet him and say hello.

And it came to pass that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him that he might bless him.

11 B ut Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “I saw that the people were leaving me. You did not come when you said you would. And the Philistines were gathering at Michmash.

Then Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were leaving me and that thou didst not come within the days appointed and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash,

12 S o I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not asked for the Lord’s favor.’ So I made myself give the burnt gift.”

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

13 S amuel said to Saul, “You have done a foolish act. You have not kept the Law that the Lord your God gave you. For now the Lord would have made your rule over Israel last forever.

Then Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee, for now the LORD would have established thy kingdom over Israel for ever.

14 B ut now your rule will not last. The Lord has found a man who is pleasing to him in every way. He has chosen him to rule over his people, because you have not obeyed the Lord.”

But now thy kingdom shall not stand; the LORD has sought a man after his own heart unto whom the LORD has commanded that he be captain over his people because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

15 T hen Samuel got up and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people that were left with him, about 600 men. No Swords or Spears

¶ And Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.

16 S aul and his son Jonathan, and the people with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines stayed at Michmash.

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

17 S oldiers came from the tents of the Philistines in three groups. One group turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual.

And three companies came out of the camp of the Philistines to destroy the land. One company turned unto the way that leads to Ophrah unto the land of Shual.

18 A nother group turned toward Bethhoron. And another group turned toward the side of the country that looks over the valley of Zeboim toward the desert.

Another company turned the way to Bethhoron, and another company turned to the way of the border that looks to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

19 N ow there was no one to be found in all the land of Israel who made things of iron. For the Philistines said, “The Hebrews might make swords or spears.”

Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had said, Lest peradventure the Hebrews make swords or spears.

20 S o each one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to get his plow, his pick, his ax, or his grain cutter sharpened.

But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen each man his share and his coulter and his axe and his mattock

21 H e had to pay two-thirds part of a piece of silver to have the plows and picks sharpened, and one-third part of a piece of silver to have the axes and grain cutters sharpened.

and when they had nicks in the mattocks and the coulters and the forks and the axes, or to fix a goad.

22 S o on the day of battle there was no sword or spear in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

So it came to pass in the day of battle that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan except with Saul and with Jonathan his son who had them.

23 A nd the Philistine soldiers went out to the pass of Michmash.

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