1 Samuel 13 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Saul Strikes Down the Philistines

1 [fn]Saul ^H7586 was [fn]thirty years ^H8141 old ^H1121 when he began to reign ^H4427, and he reigned ^H4427 [fn]forty-two ^H8147 years ^H8141 over ^H5921 Israel ^H3478.

2 And Saul ^H7586 chose ^H977 for himself 3,000 ^H7969 H505 men of Israel ^H3478, of which 2,000 ^H505 were with Saul ^H7586 in Michmash ^H4363 and in the hill ^H2022 country ^H2022 of Bethel ^H1008, while 1,000 ^H505 were with Jonathan ^H3083 at Gibeah ^H1390 of Benjamin ^H1144. But he sent ^H7971 away ^H7971 the rest ^H3499 of the people ^H5971, each ^H376 to his tent ^H168.

3 And Jonathan ^H3083 struck ^H5221 the garrison ^H5333 of the Philistines ^H6430 that was in Geba ^H1387, and the Philistines ^H6430 heard ^H8085 of it. Then Saul ^H7586 blew ^H8628 the trumpet ^H7782 throughout ^H3605 the land ^H776, saying ^H559, “Let the Hebrews ^H5680 hear ^H8085.” 4 Then all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 heard ^H8085 [fn]the news ^H559 that Saul ^H7586 had struck ^H5221 the garrison ^H5333 of the Philistines ^H6430, and also ^H1571 that Israel ^H3478 had become ^H887 odious ^H887 to the Philistines ^H6430. The people ^H5971 were then summoned ^H6817 [fn]to Saul ^H7586 at Gilgal ^H1537.

5 Now the Philistines ^H6430 assembled ^H622 to fight ^H3898 with Israel ^H3478, 30,000 ^H7970 H505 chariots ^H7393 and 6,000 ^H8337 H505 horsemen ^H6571 and people ^H5971 like the sand ^H2344 which ^H834 is on the seashore ^H3220 H8193 in abundance ^H7230; and they came ^H5927 up ^H5927 and camped ^H2583 in Michmash ^H4363, east ^H6926 of Beth-aven ^H1007. 6 Now the men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478 saw ^H7200 that they were in a strait ^H6862 (for the people ^H5971 were hard-pressed ^H5065). Then the people ^H5971 hid ^H2244 themselves in caves ^H4631, in thickets ^H2336, in cliffs ^H5553, in cellars ^H6877, and in pits ^H953. 7 Also some of the Hebrews ^H5680 crossed ^H5674 the Jordan ^H3383 into the land ^H776 of Gad ^H1410 and Gilead ^H1568. But as for Saul ^H7586, he was still ^H5750 in Gilgal ^H1537, and all ^H3605 the people ^H5971 followed ^H310 him trembling ^H2729.

Saul Doesn’t Keep Yahweh’s Commandment

8 So he waited ^H3176 seven ^H7651 days ^H3117, according to the appointed ^H4150 time ^H4150 set ^H834 by Samuel ^H8050, but Samuel ^H8050 did not come ^H935 to Gilgal ^H1537; and the people ^H5971 were scattering ^H6327 from him.

9 So Saul ^H7586 said ^H559, “Bring ^H5066 near ^H5066 to me the burnt ^H5930 offering ^H5930 and the peace ^H8002 offerings ^H8002.” And he offered ^H5927 the burnt ^H5930 offering ^H5930. 10 And as soon as he finished ^H3615 offering ^H5927 the burnt ^H5930 offering ^H5930, behold ^H2009, Samuel ^H8050 came ^H935; and Saul ^H7586 went ^H3318 out ^H3318 to meet ^H7122 him and to [fn]greet ^H1288 him. 11 But Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559, “What ^H4100 have you done ^H6213?” And Saul ^H7586 said ^H559, “Because ^H3588 I saw ^H7200 that the people ^H5971 were scattering ^H5310 from me, and that you did not come ^H935 within the appointed ^H4150 days ^H3117, and that the Philistines ^H6430 were assembling ^H622 at Michmash ^H4363, 12 therefore I said ^H559, ‘Now ^H6258 the Philistines ^H6430 will come ^H3381 down ^H3381 against ^H413 me at Gilgal ^H1537, and I have not entreated ^H2470 the favor ^H6440 of Yahweh ^H3068.’ So I forced ^H662 myself and offered ^H5927 the burnt ^H5930 offering ^H5930.” 13 And Samuel ^H8050 said ^H559 to Saul ^H7586, “You have acted ^H5528 foolishly ^H5528; you have not kept ^H8104 the commandment ^H4687 of Yahweh ^H3068 your God ^H430, which ^H834 He commanded ^H6680 you, for now ^H6258 Yahweh ^H3068 would have established ^H3559 your kingdom ^H4467 [fn]over ^H413 Israel ^H3478 forever ^H5704 H5769. 14 But now ^H6258 your kingdom ^H4467 shall not endure ^H6965. Yahweh ^H3068 has sought ^H1245 out ^H1245 for Himself a man ^H376 after His own heart ^H3824, and Yahweh ^H3068 has appointed ^H6680 him as ruler ^H5057 over ^H5921 His people ^H5971 because ^H3588 you have not kept ^H8104 what ^H834 Yahweh ^H3068 commanded ^H6680 you.”

15 Then Samuel ^H8050 arose ^H6965 and went ^H5927 up ^H5927 from Gilgal ^H1537 to Gibeah ^H1390 of Benjamin ^H1144. And Saul ^H7586 [fn]numbered ^H6485 the people ^H5971 who were ^H4672 present ^H4672 with him, about six ^H8337 hundred ^H3967 men ^H376. 16 Now Saul ^H7586 and his son ^H1121 Jonathan ^H3083 and the people ^H5971 who were ^H4672 present ^H4672 with them were staying ^H3427 in Geba ^H1387 of Benjamin ^H1144, and the Philistines ^H6430 camped ^H2583 at Michmash ^H4363. 17 And the [fn]raiders ^H4889 came ^H3318 from the camp ^H4264 of the Philistines ^H6430 in three ^H7969 [fn]companies ^H7218: one ^H259 [fn]company ^H7218 turned ^H6437 [fn]toward ^H413 H1870 Ophrah ^H6084, to the land ^H776 of Shual ^H7777, 18 and another ^H259 [fn]company ^H7218 turned ^H6437 to the way ^H1870 of Beth-horon ^H1032, and another ^H259 [fn]company ^H7218 turned ^H6437 to the way ^H1870 of the border ^H1366 which overlooks ^H8259 H5921 the valley ^H1516 of Zeboim ^H6650 toward the wilderness ^H4057.

19 Now no ^H3808 blacksmith ^H2796 could be found ^H4672 in all ^H3605 the land ^H776 of Israel ^H3478, for the Philistines ^H6430 said ^H559, “Lest ^H6435 the Hebrews ^H5680 make ^H6213 [fn]swords ^H2719 or ^H176 spears ^H2595.” 20 So all ^H3605 Israel ^H3478 went ^H3381 down ^H3381 to the Philistines ^H6430, each ^H376 to sharpen ^H3913 his plowshare ^H4281, his mattock ^H855, his axe ^H7134, and his [fn]goad ^H4281. 21 And the charge ^H6477 was [fn]two-thirds ^H6310 of ^H6310 a ^H6310 shekel ^H6310 for the plowshares ^H4281, the mattocks ^H855, the forks ^H7969 H7053, and the axes ^H7134, and to fix ^H5324 the goad ^H1861. 22 So it happened ^H1961 on the day ^H3117 of battle ^H4421 that neither ^H3808 sword ^H2719 nor ^H3808 spear ^H2595 was found ^H4672 in the hands ^H3027 of any ^H3605 of the people ^H5971 who ^H834 were with Saul ^H7586 and Jonathan ^H3083, but they were found ^H4672 with Saul ^H7586 and his son ^H1121 Jonathan ^H3083. 23 And the garrison ^H4673 of the Philistines ^H6430 went ^H3318 out ^H3318 to the pass ^H4569 of Michmash ^H4363.