1Samuel:13

---

Seeker Overlay ON

* Saul was years old when he began to reign ; and , when he had reigned two years over Israel , * Saul chose him three thousand men out of Israel , of whom there were with Saul , two thousand in Michmash and in the hill-country of Bethel , and , a thousand , were with Jonathan , in Gibeah of Benjamin , but , the rest of the people , he let go , every man to his own home . * Then did Jonathan smite the garrison of Philistines that was in Geba , and the Philistines heard of it , and , Saul , blew with a horn throughout all the land saying , Let the Hebrews hear ! * And , all Israel , heard say Saul hath smitten the garrison of the Philistines , Moreover , also , Israel have made themselves odious among the Philistines , so the people were called together to follow Saul , to Gilgal . * And , the Philistines , gathered themselves together to fight with Israel , thirty thousand chariots , and six thousand horsemen , a people also like the sand that is on the sea-shore for multitude , and they came up , and encamped in Michmash , east of Beth-aven . * So , the men of Israel , saw they were in a strait , for the people had been harassed , and the people had hidden themselves in caves , and in thickets , and among cliffs , and in holes , and in pits . * And , Hebrews , had passed over the Jordan , to the land of Gad , and Gilead , but , Saul , was yet in Gilgal , and all the people , trembled after him . * And he waited seven days , by the set time that Samuel had named , but Samuel came not to Gilgal , and the people were scattered from him . * Then said Saul , Bring near unto me , the ascending-sacrifice and the peace-offerings . And he offered up the ascending-sacrifice . * And it came to pass , as he had made an end of offering up the ascending-sacrifice , lo ! Samuel , had come , and Saul went out to meet him , that he might bless him . * Then said Samuel What hast thou done ? And Saul said Because I saw that the people had been scattered from me , and , thou , hadst not come within the appointed days , and , the Philistines , had gathered themselves together to Michmash , * therefore I said Now , will the Philistines come down against me , at Gilgal , but , the face of Yahweh , have I not appeased : So I forced myself , and offered up the ascending-sacrifice . * And Samuel said unto Saul Thou hast shewn thyself foolish , thou hast not kept the commandment of Yahweh thy God , which he commanded thee , for , now , would Yahweh have established thy kingdom unto Israel until times age-abiding ; * Whereas , now , shall thy kingdom not be established , Yahweh hath sought out for him a man after his own heart , and Yahweh hath commanded him to be leader over his people , because thou hast not kept that which Yahweh commanded thee . * And Samuel arose , and ascended from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin . And Saul numbered the people who were found with him , about six hundred men . * Now , Saul , and Jonathan his son , and the people that were found with him , were abiding in Geba of Benjamin , but , the Philistines , had encamped in Michmash . * And the spoilers came forth out of the camp of the Philistines , in three companies , the first company , turned unto the way of Ophrah , unto the land of Shual ; * and , the second company , turned unto the way of Beth-horon , and , the third company , turned unto the way of the boundary that overlooketh the valley of Zeboim , towards the wilderness . * Now , a smith , could not be found , throughout all the land of Israelfor the Philistines had said , Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear . * So all Israel went down to the Philistines , to sharpen every man his share , and his mattock , and his axe , and his sickle . * Howbeit they had a file for the sickles , and the mattocks , and the three-pronged forks , and the axes , and for setting the goads . * Thus would it come to pass , in the day of battle , that there was foundneither sword nor spear , in the hand of any of the people , that were with Saul and Jonathan , but such were found belonging to Saul and to Jonathan his son . * Now the garrison of the Philistines had come out to the pass of Michmash .

---