1 Samuel 13:11-23 ▼

11 Samuel said, |What have you done?| Saul replied, |When? I saw that the people were scattering from me, that you didn't come at the appointed time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmash.

12 I thought, 'The Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal but I've not sought the favor of the LORD,' so I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.|

13 Then Samuel told Saul, |You have acted foolishly. You haven't obeyed the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever,

14 but now your kingdom won't be established. The LORD has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as Commander-in-Chief over his people because you didn't obey that which the LORD commanded you.|

15 Then Samuel got up and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul mustered the people present with him, about 600 men.

16 Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people present with them remained in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped in Michmash.

17 Raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three companies. One company turned in the direction of Ophrah, to the land of Shual,

18 one company turned in the direction of Beth-horon, while the one company turned toward the border that overlooks the valley of Zeboiim toward the desert.

19 No blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel because the Philistines thought, |This will keep the Hebrews from making swords or spears.|

20 Everyone in Israel would have to go to the Philistines so each person could sharpen his plow, his mattock, his axe, and his sickle.

21 The charge was one pin for plows, mattocks, three pronged forks, and axes, or for setting the goads.

22 On the day of battle, none of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan were armed with swords or spears, but Saul and his son Jonathan did have them.

23 Now a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass of Michmash.