1 Samuel 13:9-23 ▼

9 So he (desired) said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt offering.

10 Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel (his name is El) arrived, and Saul (desired) went out to greet him.

11 “What have you done?” Samuel (his name is El) asked. And Saul (desired) replied, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me, and that you did not come at the appointed time and the Philistines (immigrants) were gathering at Michmash (hidden),

12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines (immigrants) will descend upon me at Gilgal (a wheel), and I have not sought the favor of the LORD {YHWH}.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

13 “You have acted foolishly,” Samuel (his name is El) declared (desired). “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God {YHWH Eloheka} gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel (he wrestles with God) for all time.

14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD {YHWH} has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”

15 Then Samuel (his name is El) set out from Gilgal (a wheel) and went up to Gibeah (hill) in Benjamin. And Saul (desired) numbered the troops who were with him, about six hundred men.

16 Now Saul (desired) and Jonathan (YHWH has given) his son and the troops with them were staying in Geba (hill) of Benjamin (son of the right hand), while the Philistines (immigrants) camped at Michmash (hidden).

17 And raiders went out of the Philistine (immigrants) camp in three divisions. One headed toward Ophrah (fawn) in the land of Shual (jackal),

18 another toward Beth-horon (house of hollowness), and the third down the border road overlooking the Valley of Zeboim (speckled) facing the wilderness.

19 And no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel (he wrestles with God), because the Philistines (immigrants) had said, “The Hebrews (those from beyond) must not be allowed to make swords or spears.”

20 Instead, all the Israelites (God prevails) would go down to the Philistines (immigrants) to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles [and plowshares].

21 The charge was a pim <0.25 oz / 7 g> for sharpening a plowshare or mattock, a third of a shekel for sharpening a pitchfork or an axe, and a third of a shekel for repointing an oxgoad.

22 So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hands of the troops with Saul (desired) and Jonathan (YHWH has given); only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.

23 And a garrison of the Philistines (immigrants) had gone out to the pass at Michmash (hidden).