13:1 Saul was thirty¹ years old when he began to reign; he ruled over Israel for forty² years. 13:2 Saul selected for himself three thousand men from Israel. Two thousand of these were with Saul at Micmash and in the hill country of Bethel; the remaining thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent all the rest of the people back to their tents.

13:3 When Jonathan struck down the Philistine deputy that was at Geba, the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul had the horn blown throughout all the land saying, “Let the Hebrews pay attention!” 13:4 So all Israel listened carefully as they were told, “Saul struck down the Philistine deputy, causing Israel to stink³ among the Philistines.” So the people were enjoined to assist Saul at Gilgal.

13:5 For fighting with Israel the Philistines had amassed three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and an army whose number was like the sand by the sea. They went up and camped at Micmash opposite Beth Aven. 13:6 When the men of Israel saw that they had a problem because their army was hard pressed, the army hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in underground chambers, and in wells. 13:7 Some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was still at Gilgal; and the entire army that was with him was filled with dread. 13:8 He waited for seven days, which was the interval that Samuel had indicated. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and consequently the army began to disperse.

13:9 Then Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” Then he offered a burnt offering. 13:10 When he had finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel appeared on the scene. Saul went out to meet him and to express greetings.

13:11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “I saw that the army had dispersed and that you didn’t come at the interval of days and that the Philistines had amassed at Micmah. 13:12 So I thought,⁴ ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the LORD for favor.’ I therefore felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

13:13 Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have made a foolish choice. You have not observed the commandment of the LORD your God that he commanded you. Had you done that, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 13:14 But now your kingdom will not continue. The LORD has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed⁵ him as a leader over his people, for you have not observed what the LORD commanded you.”

13:15 Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal⁶ to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul mustered the army that remained with him; there were about six hundred men. 13:16 Then Saul and his son Jonathan and the army that remained with them continued on in Gibeah of Benjamin. The Philistines camped in Micmash. 13:17 Raiding bands went out from the camp of the Philistines in three groups. One band turned toward the road leading to Ophrah by the land of Shual; 13:18 another band turned toward the road leading to Beth Horon; and yet another band turned toward the road leading to the border that overlooks the valley of Zeboim in the direction of the desert.

13:19 A metal worker was not to be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines had said, “This will prevent the Hebrews from making swords and spears.” 13:20 So all Israel had to go down to the Philistines in order to get their plowshares, cutting instruments, axes, and sickles⁷ sharpened. 13:21 This dullness of edge⁸ happened with the plowshares, the cutting instruments, the three-toothed tools, the axes, and the setting of the goads. 13:22 And so it was that on the day of the battle no sword or spear was to be found in the hand of anyone in the army that was with Saul and Jonathan. No one but Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

13:23 A garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Micmash.