Saúl tenía treinta¹ años cuando comenzó a reinar, y reinó cuarenta² y dos años sobre Israel. 2 Saúl escogió para sí tres mil hombres de Israel, de los cuales dos mil estaban con Saúl en Micmas^a y en la región montañosa de Betel, y mil estaban con Jonatán en Geba^b de Benjamín. Y al resto del pueblo lo despidió cada uno a su tienda. 3 Y Jonatán hirió la guarnición de los filisteos^a que estaba en Geba^b, y lo supieron los filisteos. Entonces Saúl tocó la trompeta por toda la tierra diciendo: Oigan los hebreos^c. 4 Y todo Israel oyó decir que Saúl había herido la guarnición de los filisteos, y también que Israel se había hecho odioso a los filisteos^a. Entonces el pueblo se reunió con¹ Saúl en Gilgal.

5 Y los filisteos se reunieron para pelear contra Israel: treinta mil carros, seis mil hombres de a caballo y gente tan numerosa como la arena a la orilla del mar^a; y subieron y acamparon en Micmas, al oriente de Bet-avén^b. 6 Cuando los hombres de Israel vieron que estaban en un apuro (pues el pueblo estaba en gran aprieto), el pueblo se escondió en cuevas, en matorrales, en peñascos, en sótanos y en fosos^a. 7 También algunos de los hebreos pasaron el Jordán a la tierra de Gad y de Galaad^a. Pero Saúl estaba todavía en Gilgal, y todo el pueblo le seguía tembloroso.

8 El esperó siete días, conforme al tiempo que Samuel había señalado^a, pero Samuel no llegaba a Gilgal, y el pueblo se le dispersaba. 9 Entonces Saúl dijo: Traedme el holocausto y las ofrendas de paz. Y él ofreció el holocausto^a. 10 Y sucedió que tan pronto como terminó de ofrecer el holocausto, he aquí que Samuel vino; y Saúl salió a su encuentro para saludarle^1a. 11 Pero Samuel dijo: ¿Qué has hecho? Y Saúl respondió: Como vi que el pueblo se me dispersaba, que tú no llegabas dentro de los días señalados y que los filisteos estaban reunidos en Micmas^a, 12 me dije: «Ahora los filisteos descenderán contra mí en Gilgal, y no he implorado el favor del SEÑOR». Así que me vi forzado, y ofrecí el holocausto. 13 Y Samuel dijo a Saúl: Has obrado neciamente^a; no has guardado el mandamiento que el SEÑOR tu Dios te ordenó^b, pues ahora el SEÑOR hubiera establecido tu reino sobre¹ Israel para siempre^c. 14 Pero ahora tu reino no perdurará^a. El SEÑOR ha buscado para sí un hombre conforme a su corazón^b, y el SEÑOR le ha designado como príncipe sobre su pueblo porque tú no guardaste lo que el SEÑOR te ordenó.

15 Entonces Samuel se levantó y subió de Gilgal a Guibeá de Benjamín^a. Y Saúl contó¹ el pueblo que se hallaba con él, como seiscientos hombres^b. 16 Y Saúl, su hijo Jonatán y el pueblo que se hallaba con ellos, estaban situados en Geba de Benjamín, mientras los filisteos acampaban en Micmas^a. 17 Y salieron los merodeadores¹ del campamento de los filisteos en tres compañías^2a; una compañía³ se dirigió por el camino de Ofra^b, a la tierra de Sual, 18 otra compañía¹ se dirigió por el camino de Bet-horón^a y la otra compañía² se dirigió por el camino de la frontera que mira sobre el valle de Zeboim^b, hacia el desierto.

19 En toda la tierra de Israel no podía hallarse ningún herrero^a, pues los filisteos decían: No sea que los hebreos hagan espadas o lanzas^b. 20 Y todo Israel tenía que descender a los filisteos, cada cual para afilar la reja de su arado, su azuela, su hacha o su aguijada¹. 21 El precio era dos tercios de siclo¹ por las rejas de arado, las azuelas, las horquillas, las hachas, y para arreglar las aguijadas. 22 Y sucedió que en el día de la batalla, no había espada ni lanza en mano de ninguna de la gente que estaba con Saúl y Jonatán, pero sí las había en mano de Saúl y de su hijo Jonatán^a. 23 Y la guarnición de los filisteos^a salió hacia el paso de Micmas^b.

Saul was ¹thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for ²forty-two years over Israel.

2 Now Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of whom two thousand were with Saul in ^aMichmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while a thousand were with Jonathan at ^bGibeah of Benjamin. But he sent the rest of the people away, each to his tent. 3 And Jonathan attacked ^athe garrison of the Philistines that was in ^bGeba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul ^cblew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 And all Israel heard ¹the news that Saul had attacked the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel ^ahad become repulsive to the Philistines. Then the people were summoned ²to Saul at Gilgal.

5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and ^apeople like the sand which is on the seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of ^bBeth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard-pressed), then ^athe people kept themselves hidden in caves, in crevices, in cliffs, in crypts, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of ^aGad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him, trembling.

8 Now ^ahe waited for seven days, until the appointed time that Samuel had set, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And ^ahe offered the burnt offering. 10 But as soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and ^aSaul went out to meet him and to ¹greet him. 11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Since I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come at the appointed ¹time, and that ^athe Philistines were assembling at Michmash, 12 I ¹thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not ²asked the favor of the LORD.’ So I worked up the courage and offered the burnt offering.” 13 But Samuel said to Saul, “^aYou have acted foolishly! ^bYou have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for the LORD would now have established your kingdom ¹over Israel ^cforever. 14 But ^anow your kingdom shall not endure. ^bThe LORD has sought for Himself a man ¹after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

15 Then Samuel set out and went up from Gilgal to ^aGibeah of Benjamin. And Saul ¹counted the people who were ²present with him, ^babout six hundred men. 16 Now Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were ¹present with them were staying in ^aGeba of Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash. 17 Then ^1araiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three ²companies: one ³company turned ⁴toward ^bOphrah, to the land of Shual, 18 and another ¹company turned ²toward ^aBeth-horon, and another ³company turned ⁴toward the border that overlooks the Valley of ^bZeboim toward the wilderness.

19 Now ^ano blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make ^1bswords or spears.” 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe. 21 The charge was ¹two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to fix the ²cattle goads. 22 So it came about on the day of battle that ^aneither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan. 23 And ^athe garrison of the Philistines went out to ^bthe gorge of Michmash.

Saul was ¹thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned ²forty two years over Israel.

2 Now Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in ^aMichmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at ^bGibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent. 3 Jonathan smote ^athe garrison of the Philistines that was in ^bGeba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul ^cblew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” 4 All Israel heard ¹the news that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel ^ahad become odious to the Philistines. The people were then summoned ²to Saul at Gilgal.

5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and ^apeople like the sand which is on the seashore in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of ^bBeth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed), then ^athe people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits. 7 Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of ^aGad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 Now ^ahe waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And ^ahe offered the burnt offering. 10 As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and ^aSaul went out to meet him and to ¹greet him. 11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that ^athe Philistines were assembling at Michmash, 12 therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.” 13 Samuel said to Saul, “^aYou have acted foolishly; ^byou have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom ¹over Israel ^cforever. 14 But ^anow your kingdom shall not endure. ^bThe LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

15 Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to ^aGibeah of Benjamin. And Saul ¹numbered the people who were present with him, ^babout six hundred men. 16 Now Saul and his son Jonathan and the people who were present with them were staying in ^aGeba of Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash. 17 And ^athe ¹raiders came from the camp of the Philistines in three ²companies: one ³company turned ⁴toward ^bOphrah, to the land of Shual, 18 and another ¹company turned ²toward ^aBeth-horon, and another ³company turned ⁴toward the border which overlooks the valley of ^bZeboim toward the wilderness.

19 Now ^ano blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make ^1bswords or spears.” 20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, and his hoe. 21 The charge was ¹two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to fix the hoes. 22 So it came about on the day of battle that ^aneither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan, but they were found with Saul and his son Jonathan. 23 And ^athe garrison of the Philistines went out to ^bthe pass of Michmash.