Saul was ¹thirty years old when he began to reign, and ²he reigned ³forty-two years over Israel.

2 Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel; of whom 2,000 were with him in ^aMichmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at ^bGibeah of Benjamin. But he sent the rest of the people away, each one to his own tent. 3 Jonathan attacked and defeated ^athe Philistine garrison which was at ^bGeba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul ^cblew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” 4 All Israel heard that Saul had defeated the Philistine garrison, and also that Israel ^ahad become despicable to the Philistines. And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

5 Now the Philistines gathered to fight against Israel, 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and ^atroops in multitude, like sand on the seashore. They came up and camped at Michmash, east of ^bBeth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a tight situation (for their troops were hard-pressed), ^athey hid in caves, in thickets, in cellars, and in dry cisterns (pits) . 7 Also some of the Hebrews had crossed the river Jordan to the land of ^aGad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him, trembling in fear and anticipation.

8 ^aNow Saul waited seven days, according to the appointed time which Samuel had set, but Samuel had not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering away from Saul. 9 So Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And ^1ahe offered the burnt offering which he was forbidden to do. 10 As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, ¹Samuel finally came; ^aSaul went out to meet and to ²welcome him. 11 But Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “Since I saw that the people were scattering away from me, and that you did not come within the appointed time, 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 for the LORD’S favor by making supplication to Him.’ So I forced myself to offer 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 if you had obeyed the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel ^cforever. 14 But ^anow your kingdom shall not endure. ^bThe LORD has sought out for Himself a man (David) after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as leader and ruler over His people, because you have not kept (obeyed) what the LORD commanded you.”

15 Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to ^aGibeah of Benjamin. And Saul assembled and counted the people who were still with him, only ^babout six hundred fighting men. 16 Saul and his son Jonathan and the people with them were staying in ^aGeba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash. 17 And the ^araiding party came from the Philistine camp in three companies: one company turned toward ^bOphrah, to the land of Shual, 18 another company turned toward ^aBeth-horon, and another toward the border overlooking the Valley of ^bZeboim toward the wilderness.

19 Now ^ano ¹blacksmith (metal-worker) could be found in all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make ^bswords or spears.” 20 So all the men of Israel went down to the Philistines, each to get his plowshare, pick, axe, or sickle sharpened. 21 The fee for sharpening was a pim (two-thirds of a shekel) for the plowshares, the picks, the pitchforks, and the axes, and to straighten the goads (cattle prods) . 22 So it came about on the day of battle that ^1aneither sword nor spear was found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them. 23 And ^athe garrison of the Philistines went out to ^bthe pass at Michmash.