1 Samuel 13 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition (NRSVACE)

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice

13 Saul was . . .[a] years old when he began to reign; and he reigned for . . . and two[b] years over Israel.

2 Saul chose three thousand out of Israel; two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; the rest of the people he sent home to their tents. 3 Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba; and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, ‘Let the Hebrews hear!’ 4 When all Israel heard that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become odious to the Philistines, the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

5 The Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude; they came up and encamped at Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. 6 When the Israelites saw that they were in distress (for the troops were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 He waited for seven days, the time appointed by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people began to slip away from Saul.[c] 9 So Saul said, ‘Bring the burnt-offering here to me, and the offerings of well-being.’ And he offered the burnt-offering. 10 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt-offering, Samuel arrived; and Saul went out to meet him and salute him. 11 Samuel said, ‘What have you done?’ Saul replied, ‘When I saw that the people were slipping away from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines were mustering at Michmash, 12 I said, “Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favour of the Lord”; so I forced myself, and offered the burnt-offering.’ 13 Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which he commanded you. The Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel for ever, 14 but now your kingdom will not continue; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart; and the Lord has appointed him to be ruler over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.’ 15 And Samuel left and went on his way from Gilgal.[d] The rest of the people followed Saul to join the army; they went up from Gilgal towards Gibeah of Benjamin.[e]

Preparations for Battle

Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were present with them stayed in Geba of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped at Michmash. 17 And raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies; one company turned towards Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 another company turned towards Beth-horon, and another company turned towards the mountain[f] that looks down upon the valley of Zeboim towards the wilderness.

19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, ‘The Hebrews must not make swords or spears for themselves’; 20 so all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen their ploughshares, mattocks, axes, or sickles;[g] 21 The charge was two-thirds of a shekel[h] for the ploughshares and for the mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads.[i] 22 So on the day of the battle neither sword nor spear was to be found in the possession of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

Jonathan Surprises and Routs the Philistines

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

Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 13:1 The number is lacking in the Heb text (the verse is lacking in the Septuagint).
  2. 1 Samuel 13:1 Two is not the entire number; something has dropped out.
  3. 1 Samuel 13:8 Heb him
  4. 1 Samuel 13:15 Gk: Heb went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin
  5. 1 Samuel 13:15 Gk: Heb lacks The rest . . . of Benjamin
  6. 1 Samuel 13:18 Cn Compare Gk: Heb towards the border
  7. 1 Samuel 13:20 Gk: Heb ploughshare
  8. 1 Samuel 13:21 Heb was a pim
  9. 1 Samuel 13:21 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

You Might Also Like:

1 Samuel 13 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

13 A son of a year [is] Saul in his reigning, yea, two years he hath reigned over Israel, 2 and Saul chooseth for himself three thousand [men] out of Israel; and two thousand are with Saul in Michmash, and in the hill-country of Beth-El; and a thousand have been with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; ...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

13 Saul was a son of one year, that is, as innocent and clean of sin as a child of one year, when he began to reign; and he reigned upon Israel two (and twenty) years. (Saul was fifty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned over Israel for twenty-two years.) 2 And Saul chose to him three th...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - World English Bible (WEB)

13 Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.[a] 2 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the ...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - The Voice (VOICE)

13 Saul was about 30[a] years old when he became king, and after he ruled for at least two years, 2 Saul chose 3,000 men of Israel: 2,000 stayed with him in the hill country of Bethel at a place called Michmash, and the other 1,000 joined Saul’s son Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. He sent all the r...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Saul’s Misguided Sacrifice13 Saul was 30 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for 42 years over Israel. 2 Now Saul chose for himself 3,000 men of Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in Michmas and in the hill country of Beth-el, and 1,000 were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The ...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice13 Saul was . . .[a] years old when he began to reign; and he reigned . . . and two[b][c] years over Israel. 2 Saul chose three thousand men of Israel; two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gib′e-ah of Be...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice13 Saul was . . .[a] years old when he began to reign; and he reigned . . . and two[b] years over Israel. 2 Saul chose three thousand men of Israel; two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gib′e-ah of Benja...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice13 Saul was . . .[a] years old when he began to reign; and he reigned for . . . and two[b] years over Israel. 2 Saul chose three thousand out of Israel; two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Ben...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice13 Saul was . . .[a] years old when he began to reign, and he reigned . . . and two[b] years over Israel.2 Saul chose three thousand out of Israel; two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Continued War with Philistia13 Saul was thirty[a] years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty-two years.[b] 2 Saul selected 3,000 special troops from the army of Israel and sent the rest of the men home. He took 2,000 of the chosen men with him to Micmash and the hill country of Bethel. ...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - New Life Version (NLV)

War with the Philistines13 Saul was forty years old when he began to rule. He ruled over Israel thirty-two years. 2 Saul chose 3,000 men of Israel. There were 2,000 of them with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel. And 1,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away ...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice13 Saul [a]reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in (A)Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with (B)Jonathan in (C)Gibeah of Benjamin. The r...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Samuel rebukes Saul13 Saul was thirty[a] years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel for forty-[b] two years. 2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. ...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - New International Version (NIV)

Samuel Rebukes Saul13 Saul was thirty[a] years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-[b] two years. 2 Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand(A) were with him at Mikmash(B) and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah(C) in Benjam...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Samuel Judges Saul’s Sin13 Saul was 30 years old when he became king. He ruled over Israel for 42 years. 2 Saul chose 3,000 of Israel’s men. Two thousand of them were with him at Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel. One thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. Saul sent t...
Read More

1 Samuel 13 - New English Translation (NET)

Saul Fails the Lord13 Saul was [thirty][a] years old when he began to reign; he ruled over Israel for [forty][b] years. 2 Saul selected for himself 3,000 men from Israel. Of these 2,000 were with Saul at Micmash and in the hill country of Bethel; the remaining 1,000 were with Jonathan at Gibeah in ...
Read More