1 Samuel 13 : 1 (NCV)
Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he was king over Israel forty-two years.
1 Samuel 13 : 2 (NCV)
Saul chose three thousand men from Israel. Two thousand men stayed with him at Micmash in the mountains of Bethel, and one thousand men stayed with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul sent the other men in the army back home.
1 Samuel 13 : 3 (NCV)
Jonathan attacked the Philistine camp in Geba, and the other Philistines heard about it. Saul said, "Let the Hebrews hear what happened." So he told the men to blow trumpets through all the land of Israel.
1 Samuel 13 : 4 (NCV)
All the Israelites heard the news. The men said, "Saul has defeated the Philistine camp. Now the Philistines will really hate us!" Then the Israelites were called to join Saul at Gilgal.
1 Samuel 13 : 5 (NCV)
The Philistines gathered to fight Israel with three thousandn chariots and six thousand men to ride in them. Their soldiers were as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. The Philistines went and camped at Micmash, which is east of Beth Aven.
1 Samuel 13 : 6 (NCV)
When the Israelites saw that they were in trouble, they went to hide in caves and bushes, among the rocks, and in pits and wells.
1 Samuel 13 : 7 (NCV)
Some Hebrews even went across the Jordan River to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul stayed at Gilgal, and all the men in his army were shaking with fear.
1 Samuel 13 : 8 (NCV)
Saul waited seven days, because Samuel had said he would meet him then. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the soldiers began to leave.
1 Samuel 13 : 9 (NCV)
So Saul said, "Bring me the whole burnt offering and the fellowship offerings." Then Saul offered the whole burnt offering.
1 Samuel 13 : 10 (NCV)
Just as he finished, Samuel arrived, and Saul went to greet him.
1 Samuel 13 : 11 (NCV)
Samuel asked, "What have you done?" Saul answered, "I saw the soldiers leaving me, and you were not here when you said you would be. The Philistines were gathering at Micmash.
1 Samuel 13 : 12 (NCV)
Then I thought, 'The Philistines will come against me at Gilgal, and I haven't asked for the Lord's approval.' So I forced myself to offer the whole burnt offering."
1 Samuel 13 : 13 (NCV)
Samuel said, "You acted foolishly! You haven't obeyed the command of the Lord your God. If you had obeyed him, the Lord would have made your kingdom continue in Israel always,
1 Samuel 13 : 14 (NCV)
but now your kingdom will not continue. The Lord has looked for the kind of man he wants. He has appointed him to rule his people, because you haven't obeyed his command."
1 Samuel 13 : 15 (NCV)
Then Samuel left Gilgal and went to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul counted the men who were still with him, and there were about six hundred.
1 Samuel 13 : 16 (NCV)
Saul and his son Jonathan and the soldiers with him stayed in Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. The Philistines made their camp at Micmash.
1 Samuel 13 : 17 (NCV)
Three groups went out from the Philistine camp to make raids. One group went on the Ophrah road in the land of Shual.
1 Samuel 13 : 18 (NCV)
The second group went on the Beth Horon road. The third group went on the border road that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the desert.
1 Samuel 13 : 19 (NCV)
The whole land of Israel had no blacksmith because the Philistines had said, "The Hebrews might make swords and spears."
1 Samuel 13 : 20 (NCV)
So all the Israelites had to go down to the Philistines to have their plows, hoes, axes, and sickles sharpened.
1 Samuel 13 : 21 (NCV)
The Philistine blacksmiths charged about one-fourth of an ounce of silver for sharpening plows and hoes. And they charged one-eighth of an ounce of silver for sharpening picks, axes, and the sticks used to guide oxen.
1 Samuel 13 : 22 (NCV)
So when the battle came, the soldiers with Saul and Jonathan had no swords or spears. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
1 Samuel 13 : 23 (NCV)
A group from the Philistine army had gone out to the pass at Micmash.
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