1 Samuel 12:18-13:22

New International Version

¹⁸ Then Samuel called on the Lord,^(A) and that same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe^(B) of the Lord and of Samuel.

¹⁹ The people all said to Samuel, “Pray^(C) to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die,^(D) for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”

²⁰ “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil;^(E) yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. ²¹ Do not turn away after useless^(F) idols.^(G) They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. ²² For the sake^(H) of his great name^(I) the Lord will not reject^(J) his people, because the Lord was pleased to make^(K) you his own. ²³ As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray^(L) for you. And I will teach^(M) you the way that is good and right. ²⁴ But be sure to fear^(N) the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart;^(O) consider^(P) what great^(Q) things he has done for you. ²⁵ Yet if you persist^(R) in doing evil, both you and your king^(S) will perish.”^(T)

Samuel Rebukes Saul

13 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^(U) were with him at Mikmash^(V) and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah^(W) in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.

³ Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost^(X) at Geba,^(Y) and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet^(Z) blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” ⁴ So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious^(AA) to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines assembled^(AB) to fight Israel, with three thousand^[c] chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand^(AC) on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash,^(AD) east of Beth Aven.^{(AE) 6} When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid^(AF) in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.^{(AG) 7} Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad^(AH) and Gilead.

Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking^(AI) with fear. ⁸ He waited seven^(AJ) days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. ⁹ So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered^(AK) up the burnt offering. ¹⁰ Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel^(AL) arrived, and Saul went out to greet^(AM) him.

¹¹ “What have you done?” asked Samuel.

Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash,^{(AN) 12} I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal,^(AO) and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.^(AP)’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

¹³ “You have done a foolish thing,^(AQ)” Samuel said. “You have not kept^(AR) the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.^{(AS) 14} But now your kingdom^(AT) will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart^(AU) and appointed^(AV) him ruler^(AW) of his people, because you have not kept^(AX) the Lord’s command.”

¹⁵ Then Samuel left Gilgal^[d] and went up to Gibeah^(AY) in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.^(AZ)

Israel Without Weapons

¹⁶ Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah^[e](BA) in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash. ¹⁷ Raiding^(BB) parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah^(BC) in the vicinity of Shual, ¹⁸ another toward Beth Horon,^(BD) and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim^(BE) facing the wilderness.

¹⁹ Not a blacksmith^(BF) could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!^(BG)” ²⁰ So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles^[f] sharpened. ²¹ The price was two-thirds of a shekel^[g] for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel^[h] for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.

²² So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan^(BH) had a sword or spear^(BI) in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.