The war between Saul and the Philistines. The distress of the
Israelites. Saul offereth sacrifice before the coming of Samuel: for
which he is reproved.
13:1. Saul was a child of one year when he began to reign, and he
reigned two years over Israel.
Of one year... That is, he was good and like an innocent child, and for
two years continued in that innocency.
13:2. And Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel: and two thousand
were with Saul in Machmas, and in mount Bethel: and a thousand with
Jonathan in Gabaa of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent back
every man to their dwellings.
13:3. And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines which was in
Gabaa. And when the Philistines had heard of it, Saul sounded the
trumpet over all the land, saying: Let the Hebrews hear.
13:4. And all Israel heard this report: Saul hath smitten the garrison
of the Philistines: and Israel took courage against the Philistines. And
the people were called together after Saul to Galgal.
13:5. The Philistines also were assembled to fight against Israel,
thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and a multitude of
people besides, like the sand on the seashore for number. And going up
they camped in Machmas, at the east of Bethaven.
13:6. And when the men of Israel saw that they were straitened (for the
people were distressed), they hid themselves in caves, and in thickets,
and in rocks, and in dens, and in pits.
13:7. And some of the Hebrews passed over the Jordan into the land of
Gad and Galaad. And when Saul was yet in Galgal, all the people that
followed him were greatly afraid.
13:8. And he waited seven days, according to the appointment of Samuel,
and Samuel came not to Galgal, and the people slipt away from him.
13:9. Then Saul said: Bring me the holocaust, and the peace offerings.
And he offered the holocaust.
13:10. And when he had made an end of offering the holocaust, behold
Samuel came: and Saul went forth to meet him and salute him.
13:11. And Samuel said to him: What hast thou done? Saul answered:
Because I saw that the people slipt from me, and thou wast not come
according to the days appointed, and the Philistines were gathered
together in Machmas,
13:12. I said: Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Galgal, and
I have not appeased the face of the Lord. Forced by necessity, I offered
the holocaust.
13:13. And Samuel said to Saul: Thou hast done foolishly, and hast not
kept the commandments of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee. And
if thou hadst not done thus, the Lord would now have established thy
kingdom over Israel for ever:
13:14. But thy kingdom shall not continue. The Lord hath sought him a
man according to his own heart: and him hath the Lord commanded to be
prince over his people, because thou hast not observed that which the
Lord commanded.
13:15. And Samuel arose and went up from Galgal to Gabaa of Benjamin.
And the rest of the people went up after Saul, to meet the people who
fought against them, going from Galgal to Gabaa, in the hill of
Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people, that were found with him, about
six hundred men.
13:16. And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present
with them, were in Gabaa of Benjamin: But the Philistines encamped in
Machmas.
13:17. And there went out of the camp of the Philistines three companies
to plunder. One company went towards the way of Ephra to the land of
Sual;
13:18. And another went by the way of Bethoron, and the third turned to
the way of the border, above the valley of Seboim towards the desert.
13:19. Now there was no smith to be found in all the land of Israel, for
the Philistines had taken this precaution, lest the Hebrews should make
them swords or spears.
13:20. So all Israel went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man
his ploughshare, and his spade, and his axe, and his rake.
13:21. So that their shares, and their spades, and their forks, and
their axes, were blunt, even to the goad, which was to be mended.
13:22. And when the day of battle was come, there was neither sword nor
spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and
Jonathan, except Saul and Jonathan his son.
13:23. And the army of the Philistines went out in order to advance
further in Machmas.