1 ¶ By this time Saul had reigned for one year; and after reigning over Israel for two years,

2 Saul chose three thousand men of Israel; of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: he sent the rest of the men away, every man to his home.

3 And Jonathan defeated the Philistine garrison that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

4 And all Israel heard that Saul had defeated the Philistine garrison, and that Israel had become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

5 And the Philistines gathered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and troops like the sand on the sea shore in number: and they came up, and encamped at Michmash, east of Bethaven.

6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble, (because the troops were in a bad situation,) they hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in high places, and in pits.

7 And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 ¶ And he waited for seven days, according to the time set by Samuel: but Samuel did not arrive in Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him.

9 So Saul said, Bring me a burnt offering, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.

10 And as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.

11 But Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, When I saw that the people were deserting me, and you did not come at the agreed time, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash;

12 I said, The Philistines will now descend on me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD’s favor: Therefore I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.

13 And Samuel said to Saul, You have acted foolishly: you have not kept the commandment which the LORD your God gave you: it was at this time that the LORD would have permanently established your reign over Israel.

14 But now your kingdom will not continue: the LORD has sought a man after his own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not done what the LORD commanded.

15 ¶ And Samuel arose, and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, remained in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

17 And raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three companies: one company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual:

18 And another company turned toward Bethhoron: and another company turned toward the border overlooking the valley of Zeboim toward the desert.

19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines had said, Otherwise the Hebrews will make themselves swords or spears:

20 But each of the Israelites had to go down to the Philistines, to get his plowshare, sickle, axe, or mattock sharpened.

21 They alone had a file to sharpen the mattocks, the sickles, the pitchforks, the axes, and the ox goads.

22 So on the day of battle, neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan: but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.

23 And a Philistine garrison had occupied the pass at Michmash.