1Saulreigned one year; and when he had reignedtwoyears over Israel,
2Saulchose him threethousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mountBethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
3
And Jonathansmote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistinesheard of it. And Saulblew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrewshear.
4
And all Israelheardsay that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called togetherafterSaul to Gilgal.
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And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirtythousandchariots, and sixthousandhorsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
6
When the men of Israelsaw that they were in a strait,(for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
7
And some of the Hebrews went overJordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the peoplefollowed him trembling.
8
And he tarriedsevendays, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuelcame not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
9
And Saulsaid, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
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And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuelcame; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
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And Samuelsaid, What hast thou done? And Saulsaid, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the daysappointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
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Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplicationunto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
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And Samuelsaid to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israelforever.
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But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORDcommanded thee.
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And Samuelarose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saulnumbered the people that were present with him, about sixhundredmen.
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And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistinesencamped in Michmash.
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And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in threecompanies: onecompanyturned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:
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And anothercompanyturned the way to Bethhoron: and anothercompanyturned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
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Now there was no smithfound throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistinessaid, Lest the Hebrewsmake them swords or spears:
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But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
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Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
22
So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spearfound in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
23
And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.