1 GLT Saul was a son of a year when he reigned. And he reigned over Israel two years. BSB BSB: Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years.
2 GLT And Saul chose for himself 3, 000 from Israel. And 2, 000 were with Saul in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and 1, 000 were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the people he sent away, a man to his tent. BSB BSB: He chose for himself three thousand men of Israel: Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. And the rest of the troops he sent away, each to his own home.
3 GLT And Jonathan struck down the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba and the Philistines heard. And Saul blew with the horn in all the land, saying,“Let the Hebrews hear!” BSB BSB: Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
4 GLT And all Israel heard, saying,“Saul struck down the garrison of the Philistines, and also Israel has become a stench among the Philistines.” And the people were called together after Saul at the Gilgal. BSB BSB: And all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines!” Then the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 GLT And the Philistines gathered to fight against Israel: 30, 000 chariots and 6, 000 horsemen and a people like the sand that is on the shore of the sea wiith respect to abundance. And they went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth Aven. BSB BSB: Now the Philistines assembled to fight against Israel with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
6 GLT And the men of Israel saw that it was narrow for them, for the people were hard- pressed. And the people hid themselves in the caves and in the thornbushes and in the cliffs and in the underground chambers and in the pits. BSB BSB: Seeing that they were in danger because their troops were hard-pressed, the men of Israel hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in cellars and cisterns.
7 GLT And Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was still at the Gilgal and all the people trembled after him. BSB BSB: Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul, however, remained at Gilgal, and all his troops were quaking in fear.
8 GLT And he waited seven days to the appointed time when Samuel would be there, but Samuel did not come to the Gilgal. And the people scattered from beside him. BSB BSB: And Saul waited seven days for the time appointed by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the troops began to desert Saul.
9 GLT And Saul said,“Bring near to me the burnt up offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt up offering. BSB BSB: So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings.” And he offered up the burnt offering.
10 GLT And it happened as soon as he finished offering up the burnt up offering that, behold, Samuel came! And Saul went out to meet him to bless him. BSB BSB: Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.
11 GLT And Samuel said,“What have you done?” And Saul said,“When I saw that the people scattered from beside me, and you, you did not come by the appointed time of days, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash, BSB BSB: “What have you done?” Samuel asked. And Saul replied, “When I saw that the troops were deserting me, and that you did not come at the appointed time and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash,
12 GLT then I said,‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at the Gilgal, and I have not appeased the face of Yahweh.’ So I forced myself and offered up the burnt up offering.” BSB BSB: I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will descend upon me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
13 GLT And Samuel said to Saul,“You have acted foolishly! You have not kept the command of Yahweh your God that he commanded you. For then Yahweh would have established your reign over Israel until eternity. BSB BSB: “You have acted foolishly,” Samuel declared. “You have not kept the command that the LORD your God gave you; if you had, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.
14 GLT But now your reign will not stand. Yahweh has sought for himself a man according to his heart, and Yahweh has commanded him to be leader over his people, for you did not keep what Yahweh commanded you.” BSB BSB: But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”
15 GLT And Samuel rose and went up from the Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul mustered the people who were found with him, about 600 men. BSB BSB: Then Samuel set out from Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin. And Saul numbered the troops who were with him, about six hundred men.
16 GLT Now Saul and Jonathan his son and the people who were found with him were staying in Geba of Benjamin. And the Philistines camped at Michmash. BSB BSB: Now Saul and Jonathan his son and the troops with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash.
17 GLT And destroyers went out from the camp of the Philistines, three heads. One head turned to the way of Ophrah, to the land of Shual. BSB BSB: And raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three divisions. One headed toward Ophrah in the land of Shual,
18 GLT And one head turned the way of Beth Horon. And one head turned the way of the border that looks down over the valley of Zeboyim, toward the wilderness. BSB BSB: another toward Beth-horon, and the third down the border road overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the wilderness.
19 GLT Now a blacksmith could not be found in all the land of Israel. For the Philistines said,“Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear.” BSB BSB: And no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews must not be allowed to make swords or spears.”
20 GLT And all Israel used to go down to the Philistines, a man to sharpen his plow and his mattock and his axe and his sickle. BSB BSB: Instead, all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles.
21 GLT And the charge was a pim for the plowshares and for the mattocks and for three picks and for the axes and for straightening the goads. BSB BSB: The charge was a pim for sharpening a plowshare or mattock, a third of a shekel for sharpening a pitchfork or an axe, and a third of a shekel for repointing an oxgoad.
22 GLT And it happened on the day of battle that a sword or spear was not found in the hands of any of the people who were with Saul and with Jonathan, but was found for Saul and for his son Jonathan. BSB BSB: So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hands of the troops with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.
23 GLT And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash. BSB BSB: And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.