1 Samuel Chapter 13
Saul had been king for a year, then he ruled for two more years over Israel, no cap.
Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, {reigned one...: Heb. the son of one year in his reigning}
He selected 3,000 bros from Israel; 2,000 were chilling with him in Michmash and Beth-el, while 1,000 were rolling with Jonathan in Gibeah. The rest? They bounced back to their tents.
Saul chose him three thousand {men} of Israel; {whereof} two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
Jonathan took down the Philistine crew in Geba, and the Philistines got the scoop. Saul blasted the trumpet across the land, saying, "Yo, Hebrews, pay attention!"
And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that {was} in Geba, and the Philistines heard {of it}. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. {Geba: or, the hill}
News spread throughout Israel that Saul had conquered a Philistine outpost, making the Philistines feel sus. The people gathered with Saul at Gilgal.
And all Israel heard say {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 together after Saul to Gilgal. {was...: Heb. did stink}
The Philistines showed up ready to battle Israel, bringing 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen, plus a crew as numerous as the sand on the shore. They set up shop in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which {is} on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
When the Israelites peeped that they were in deep trouble (the vibes were way off), they started hiding in caves, thickets, rocks, high places, and pits.
When the men of Israel saw 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.
Some of the Hebrews dipped across Jordan to Gad and Gilead. Meanwhile, Saul was still chilling in Gilgal, and everyone with him was shook.
And {some of} the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he {was} yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. {followed...: Heb. trembled after him}
He held it down for seven days, just like Samuel said, but Samuel ghosted him; everyone was scattered, vibing away.
And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel {had appointed}: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
Saul was like, "Yo, bring me a burnt offering and peace offerings," and he went ahead with the burnt offering.
And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
As soon as he finished the burnt offering, guess who strolled in? Samuel! Saul went out to meet him, periodt.
And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him. {salute: Heb. bless}
Samuel asked, "What’s the deal?" Saul replied, "I saw the people splitting, you weren’t here when you said you’d be, and the Philistines gathered at Michmash."
And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and {that} thou camest not within the days appointed, and {that} the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
So I thought, "The Philistines are gonna roll up on me at Gilgal, and I didn’t holla at God for help," so I just jumped the gun and offered a burnt offering.
Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. {made...: Heb. intreated the face}
Samuel said to Saul, "You totally messed up: you didn’t stick to God’s command, and now your kingdom was supposed to last forever."
And Samuel said 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 Israel for ever.
But now your kingdom's gonna be a no-go: God’s found a new dude after His heart, and He’s gonna make him the leader of His people since you didn’t follow the rules.
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 LORD commanded thee.
Samuel got up and rolled from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the crew with him, and it was about 600 guys.
And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people {that were} present with him, about six hundred men. {present: Heb. found}
Saul, Jonathan, and the squad were chilling in Gibeah of Benjamin, while the Philistines were camped out in Michmash.
And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people {that were} present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. {present: Heb. found} {Gibeah: Heb. Geba}
The Philistine raiders came out in three squads: one went toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual.
And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way {that leadeth to} Ophrah, unto the land of Shual:
Another squad went to Beth-horon, and the last one headed to the border looking at the Zeboim valley toward the wilderness.
And another company turned the way {to} Bethhoron: and another company turned {to} the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
No blacksmiths were around in all of Israel, 'cause the Philistines were like, "We can’t let them craft swords or spears."
Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make {them} swords or spears:
But all the Israelites had to roll down to the Philistines to get their tools sharpened, like their shares, coulters, axes, and mattocks.
But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
They did have a file for the mattocks, coulters, forks, axes, and to sharpen the goads, no cap.
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. {a file: Heb. a file with mouths, or Heb. a pim, a third of a shekel} {sharpen: Heb. set}
So on the battle day, no swords or spears were found with any of the squad with Saul and Jonathan, except for Saul and his son Jonathan.
So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found 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.
The Philistine garrison made its way to the Michmash pass.
And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash. {garrison: or, standing camp}