Study Desk

Samuel Rebukes Saul

Saul was thirty^[a] years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-^[b] two years.

Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand^(a) were with him at Mikmash^(b) and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah^(c) in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.

Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost^(d) at Geba,^(e) and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet^(f) blown throughout the land and said, "Let the Hebrews hear!"

So all Israel heard the news: "Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious^(g) to the Philistines." And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

The Philistines assembled^(h) to fight Israel, with three thousand^[c] chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand⁽ⁱ⁾ on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash,^(j) east of Beth Aven.^(k)

When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid^(l) in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.^(m)

Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad⁽ⁿ⁾ and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking^(o) with fear.

He waited seven^(p) days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter.

So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings." And Saul offered^(q) up the burnt offering.

Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel^(r) arrived, and Saul went out to greet^(s) him.

"What have you done?" asked Samuel. Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash,^(t)

I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal,^(u) and I have not sought the Lord 's favor.^(v)' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering."

"You have done a foolish thing,^(w)" Samuel said. "You have not kept^(x) the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.^(y)

But now your kingdom^(z) will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart^(aa) and appointed^(ab) him ruler^(ac) of his people, because you have not kept^(ad) the Lord 's command."

Then Samuel left Gilgal^[d] and went up to Gibeah^(ae) in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.^(af)

Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah^[e](ag) in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash.

Raiding^(ah) parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah^(ai) in the vicinity of Shual,

another toward Beth Horon,^(aj) and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim^(ak) facing the wilderness.

Not a blacksmith^(al) could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!^(am)"

So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plow points, mattocks, axes and sickles^[f] sharpened.

The price was two-thirds of a shekel^[g] for sharpening plow points and mattocks, and a third of a shekel^[h] for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.

So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan^(an) had a sword or spear^(ao) in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass^(ap) at Mikmash.^(aq)