1 Samuel 13:1-14

War with the Philistines

1 Saul was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty two years over Israel.
2 Now Saul chose for himself 3,000 * men of Israel, of which 2,000 were with Saul in 1Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, while 1,000 were with Jonathan at 2Gibeah of Benjamin. But he sent away the rest of the people, each to his tent.
3 Jonathan smote 3the garrison of the Philistines that was in 4Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul 5blew the trumpet throughout the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."
4 All Israel heard the news that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel 6had become odious to the Philistines. The people were then summoned to Saul at Gilgal.
5 Now the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, 30,000 * chariots and 6,000 * horsemen, and 7people like the sand which is on the seashore * in abundance; and they came up and camped in Michmash, east of 8Beth-aven.
6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were hard-pressed ), then 9the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in cliffs, in cellars, and in pits.
7 Also some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan into the land of 10Gad and Gilead. But as for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 Now 11he waited seven days, according to the appointed time set by Samuel, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattering from him.
9 So Saul said, "Bring to me the burnt offering and the peace offerings." And 12he offered the burnt offering.
10 As soon as he finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and 13Saul went out to meet him and to greet him.
11 But Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the appointed days, and that 14the Philistines were assembling at Michmash,
12 therefore I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked the favor of the LORD.' So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering."
13 Samuel said to Saul, "15You have acted foolishly; 16you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you, for now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel 17forever *.
14 "But 18now your kingdom shall not endure. 19The LORD has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."

Cross References 19

  • 1. 1 Samuel 13:5; 1 Samuel 14:31
  • 2. 1 Samuel 10:26
  • 3. 1 Samuel 10:5
  • 4. 1 Samuel 13:16; 1 Samuel 14:5
  • 5. Judges 3:27; Judges 6:34
  • 6. Genesis 34:30; Exodus 5:21; 2 Samuel 10:6
  • 7. Joshua 11:4
  • 8. Joshua 18:12; 1 Samuel 14:23
  • 9. Judges 6:2
  • 10. Numbers 32:33
  • 11. 1 Samuel 10:8
  • 12. Deuteronomy 12:5-14; 2 Samuel 24:25; 1 Kings 3:4
  • 13. 1 Samuel 15:13
  • 14. 1 Sam 13:2, 5, 16, 23
  • 15. 2 Chronicles 16:9
  • 16. 1 Sam 15:11, 22, 28
  • 17. 1 Samuel 1:22
  • 18. 1 Samuel 15:28
  • 19. Acts 7:46; Acts 13:22

Footnotes 6

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