1Saul was forty years old when he began to reign ; and when he had reigned two years over Israel , 2Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel , whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mount of Beth-el , and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin : and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 3And 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 . 4And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten the garrison of the Philistines , and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines . And the people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal . 5And the Philistines assembled 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 encamped in Michmash , eastward of Beth-aven . 6When 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 coverts, and in pits. 7Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead ; but as for Saul , he was yet in Gilgal , and all the people followed him trembling .
Samuel's Arrival and Saul's Rejection
8And 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 . 9And Saul said, Bring hither the burnt-offering to me , and the peace-offerings. And he offered the burnt-offering. 10And 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 . 11And 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 assembled themselves together at Michmash ; 12therefore said I , Now will the Philistines come down upon me to Gilgal , and I have not entreated the favor of Jehovah : I forced myself therefore , and offered the burnt-offering. 13And Samuel said to Saul , Thou hast done foolishly ; thou hast not kept the commandment of Jehovah thy God , which he commanded thee : for now would Jehovah have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever . 14But now thy kingdom shall not continue : Jehovah hath sought him a man after his own heart , and Jehovah hath appointed him to be prince over his people , because thou hast not kept that which Jehovah commanded thee .
The Philistine Threat and Israel's Desperation
15And 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 . 16And Saul , and Jonathan his son , and the people that were present with them , abode in Geba of Benjamin : but the Philistines encamped in Michmash . 17And 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 ; 18and another company turned the way to Beth-horon ; and another company turned the way of the border that looketh down upon the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness . 19Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel ; for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears : 20but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines , to sharpen every man his share , and his coulter, and his axe , and his mattock ; 21yet they had a file for the mattocks , and for the coulters, and for the forks , and for the axes , and to set the goads . 22So 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 . 23And the garrison of the Philistines went out unto the pass of Michmash .