1Saul reigned one year ; 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 mount 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 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 . 5And 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 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 high places , and in pits . 7And 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 .
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 a burnt offering to me, and 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 gathered themselves together at Michmash ; 12Therefore 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 . 13And 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 . 14But 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.
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 Gibeah 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 to the way of the border that looketh to 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 sharpen 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 to the passage of Michmash .