1 SAUL reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
2 Saul 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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 Beth-aven.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
10 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.
11 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;
12 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.
13 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.
14 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.
15 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.
16 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.
17 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:
18 And 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.
19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
21 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.
22 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.
23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

1Saul reigned one yeere, and when he had reigned two yeeres ouer Israel,

2Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel: whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash, and in mount Bethel, and a thousand were with Ionathan in Gibeah of Beniamin: and the rest of the people he sent euery man to his tent.

3And Ionathan smote the garison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it: and Saul blew the trumpet thorowout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrewes heare.

4And all Israel heard say, that Saul had smitten a garison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines: and the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

5 And the Philistines gathered themselues together, to fight with Israel, thirtie thousand charets, and sixe thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude, and they came vp, and pitched in Michmash, Eastward from Bethauen.

6When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait: (for the people were distressed:) then the people did hide themselues in caues, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

7And some of the Hebrewes went ouer Iordane, to the land of Gad and Gilead; as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 And he taried seuen dayes, 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 offring to me, and peace offrings. And he offered the burnt offering.

10And it came to passe that assoone as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came, and Saul went out to meete him, that he might salute him.

11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I sawe that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the dayes appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselues together to Michmash:

12Therfore said I, The Philistines will come downe now vpon me to Gilgal, and I haue not made supplication vnto the Lord: I forced my selfe therefore, and offered a burnt offering.

13And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandement of the Lord thy God, which hee commanded thee: for now would the Lord haue established thy kingdome vpon Israel for euer.

14But now thy kingdome shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his owne heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to bee captaine ouer his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.

15And Samuel arose, and gate him vp from Gilgal, vnto Gibeah of Beniamin, and Saul numbred the people that were present with him, about sixe hundred men.

16And Saul and Ionathan his sonne, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Beniamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

17 And the spoilers came out of the campe of the Philistines, in three companies: one company turned vnto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, vnto the land of Shual.

18And another company turned the way to Bethoron: and another companie turned to the way of the border, that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wildernesse.

19 Now there was no smith found thorowout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrewes make them swords or speares.

20But all the Israelites went downe to the Philistines, to sharpen euery man his share and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattocke.

21Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forkes, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.

22So it came to passe in the day of battell, that there was neither sword nor speare found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Ionathan: but with Saul & with Ionathan his sonne was there found.

23And the garison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

II == 1st Sam 10:26

 

 

 

 

 

III == 1st Sam 10:5

 

 

IV == Gen 34:30 ; Ex 5:21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VI == Judg 6:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIII == 1st Sam 10:8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIII == 1st Sam 15:11 ; 2nd Chr 16:9

 

 

 

XIV == 1st Sam 15:28 ; Ps 89:20 ; Acts 13:22

 

 

XV == 1st Sam 14:2

 

 

 

 

 

XVII == Josh 18:23

 

 

XVIII Josh 16:3 ; 18:13-14 ; Neh 11:34

 

 

XIX == 2nd Kings 24:14 ; Jer 24:1

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXII == Judg 5:8

 

 

 

XXIII ==

 

 

1 (Saul was. . . years old when he became king and he reigned. . . (two) years over Israel.)

2 Saul chose three thousand men of Israel, of whom two thousand remained with him in Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people back to their tents.

3 Now Jonathan overcame the Philistine garrison which was in Gibeah, and the Philistines got word of it. Then Saul sounded the horn throughout the land, with a proclamation, "Let the Hebrews hear!"

4 Thus all Israel learned that Saul had overcome the garrison of the Philistines and that Israel had brought disgrace upon the Philistines; and the soldiers were called up to Saul in Gilgal.

5 The Philistines also assembled for battle, with three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and foot soldiers as numerous as the sands of the seashore. Moving up against Israel, they encamped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.

6 Some Israelites, aware of the danger and of the difficult situation, hid themselves in caves, in thickets, among rocks, in caverns, and in cisterns,

7 and other Hebrews passed over the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul, however, held out at Gilgal, although all his followers were seized with fear.

8 He waited seven days - the time Samuel had determined. When Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal, the men began to slip away from Saul.

9 He then said, "Bring me the holocaust and peace offerings," and he offered up the holocaust.

10 He had just finished this offering when Samuel arrived. Saul went out to greet him,

11 and Samuel asked him, "What have you done?" Saul replied: "When I saw that the men were slipping away from me, since you had not come by the specified time, and with the Philistines assembled at Michmash,

12 I said to myself, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not yet sought the LORD'S blessing.' So in my anxiety I offered up the holocaust."

13 Samuel's response was: "You have been foolish! Had you kept the command the LORD your God gave you, the LORD would now establish your kingship in Israel as lasting;

14 but as things are, your kingdom shall not endure. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and has appointed him commander of his people, because you broke the LORD'S command."

15 Then Samuel set out from Gilgal and went his own way; but the rest of the people went up after Saul to meet the soldiers, going from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul then numbered the soldiers he had with him, who were about six hundred.

16 Saul, his son Jonathan, and the soldiers they had with them were now occupying Geba of Benjamin, and the Philistines were encamped at Michmash.

17 Meanwhile, raiders left the camp of the Philistines in three bands. One band took the Ophrah road toward the district of Shual;

18. another turned in the direction of Beth-horon; and the third took the road for Geba that overlooks the Valley of the Hyenas toward the desert.

19 Not a single smith was to be found in the whole land of Israel, for the Philistines had said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears."

20 All Israel, therefore, had to go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles.

21 The price for the plowshares and mattocks was two-thirds of a shekel, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for setting the ox-goads.

21 The price for the plowshares and mattocks was two-thirds of a shekel, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for setting the ox-goads.

22 And so on the day of battle neither sword nor spear could be found in the possession of any of the soldiers with Saul or Jonathan. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

23 An outpost of the Philistines had pushed forward to the pass of Michmash.

v 1. There is considerable disagreement over the wording of this verse, but the most likely seems to be, “Saul was forty years old when he began to reign, and when he had reigned two years over Israel.” Apparently Saul was married at the time he went looking for his father’s asses and his son Jonathan was near military age. This would also fit well with probability David was just a little younger than Jonathan.

v 2. Saul appointed a 3000 man standing army. He is criticized by some for having too many body guards or not enough army, but Israel had not had any standing army, and these could handle small disturbances from Philistines or others, and would be trained to lead bands of volunteers when the occasion arose. 1000 of these were with Jonathan, other soldiers were released to go home.

v 3,4. Matthew Henry feels that Saul had unwisely ordered his son to attack the Philistine garrison. Jonathan’s actions in chapter 14:3-17, prove he was a young, impulsive captain with more guts than discretion, and Saul didn’t know. Also Saul would not likely order an attack right after sending home his reserves. This unprovoked attack, when there was apparently a truce in effect, made Israel to stink in the estimation of the Philistines. Now Saul had no choice but to assemble Israel men.

v 5-7. Despite critics, there were probably 30,000 chariots including those for supplies. The Philistines were so enraged they gathered allies making the number of soldiers beyond count, and 6000 horsemen. They covered a vast area, completely demoralizing Israel, and most of them hid or skipped country. The few left were scared.

v 8-10. Samuel had told Saul to wait seven days, as he had in 10:8. Saul began to panic, and when time for the evening sacrifice approached, he took it upon himself to intrude into the priest’s office and offer sacrifice rather than waiting on Samuel. At once Samuel arrived and Saul expected he would receive a blessing.

v 11-14. Saul was conscience stricken by Samuel’s four words, and after telling of his panic, pled that he forced himself to sacrifice. David and Solomon later made sacrifice without censure, but Saul’s biggest sin was disobedience, not waiting and relying on God. Then like we shift blame, he accused Samuel of being late. Uzziah later became proud and was rebuked and punished for intruding, 2 Chron. 26:16. Saul felt the sacrifice was a mere formality to go through before going to battle, just like some prayers before a church business meeting mean nothing but routine carried out. v 15,16. With only 600 cowering men left, Saul joined forces with Jonathan at Gibeah. We don’t know if Jonathan had anyone left but his armor bearer.

v 17,18. The Philistines sent raiding parties in three directions and completely controlled all roads and the countryside.

v 19-23. Israel had not acquired skill working with iron, so the Philistines provided them with farming tools and files. (A share is a plow point and cutting edge.) With the exception of Saul and Jonathan, swords and spears appear to have been confiscated, so Israel had only slings, bow and arrows and crude weapons. Saul was very neglectful not to gather the weapons of the conquered Ammonites, but perhaps even these were dutifully turned over to the Philistines, just as our gun control advocates want citizens to do. Philistine control of the pass was a strategic move on their part.