1st Shamu'AL (1 Samuel) — 13
Continued War with Philistia
1 Shaul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty-two years.
2 Shaul selected three thousand special troops from the army of Yashar'AL and sent the rest of the men home. He took two thousand of the chosen men with him to Micmash and the hill country of Bathal, the other one thousand went with Shaul’s son Yunathan to Gibaah in the land of Banyamin.
3 Soon after this, Yunathan attacked and defeated the garrison of Philistines at Gaba. The news spread quickly among the Philistines. So Shaul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, Abarym (Hebrews), hear this! Rise up in revolt!”
4 All Yashar'AL heard the news that Shaul had destroyed the Philistine garrison at Gaba and that the Philistines now hated the Yasharalym more than ever. So the entire Yasharalym army was summoned to join Shaul at Gilgal.
5 The Philistines mustered a mighty army of three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore! They camped at Micmash east of Bath-aban.
6 The men of Yashar'AL saw what a tight spot they were in; and because they were hard pressed by the enemy, they tried to hide in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and cisterns.
7 Some of them crossed the Yurdan River and escaped into the land of Gad and Gilaad.
Shaul’s Disobedience and Shamu'AL’s Rebuke
Meanwhile, Shaul stayed at Gilgal, and his men were trembling with fear.
8 Shaul waited there seven days for Shamu'AL, as Shamu'AL had instructed him earlier, but Shamu'AL still did not come. Shaul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away.
9 So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the Shalum offerings!” And Shaul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.
10 Just as Shaul was finishing with the burnt offering, Shamu'AL arrived. Shaul went out to meet and welcome him,
11 but Shamu'AL said, “What is this you have done?” and Shaul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you did not arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle.
12 ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I have not even asked for help of𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”
13 ” Shamu'AL exclaimed. You have done foolishly, you have not kept the command 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH your 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH gave you. If you Had kept it, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH would have established your kingdom over Yashar'AL forever.
14 But now your kingdom must end, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has sought out a man after His own heart. 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has already appointed him to be the leader of His people, because you have not kept the command of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.”
Yashar'AL’s Military Disadvantage
15 Shamu'AL then left Gilgal and went on his way, but the rest of the troops went with Shaul to meet the army. They went up from Gilgal to Gibaah in the land of Banyamin. When Shaul counted the men who were still with him, he found only six hundred were left!
16 Shaul and Yunathan and the troops with them were staying at Gaba in the land of Banyamin. The Philistines set up their camp at Micmash.
17 Three raiding parties soon left the camp of the Philistines. One went north toward Uphrah in the land of Shual,
18 another went west to Bath-hurun, and the third moved toward the border above the valley of Zabuim near the wilderness.
19 There were no blacksmiths in the land of Yashar'AL in those days. The Philistines would not allow them for fear they would make swords and spears for the Abarym (Hebrews).
20 So whenever the Yasharalym needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, or sickles, they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith.
21 The charges were as follows: a quarter of an ounce of silver for sharpening a plowshare or a pick, and an eighth of an ounce for sharpening an ax or making the point of an ox goad.
22 So on the day of the battle none of the people of Yashar'AL had a sword or spear, except for Shaul and Yunathan.
23 The pass at Micmash had meanwhile been secured by a contingent of the Philistine army.