1 Samuel 13: Saul offers the burnt offering, and Samuel rebukes him

In plain English: Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years (the Hebrew numbers in this verse are uncertain: see the note).

Good to know: The Hebrew of this verse, as it has come down, reads literally: "Saul was a son of a year when he became king, and he reigned two years over Israel." "A son of a year" is the Hebrew way of saying "one year old", so the Hebrew gives no real number for his age. This Bible prints "thirty years old" and "forty-two years", but the "thirty" and the "forty" are not in the Hebrew as it stands. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has no verse 1 in this chapter at all. So Saul's age and the years of his reign are uncertain in this verse. Acts 13:21 says God gave Israel Saul "for forty years".

In plain English: Saul chose three thousand men of Israel for himself. Two thousand were with Saul at Michmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people home, each to his tent.

In plain English: Jonathan struck the garrison (or: the officer) of the Philistines that was at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Saul blew the trumpet through all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!"

The Hebrew word: "Garrison" is netsiv, which the dictionary gives as "something stationary, i.e. a prefect, a military post, a statue". So Jonathan may have struck a Philistine post, or a Philistine officer set over the land. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) reads it as a man: "Jonathan smote Nasib the Philistine".

In plain English: All Israel heard it said that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become hateful (literally: had made itself stink) to the Philistines. The people were called out to follow Saul to Gilgal.

In plain English: The Philistines gathered to fight Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as many as the sand on the seashore. They came up and camped at Michmash, east of Beth Aven.

In plain English: When the men of Israel saw that they were in a tight place (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs (or: strongholds) and in pits.

Good to know: "Tombs" here is tseriach, the word explained in the note on Judges 9:46, where this Bible says "stronghold".

In plain English: Some of the Hebrews crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

In plain English: He waited seven days, the time Samuel had set, but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.

Good to know: Samuel had told Saul in 10:8: "Go down ahead of me to Gilgal; and behold, I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of peace offerings. Wait seven days, until I come to you and show you what you are to do."

In plain English: Saul said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering.

In plain English: Just as he finished offering the burnt offering, there was Samuel, coming. Saul went out to meet him and to greet him (literally: to bless him).

In plain English: Samuel said, "What have you done?" Saul said, "I saw that the people were scattering from me, that you did not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were gathering at Michmash.

In plain English: So I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not asked for Yahweh's favor (literally: entreated the face of Yahweh).' So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering."

In plain English: Samuel said to Saul, "You have acted foolishly. You have not kept the command of Yahweh your God which he gave you, for now Yahweh would have made your kingdom over Israel firm forever.

In plain English: But now your kingdom will not last. Yahweh has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him leader (this Bible: prince) over his people, because you have not kept what Yahweh commanded you."

The Hebrew words: "After his own heart" is literally "according to his heart". The word is levav, which the dictionary gives as "the heart (as the most interior organ)".

What changes: Read one way, Yahweh has sought a man whose heart is like his own. Read the other way, Yahweh has chosen a man by his own will, the one he wants. The text here does not name the man. Acts 13:22 says of David: "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will."

In plain English: Samuel got up and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were with him: about six hundred men.

In plain English: Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were with them stayed at Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash.

In plain English: The raiders (literally: the destroyer) came out of the Philistine camp in three companies. One company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual.

In plain English: Another company turned toward Beth Horon, and another turned toward the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim, toward the wilderness.

In plain English: No blacksmith (literally: craftsman) could be found anywhere in the land of Israel, because the Philistines said, "Otherwise the Hebrews will make themselves swords or spears."

In plain English: So all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his ax and his sickle.

In plain English: The price was one payim each to sharpen mattocks, plowshares, pitchforks and axes, and to set the goads.

Good to know: "Payim" is the Hebrew word pim, which this Bible leaves as it is. The text does not explain it. The STEPBible meaning for this verse gives it as "two thirds of a shekel". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "three shekels for a ploughshare".

In plain English: So on the day of battle no one among the people with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or a spear in his hand. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

In plain English: The Philistine garrison went out to the pass of Michmash.