1Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,13.1 reigned one…: Heb. the son of one year in his reigning 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.13.3 Geba: or, the hill 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.13.4 was…: Heb. did stink
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. 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.13.7 followed…: Heb. trembled after him
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. 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.13.10 salute: Heb. bless
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; 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.13.12 made…: Heb. intreated the face 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.
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.13.15 present: Heb. found 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.13.16 present: Heb. found13.16 Gibeah: Heb. Geba
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: 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.
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: 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.13.21 a file: Heb. a file with mouths, or Heb. a pim, a third of a shekel13.21 sharpen: Heb. set 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.13.23 garrison: or, standing camp
Sauls ulydighed imod Gud
1Saul var 30 år, da han blev konge, og han regerede i 42 år.13,1 Den hebraiske tekst siger ordret: „Saul var søn af år i sin regeringstid og regerede i to år over Israel.” De fleste græske håndskrifter mangler vers 1, mens nogle har 30 år. ApG. 13,21 taler om, at Saul regerede i 40 år. Det er muligvis et rundt tal, da den hebraiske tekst siger „to år”. Deraf kommer formodningen om de 42 år. Dog er det også muligt, at versene 1 og 2 skal forstås som følger: „Da Saul havde regeret i to år, udvalgte han 3000…” 2Han udvalgte 3000 af de bedste israelitiske krigere og tog de 2000 med sig til Mikmas i bjergområdet ved Betel, mens han lod de 1000 blive hos sin søn Jonatan, der tog til Geba.13,2 Teksten taler om „Benjamins Gibea/Geba”. Resten af hæren sendte han hjem. 3-4Jonatan angreb og udslettede filistrenes garnison i Geba. Rygtet om denne israelitiske oprørshandling nåede hurtigt til filistrenes hjemland, og Saul skyndte sig at sende bud rundt i hele Israel om, at han havde udryddet filistrenes garnison, og at man kunne forvente, at filistrene nu ville gå til modangreb. Derfor indkaldte han hele Israels hær til at samles ved Gilgal. 5I mellemtiden samlede filistrene en mægtig hær på 3000 stridsvogne, 6000 ryttere og lige så mange fodfolk, som der er sandkorn ved stranden. Denne hær rykkede frem og slog lejr ved Mikmas øst for Bet-Aven. 6Da israelitterne fik øje på fjendens enorme hær, mistede de totalt modet og nogle gemte sig i klippehuler, grotter, kløfter, gravhuler eller tomme vandreservoirer. 7Andre krydsede Jordanfloden og undslap til Gads og Gileads land.
Saul blev i Gilgal med sine mest loyale krigere, som dog rystede af skræk. 8Han ventede på Samuel i syv dage, som han havde fået besked på. Men Samuel kom ikke til Gilgal som ventet, og Sauls mænd begyndte at forlade ham. 9Da besluttede Saul at ofre brændofferet og takofferet uden Samuel. 10Netop som han var færdig med det, kom Samuel. Saul gik ham i møde for at byde ham velkommen. 11Men Samuel udbrød: „Hvad har du dog gjort?” „Hvad skulle jeg ellers stille op?” indvendte Saul. „Mændene begyndte at desertere, du kom ikke til den tid, vi havde aftalt, og filistrene gjorde klar til kamp ved Mikmas. 12Så tænkte jeg: ‚Filistrene kan angribe, hvad øjeblik det skal være, og jeg har endnu ikke bedt Herren om hjælp.’ Derfor tog jeg mod til mig og ofrede selv brændofferet i stedet for at vente på dig.”
13„Hvor var det tåbeligt af dig at overtræde Herren, din Guds, bud!” udbrød Samuel. „Havde du bare adlydt ham, ville han have ladet dig og dine efterkommere bevare kongemagten i Israel for altid. 14Men nu har din ulydighed kostet dig kongedømmet. Herren ønsker nemlig en mand, han kan stole på. Han har allerede udvalgt den mand, som skal være konge for hans folk i stedet for dig, for du har overtrådt hans bud.”
15Derefter forlod Samuel Gilgal og tog til Gibea.13,15 På hebraisk: Benjamins Gibea/Geba. Om det er Geba eller Gibea er ikke helt sikkert. Men Saul og de 600 mand, der var tilbage af hans hær, tog af sted for at møde fjendehæren. 16Saul og Jonatan og deres 600 mand slog lejr i Geba tæt ved Mikmas, hvor filistrenes hær lå. 17I mellemtiden rykkede tre afdelinger ud fra filistrenes lejr. Den ene satte kursen mod Ofra i Shual-området, 18den anden søgte i retning af Bet-Horon, og den tredje mod området over Zeboimdalen i ørkenen.
19På den tid fandtes der ikke en eneste smed i hele Israel, for filistrene ville forhindre hebræerne i at ruste sig med sværd og spyd. 20Derfor var israelitterne tvunget til at opsøge en filistersmed, hver gang de skulle have slebet deres plovskær, hakker, økser eller segl. 21Prisen for en slibning var 2/3 shekel for plovskær og hakker, 1/3 shekel for økser, segl og pigstave. 22Denne situation var årsag til, at der ikke fandtes et eneste sværd eller spyd i hele Israels hær, bortset fra Sauls og Jonatans. 23I mellemtiden var en afdeling af filisterhæren rykket frem og havde besat bjergpasset ved Mikmas.
