13
1 It was in the first year of Sha'ulʼs reign, and when he had reigned* two shanim over Yisroel,
2 Sha'ul chose him shloshet alafim of Yisroel; whereof two elef were with Sha'ul at Michmas and in har Beit-El, and an elef were with Yonatan in Giv'at Binyamin; and the rest of HaAm he sent back every ish to his ohel.
3 And Yonatan struck the outpost of the Pelishtim (Philistines) that was in Geva, and the Pelishtim heard of it. Then Sha'ul blew the shofar throughout kol HaAretz, saying, Let the Ivrim (Hebrews) hear. 4 And kol Yisroel heard the news that Sha'ul had struck the outpost of the Pelishtim (Philistines), and that Yisroel also had become odious to the Pelishtim. And HaAm were called together after Sha'ul at Gilgal. 5 And the Pelishtim (Philistines) gathered themselves together to fight against Yisroel, sheloshim elef merkavot and sheshet alafim parashim, and soldiers like the chol (sand) which is on the seashore in multitude; and they came up, and encamped at Michmas, east of Beit-Aven.
6 When the Ish Yisroel saw that they were in danger (for the army was hard-pressed), then the people did hide themselves in me'arot (caves), and in thickets, and among rocks, and in towers, and in borot (pits). 7 And some of the Ivrim (Hebrews) went over Yarden to Eretz Gad and Gil'ad. As for Sha'ul, he was yet in Gilgal, and kol HaAm followed him fearfully trembling.
8 And he tarried shivat yamim, according to the mo'ed (set time) that Shmuel had appointed; but Shmuel came not to Gilgal; and HaAm started slipping away from him. 9 And Sha'ul said, Bring to me the olah (burnt offering), and shelamim (peace offerings). And he offered the olah (burnt offering). 10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had finished offering the olah (burnt offering), hinei, Shmuel came; and Sha'ul went out to meet him, that he might make a brocha greeting on him. 11 And Shmuel said, What hast thou done? And Sha'ul said, Because I saw that HaAm were slipping away from me, and that thou camest not at the mo'ed hayamim, and that the Pelishtim were assembling themselves together at Michmas; 12 Therefore, said I, the Pelishtim (Philistines) will come down now upon me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto Hashem; I felt compelled therefore, and offered the olah (burnt offering). 13 And Shmuel said to Sha'ul, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not been shomer over the mitzvat Hashem Eloheicha, which He commanded thee; for now would Hashem have established thy mamlachah over Yisroel ad olam. 14 But now thy mamlachah shall not endure; Hashem hath sought for Him an ish after His own levav, and Hashem hath commanded him to be Nagid over His people, because thou hast not been shomer over that which Hashem commanded thee.
15 And Shmuel arose, and went up from Gilgal unto Giv'at Binyamin. And Sha'ul numbered HaAm that were being found with him, about shesh me'ot ish (six hundred men). 16 And Sha'ul, and Yonatan bno, and HaAm that were being found with them, abode in Geva of Binyamin; but the Pelishtim encamped in Michmas. 17 And the raiders came out of the machaneh of the Pelishtim in three companies; one company turned toward the derech Ophrah, unto Eretz Shu'al; 18 And another company turned toward derech Beit-Choron; and another company turned toward derech (the road) of the border that overlooks Gey HaTzevo'im toward the midbar.
19 Now there was no charash (blacksmith) found throughout kol Eretz Yisroel; for the Pelishtim (Philistines) said, Lest the Ivrim (Hebrews) make them cherev (sword) or khanit (spear); 20 But kol Yisroel went down to the Pelishtim, to sharpen every ish his plowshare, and his spade, and his axe, and his hoe. 21 And a dullness of the edges occurred in the plowshares, hoes, three pronged pitchforks, axes, and for repointing the darvon (goad). 22 So it came to pass in the yom milchemet (day of battle), that there was neither cherev nor khanit found in the yad kol HaAm that were with Sha'ul and Yonatan; but with Sha'ul and with Yonatan bno was there found.
23 And the detachment of the Pelishtim (Philistines) went out toward Ma'avar Michmas (Michmas Pass).
* 13:1 his first