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1. At that time Saul had been king one year. After he had ruled over Israel two years,
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1. Saul H7586 reigned H4427 one H1121 year H8141 ; and when he had reigned H4427 two H8147 years H8141 over H5921 Israel H3478 ,
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2. he chose 3000 men from Israel. There were 2000 men who stayed with him at Micmash in the hill country of Bethel. There were 1000 men who stayed with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul sent the other men in the army back home.
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2. Saul H7586 chose H977 him three H7969 thousand H505 men of Israel H4480 H3478 ; whereof two thousand H505 were H1961 with H5973 Saul H7586 in Michmash H4363 and in mount H2022 Bethel H1008 , and a thousand H505 were H1961 with H5973 Jonathan H3083 in Gibeah H1390 of Benjamin H1144 : and the rest H3499 of the people H5971 he sent H7971 every man H376 to his tent H168 .
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3. Jonathan defeated the Philistines at their camp in Geba. The Philistines heard about this. They said, "The Hebrews have rebelled." Saul said, "Let the Hebrew people hear what happened." So Saul told the men to blow trumpets through all the land of Israel.
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3. And Jonathan H3083 smote H5221 H853 the garrison H5333 of the Philistines H6430 that H834 was in Geba H1387 , and the Philistines H6430 heard H8085 of it . And Saul H7586 blew H8628 the trumpet H7782 throughout all H3605 the land H776 , saying H559 , Let the Hebrews H5680 hear H8085 .
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4. All the Israelites heard the news. They said, "Saul has killed the Philistine leader. Now the Philistines will really hate the Israelites!" The Israelites were called to join Saul at Gilgal.
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4. And all H3605 Israel H3478 heard H8085 say H559 that Saul H7586 had smitten H5221 H853 a garrison H5333 of the Philistines H6430 , and that Israel H3478 also H1571 was had in abomination H887 with the Philistines H6430 . And the people H5971 were called together H6817 after H310 Saul H7586 to Gilgal H1537 .
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5. The Philistines gathered to fight Israel. The Philistines camped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven. They had 3000 chariots and 6000 horse soldiers. There were so many Philistines that they were like sand on the seashore.
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5. And the Philistines H6430 gathered themselves together H622 to fight H3898 with H5973 Israel H3478 , thirty H7970 thousand H505 chariots H7393 , and six H8337 thousand H505 horsemen H6571 , and people H5971 as the sand H2344 which H834 is on H5921 the sea H3220 shore H8193 in multitude H7230 : and they came up H5927 , and pitched H2583 in Michmash H4363 , eastward H6926 from Beth H1007 -aven.
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6. The Israelites saw that they were in trouble. They felt trapped. They ran away to hide in caves and cracks in the rock. They hid among the rocks, in wells, and in other holes in the ground.
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6. When the men H376 of Israel H3478 saw H7200 that H3588 they were in a strait H6887 , ( for H3588 the people H5971 were distressed H5065 ,) then the people H5971 did hide themselves H2244 in caves H4631 , and in thickets H2337 , and in rocks H5553 , and in high places H6877 , and in pits H953 .
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7. Some Hebrews even went across the Jordan River to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal. All the men in his army were shaking with fear.
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7. And some of the Hebrews H5680 went over H5674 H853 Jordan H3383 to the land H776 of Gad H1410 and Gilead H1568 . As for Saul H7586 , he was yet H5750 in Gilgal H1537 , and all H3605 the people H5971 followed H310 him trembling H2729 .
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8. Samuel said he would meet Saul at Gilgal. Saul waited there seven days. But Samuel had not yet come to Gilgal, and the soldiers began to leave Saul.
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8. And he tarried H3176 seven H7651 days H3117 , according to the set time H4150 that H834 Samuel H8050 had appointed : but Samuel H8050 came H935 not H3808 to Gilgal H1537 ; and the people H5971 were scattered H6327 from H4480 H5921 him.
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9. So Saul said, "Bring me the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings." Then Saul offered the burnt offering.
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9. And Saul H7586 said H559 , Bring hither H5066 a burnt offering H5930 to H413 me , and peace offerings H8002 . And he offered H5927 the burnt offering H5930 .
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10. As soon as Saul finished offering that sacrifice, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet him.
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10. And it came to pass H1961 , that as soon as he had made an end H3615 of offering H5927 the burnt offering H5930 , behold H2009 , Samuel H8050 came H935 ; and Saul H7586 went out H3318 to meet H7125 him , that he might salute H1288 him.
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11. Samuel asked, "What have you done?" Saul answered, "I saw the soldiers leaving me. You were not here on time, and the Philistines were gathering at Micmash.
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11. And Samuel H8050 said H559 , What H4100 hast thou done H6213 ? And Saul H7586 said H559 , Because H3588 I saw H7200 that H3588 the people H5971 were scattered H5310 from H4480 H5921 me , and that thou H859 camest H935 not H3808 within the days H3117 appointed H4150 , and that the Philistines H6430 gathered themselves together H622 at Michmash H4363 ;
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12. I thought to myself, 'The Philistines will come here and attack me at Gilgal, and I haven't asked the Lord to help us yet. So I forced myself to offer the burnt offering.'"
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12. Therefore said H559 I , The Philistines H6430 will come down H3381 now H6258 upon H413 me to Gilgal H1537 , and I have not H3808 made supplication H2470 unto H6440 the LORD H3068 : I forced myself H662 therefore , and offered H5927 a burnt offering H5930 .
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13. Samuel said, "You did a foolish thing. You did not obey the Lord your God. If you had obeyed God's command, he would have let your family rule Israel forever.
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13. And Samuel H8050 said H559 to H413 Saul H7586 , Thou hast done foolishly H5528 : thou hast not H3808 kept H8104 H853 the commandment H4687 of the LORD H3068 thy God H430 , which H834 he commanded H6680 thee: for H3588 now H6258 would the LORD H3068 have established H3559 H853 thy kingdom H4467 upon H413 Israel H3478 forever H5704 H5769 .
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14. But now your kingdom won't continue. The Lord was looking for a man who wants to obey him. He has found that man�and the Lord has chosen him to be the new leader of his people, because you didn't obey his command."
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14. But now H6258 thy kingdom H4467 shall not H3808 continue H6965 : the LORD H3068 hath sought H1245 him a man H376 after his own heart H3824 , and the LORD H3068 hath commanded H6680 him to be captain H5057 over H5921 his people H5971 , because H3588 thou hast not H3808 kept H8104 that H853 which H834 the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 thee.
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15. Then Samuel got up and left Gilgal. Saul and the rest of his army left Gilgal and went to Gibeah in Benjamin. Saul counted the men who were still with him. There were about 600.
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15. And Samuel H8050 arose H6965 , and got him up H5927 from H4480 Gilgal H1537 unto Gibeah H1390 of Benjamin H1144 . And Saul H7586 numbered H6485 H853 the people H5971 that were present H4672 with H5973 him , about six H8337 hundred H3967 men H376 .
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16. Saul, his son Jonathan, and the soldiers went to Geba in Benjamin. The Philistines were camped at Micmash.
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16. And Saul H7586 , and Jonathan H3083 his son H1121 , and the people H5971 that were present H4672 with H5973 them, abode H3427 in Gibeah H1387 of Benjamin H1144 : but the Philistines H6430 encamped H2583 in Michmash H4363 .
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17. So their best soldiers began the attack. The Philistine army split into three groups. One group went north on the road to Ophrah, near Shual.
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17. And the spoilers H7843 came out H3318 of the camp H4480 H4264 of the Philistines H6430 in three H7969 companies H7218 : one H259 company H7218 turned H6437 unto H413 the way H1870 that leadeth to Ophrah H6084 , unto H413 the land H776 of Shual H7777 :
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18. The second group went southeast on the road to Beth Horon, and the third group went east on the road to the border. That road looks over the Valley of Zeboim toward the desert.
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18. And another H259 company H7218 turned H6437 the way H1870 to Beth H1032 -horon : and another H259 company H7218 turned H6437 to the way H1870 of the border H1366 that looketh H8259 to H5921 the valley H1516 of Zeboim H6650 toward the wilderness H4057 .
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19. There were no blacksmiths in Israel. The Philistines would not allow them because they were afraid the Israelites would make iron swords and spears.
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19. Now there was no H3808 blacksmith H2796 found H4672 throughout all H3605 the land H776 of Israel H3478 : for H3588 the Philistines H6430 said H559 , Lest H6435 the Hebrews H5680 make H6213 them swords H2719 or H176 spears H2595 :
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20. Only the Philistines could sharpen iron tools. So if the Israelites needed to sharpen their plows, hoes, axes, or sickles, they had to go to the Philistines.
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20. But all H3605 the Israelites H3478 went down H3381 to the Philistines H6430 , to sharpen H3913 every man H376 H853 his share H4282 , and his colter H855 , and his axe H7134 , and his mattock H4281 .
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21. The Philistine blacksmiths charged ounce of silver for sharpening plows and hoes and ounce of silver for sharpening picks, axes, and the iron tip on ox goads.
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21. Yet they had H1961 a file H6477 H6310 for the mattocks H4281 , and for the colters H855 , and for the forks H7969 H7053 , and for the axes H7134 , and to sharpen H5324 the goads H1861 .
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22. So on the day of battle, none of the Israelite soldiers with Saul had iron swords or spears. Only Saul and his son Jonathan had such weapons.
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22. So it came to pass H1961 in the day H3117 of battle H4421 , that there was neither H3808 sword H2719 nor spear H2595 found H4672 in the hand H3027 of any H3605 of the people H5971 that H834 were with H854 Saul H7586 and Jonathan H3083 : but with Saul H7586 and with Jonathan H3083 his son H1121 was there found H4672 .
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23. A group of Philistine soldiers guarded the mountain pass at Micmash.
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23. And the garrison H4673 of the Philistines H6430 went out H3318 to H413 the passage H4569 of Michmash H4363 .
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