SHA'UL reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Yashar'el,
Sha'ul chose him three thousand men of Yashar'el; whereof two thousand were with Sha'ul in Mikmash and in Mount Beyt-El, and a thousand were with Yonathan in Giv'ah of Binyamiyn: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
And Yonathan smote את the garrison of the Pelishtiym that was in Geva, and the Pelishtiym heard of it. And Sha'ul blew the shofar throughout all the land, saying, Let the Ivriym hear.
And all Yashar'el heard say that Sha'ul had smitten a garrison of the Pelishtiym, and that Yashar'el also was had in abomination with the Pelishtiym. And the people were called together after Sha'ul to Gilgal.
And the Pelishtiym gathered themselves together to fight with Yashar'el, 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 Mikmash, eastward from Beyt Aven.
When the men of Yashar'el 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.
And some of the Ivriym went over the Yardan to the land of Gad and Gil'ad. As for Sha'ul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Shemu'el had appointed: but Shemu'el came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
And Sha'ul said, Bring hither an ascending smoke offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the ascending smoke offering.
And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the ascending smoke offering, behold, Shemu'el came; and Sha'ul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
And Shemu'el said, What have you done? And Sha'ul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you came not within the days appointed, and that the Pelishtiym gathered themselves together at Mikmash;
Therefore said I, The Pelishtiym will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto Yahuah: I forced myself therefore, and offered an ascending smoke offering.
And Shemu'el said to El-Sha'ul, You have done foolishly: you have not guarded the commandment of Yahuah Elohayka, which he commanded you: for now would Yahuah have established your kingdom upon El-Yashar'el forever.
But now your kingdom shall not continue: Yahuah has sought him a man after his own heart, and Yahuah has commanded him to be captain over his people, because you have not guarded את that which Yahuah commanded you.
And Shemu'el arose, and got him up from Gilgal unto Giv'ah of Binyamiyn. And Sha'ul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.
And Sha'ul, and Yonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Giv'ah of Binyamiyn: but the Pelishtiym encamped in Mikmash.
And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Pelishtiym in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leads to Ophrah, unto the land of Shu'al:
And another company turned the way to Beyt Choron: and another company turned to the way of the border that looks to the valley of Tsevo'iym toward the wilderness.
Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Yashar'el: for the Pelishtiym said, Lest the Ivriym make them swords or spears:
But all Yashar'el went down to the Pelishtiym, to sharpen every man his plowshare, and his hoe, and את his axe, and את his mattock.
Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
So 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 Sha'ul and Yonathan: but with Sha'ul and with Yonathan his son was there found.
And the garrison of the Pelishtiym went out to the passage of Mikmash.