8. He waited seven days, just as Samuel had told him to. But Samuel didn't come to Gilgal. And Saul's men began to scatter.
9. So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the friendship offerings." Then he offered up the burnt offering.
10. Just as Saul finished offering the sacrifice, Samuel arrived. Saul went out to greet him.
11. "What have you done?" asked Samuel. Saul replied, "I saw that the men were scattering. I saw that the Philistines were gathering together at Micmash. You didn't come when you said you would.
12. So I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down to attack me at Gilgal. And I haven't asked the Lord to show us his favor.' So I felt I had to sacrifice the burnt offering."
13. "You did a foolish thing," Samuel said. "You haven't obeyed the command the Lord your God gave you. If you had, he would have made your kingdom secure over Israel for all time to come.
14. But now your kingdom won't last. The Lord has already looked for a man who is dear to his heart. He has appointed him leader of his people. That's because you haven't obeyed the Lord's command."
15. Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. Saul counted the men who stayed with him. The total number was about 600.
16. Saul and his son Jonathan were staying in Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. What was left of the army was there with them. At the same time, the Philistines camped at Micmash.
17. Three groups of soldiers went out from the Philistine camp to attack Israel. One group turned and went toward Ophrah in the area of Shual.
18. Another went toward Beth Horon. The third went toward the border that looked out over the Valley of Zeboim. That valley faces the desert.
19. There weren't any blacksmiths in the whole land of Israel. That's because the Philistines had said, "The Hebrews might hire them to make swords or spears!"