19. There were no blacksmiths in the land of Israel in those days. The Philistines wouldn’t allow them for fear they would make swords and spears for the Hebrews.
20. So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plowshares, picks, axes, or sickles, they had to take them to a Philistine blacksmith.
21. The charges were as follows: a quarter of an ounce of silver for sharpening a plowshare or a pick, and an eighth of an ounce for sharpening an ax or making the point of an ox goad.
22. So on the day of the battle none of the people of Israel had a sword or spear, except for Saul and Jonathan.
23. The pass at Micmash had meanwhile been secured by a contingent of the Philistine army.