9. Then Saul said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings,” so he offered the burnt offering.
10. But as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold Samuel arrived. Saul went out to meet and greet him.
11. But Samuel asked, “What have you done?” Saul replied, “Because I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you had not come within the appointed days, and that the Philistines were assembling at Michmas,
12. I thought: ‘Now the Philistines are about to advance against me at Gilgal, but I have not yet entreated Adonai.’ So I forced myself and offered the burnt offering.”
13. Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly by not keeping the commandment of Adonai your God which He commanded you. For now, Adonai would have established your kingship over Israel forever.
14. But now your kingship will not last. Adonai has sought for Himself a man after His own heart. So Adonai will appoint him as ruler over His people—because you have not guarded what Adonai commanded you.”
15. Samuel then departed and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Then Saul numbered the troops that were with him, about 600 men.
16. Now Saul and his son Jonathan and the people that were present with them were staying in Gibeah of Benjamin, while the Philistines encamped in Michmas.
17. Raiders started to come out from the camp of the Philistines in three detachments: one detachment turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual,
18. another detachment turned toward Beth-horon, and the third detachment turned toward the border road overlooking the Zeboim Wadi toward the wilderness.
19. Now no blacksmith could be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!”
20. So all the Israelites had to go down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his sickle, his axe or his hoe.
21. The price of sharpening was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares, the sickles, the three-pronged forks or the axes, or to set the oxgoads.
22. So it came about on the day of battle, there was no sword or spear to be found in the hand of any of the troops that were with Saul and Jonathan—only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
23. Then the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmas.