ere in a strait (for the people were
distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets,
and in rocks, and in holds, and in pits. Now some of the Hebrews had
gone over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he
was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had
appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were
scattered from him. And Saul said, "Bring hither the burnt offering to
me, and the peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering. And
it came to pass that, as soon as he had made an end of offering the
burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him,
that he might salute him. And Samuel said, "What hast thou done?" And
Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and
that thou earnest not within the days appointed, and that the
Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash; therefore said
I, 'Now will the Philistines come {362} down upon me to Gilgal, and I
have not intreated the favor of the Lord': I forced myself therefore
to do it, and offered the burnt offering."

And Samuel said to Saul, "Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept
the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now
would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel forever. But now
thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his
own heart, and the Lord hath appointed him to be prince over his people,
because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee."

And Samuel arose, and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And
Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred
men. And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present
with them, abode in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in
Michmash. And bands of the Philistines came out and ravaged the
country all about.

Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel:
for the Philistines said, "There shall be no blacksmith, lest the
Hebrews make them swords or spears": but all the Israelites went down
to the Philistines, to sharpen their axes and ploughshares and other
tools.

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 Saul
and Jonathan; except in the hands of Saul and Jonathan his son. And
the garri