War with the Philistines

1Saul had bene kynge one yeare, and wha he had raigned ouer Israel two yeares,

2he chose him thre thousande me out of Israel: two thousande were with Saul at Michmas vpon the mount of Bethel, and one thousande with Ionathas at Gibea of BenIamin. As for the other people, he let them go euery one vnto his tente. 3But Ionathas smote ye Philistynes in their awne watch, which was at Gibea. That came to ye Philistynes eares. And Saul caused to blowe the trompes in all the londe, & to saye: Let the Hebrues heare. 4And all Israel herde saye: Saul hath smytten the Philistynes watch, for Israel stanke before the Philistynes. And all the people cried after Saul vnto Gilgal.

5Then the Philistynes gathered them selues together to fighte wt Israel, thirtie thousande charettes, sixe thousande horsmen, and other people besyde, in nombre as the sonde by the See shore, and wente vp, and pitched at Michmas on the eastsyde of Bethauen. 6Whan the men of Israel sawe that mysfortune laye vpon the neckes of the (for the people was come therto) they crope in to caues and dennes, in to rockes, and holes and welles. 7But the Hebrues wente ouer Iordane in to ye lande of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul he was yet at Gilgal, and all the people were fayntharted after him.

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice

8Then taried he seuen dayes acordinge to the tyme apoynted of Samuel. And whan Samuel came not vnto Gilgal, the people were scatered abrode from him. 9Then sayde Saul: Brynge me hither a burntofferinge and deedofferinges. And he offred a burntofferynge.

10But whan he had made an ende of the burntofferynge beholde, Samuel came. Then wente Saul forth to mete him, that he might salute him. 11But Samuel sayde: What hast thou done? Saul answered: I sawe that the people was scatered abrode fro me, and thou camest not in due season: and the Philistynes were gathered together at Michmas. 12Then sayde I. Now shall the Philistynes come downe to me vnto Gilgal, and I haue not besoughte the face of the LORDE: & so I boldened my selfe, & offred a burntofferynge. 13Samuel sayde vnto Saul: Thou hast done foolishly, and not kepte the commaundement of the LORDE thy God, which he commaunded the. For (yf thou haddest not done this) he had prospered thy kyngdome vpo Israel for euer: 14but now shall not thy kyngdome contynue. The LORDE hath soughte him out a man after his owne hert: him hath the LORDE commaunded to be prynce ouer his people, for thou hast not kepte yt the LORDE commaunded ye.

15And Samuel arose, and wente vp from Gilgal vnto Gibea Ben Iamin. And Saul nombred the people that was founde with him, vpon a sixe hundreth men.

Israel without Weapons

16Saul & his sonne Ionathas, and ye people that was with them, taried at Gibea Ben Iamin: but ye Philistynes had pitched their tentes at Michmas. 17And out of the hoost of the Philistynes there wente thre bondes of men to destroye: one turned the waye towarde Ephra in to the londe of Sual: 18another turned towarde the waye of Bethoron: the thirde turned towarde the waye, that reacheth to the valley of Zeboim vnto the wyldernes.

19But there was not a smyth founde in all the lode of Israel: for ye Philistynes thoughte: The Hebrues mighte happly make swerdes and speares. 20And all Israel were fayne to go downe to the Philistynes, whan eny man had a plowshare, a mattock, an axe, or a sythe to sharpe: 21and the edges of the plowshares, and mattockes, & forckes, and axes, were laboured, and the poyntes blont. 22Now whan the daye of the battayll came, there was nether swerde ner speare founde in the hande of all the people, that was with Saul and Ionathas: but for Saul and Ionathas his sonne there was somwhat founde. 23And ye Philistynes watch wete out ouer by Michmas.