Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty-two years. 1 Exo 12:5Mic 6:6
Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the people to their own tents. 1Sa 10:261Sa 13:51Sa 14:311Sa 13:231Sa 14:51Sa 14:521Sa 15:341Sa 8:11 Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 1Sa 10:5Jdg 3:27Jdg 6:341Sa 13:161Sa 14:1-62Sa 2:282Sa 20:12Sa 23:14 All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was considered an abomination to the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal. Gen 34:30Exo 5:211Sa 10:81Sa 11:14-15Gen 46:34Jos 5:9Zec 11:8 The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel: thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven. 1Sa 14:23Jos 11:4Jos 18:122Ch 1:9Gen 22:17Hos 10:5Hos 4:15Hos 5:8 When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in tombs, and in pits. Jdg 6:2Heb 11:381Sa 14:111Sa 23:191Sa 24:32Sa 24:14Exo 14:10-12Isa 42:22 Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. Deu 20:8Deu 28:25Deu 3:12Hos 11:10-11Jdg 7:3Jos 13:24-31Lev 26:17Lev 26:36-37 He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel; but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 1Sa 10:8 Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering to me here, and the peace offerings.” He offered the burnt offering. 1Ki 3:4Pro 21:27Pro 15:8Pro 21:31Sa 13:12-131Sa 14:181Sa 15:21-222Sa 24:25
It came to pass that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. 1Sa 15:13Psa 129:8Rut 2:4 Samuel said, “What have you done?” 1Sa 13:161Sa 13:21Sa 13:231Sa 13:52Ki 5:25Gen 3:13Gen 4:101Sa 14:5
Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash, therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favor of the LORD.’ I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering.” 1Ki 12:26-272Co 9:7Amo 8:5Psa 66:31Sa 21:7
Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for now the LORD would have established your kingdom on Israel forever. 1Sa 15:222Ch 16:91Sa 15:281Sa 15:111Ki 18:181Ki 21:202Ch 25:15-16Psa 50:8-15 But now your kingdom will not continue. The LORD has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you.” Act 13:221Sa 15:28Psa 89:19-37Psa 78:701Sa 16:1Act 7:461Sa 16:121Sa 2:30
Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. 1Sa 13:21Sa 14:21Sa 13:6-7 Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 1Sa 13:3 The raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual; Jos 18:231Sa 14:151Sa 11:11Jos 19:3 another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness. Neh 11:34Jos 18:13-14Jos 16:31Ch 6:682Ch 8:5Gen 14:2Hos 11:8Jos 10:11 Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears”; 2Ki 24:14Jdg 5:8Jer 24:1Isa 54:16 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, each man to sharpen his own plowshare, mattock, ax, and sickle. The price was one payim 2 each to sharpen mattocks, plowshares, pitchforks, axes, and goads. So it came to pass in the day of battle that neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them. Jdg 5:81Co 1:27-291Sa 17:471Sa 17:502Co 4:7Zec 4:6
The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash. Isa 10:281Sa 14:11Sa 14:4-51Sa 13:2-31Sa 13:52Sa 23:14