1 Samuel 13 (Shmuel Alef) in Hebrew and English
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Text (469) 608-99441 Samuel, Chapter 13
Shaul chooses three thousand men and Yonatan strikes the garrison of the Pelishtim at Geva; the Pelishtim gather at Michmas, Shaul offers the burnt offering before Shmuel comes and is told his kingdom will not continue, and Israel has no smith, sword or spear.
13:1Shaul (Saul) reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
אבֶּן־שָׁנָ֖ה שָׁא֣וּל בְּמָלְכ֑וֹ וּשְׁתֵּ֣י שָׁנִ֔ים מָלַ֖ךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
13:2Shaul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Shaul in Michmas (Michmash) and in mount Beit El (Bethel), and a thousand were with Yonatan (Jonathan) in Giv’at Binyamin (Gibeah of Benjamin): and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
בוַיִּבְחַר־ל֨וֹ שָׁא֜וּל שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֮ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיִּהְי֨וּ עִם־שָׁא֜וּל אַלְפַּ֗יִם בְּמִכְמָשׂ֙ וּבְהַ֣ר בֵּֽית־אֵ֔ל וְאֶ֗לֶף הָיוּ֙ עִם־י֣וֹנָתָ֔ן בְּגִבְעַ֖ת בִּנְיָמִ֑ין וְיֶ֣תֶר הָעָ֔ם שִׁלַּ֖ח אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃
13:3And Yonatan struck the garrison of the Pelishtim (Philistines) that was in Geva (Geba), and the Pelishtim heard of it. And Shaul blew the shofar (trumpet) throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Ivrim (Hebrews) hear.”
גוַיַּ֣ךְ יוֹנָתָ֗ן אֵ֣ת נְצִ֤יב פְּלִשְׁתִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּגֶ֔בַע וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֖וּ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וְשָׁאוּל֩ תָּקַ֨ע בַּשּׁוֹפָ֤ר בְּכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יִשְׁמְע֖וּ הָעִבְרִֽים׃
13:4And all Israel heard say that Shaul had struck a garrison of the Pelishtim, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Pelishtim. And the people were called together after Shaul to Gilgal.
דוְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֞ל שָׁמְע֣וּ לֵאמֹ֗ר הִכָּ֤ה שָׁאוּל֙ אֶת־נְצִ֣יב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְגַם־נִבְאַשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיִּצָּעֲק֥וּ הָעָ֛ם אַחֲרֵ֥י שָׁא֖וּל הַגִּלְגָּֽל׃
13:5And the Pelishtim gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmas, eastward from Beit Aven (Beth-aven).
הוּפְלִשְׁתִּ֞ים נֶאֶסְפ֣וּ ׀ לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים אֶ֤לֶף רֶ֨כֶב֙ וְשֵׁ֤שֶׁת אֲלָפִים֙ פָּרָשִׁ֔ים וְעָ֕ם כַּח֛וֹל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־שְׂפַֽת־הַיָּ֖ם לָרֹ֑ב וַֽיַּעֲלוּ֙ וַיַּחֲנ֣וּ בְמִכְמָ֔שׂ קִדְמַ֖ת בֵּ֥ית אָֽוֶן׃
13:6When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.
ווְאִ֨ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל רָאוּ֙ כִּ֣י צַר־ל֔וֹ כִּ֥י נִגַּ֖שׂ הָעָ֑ם וַיִּֽתְחַבְּא֣וּ הָעָ֗ם בַּמְּעָר֤וֹת וּבַֽחֲוָחִים֙ וּבַסְּלָעִ֔ים וּבַצְּרִחִ֖ים וּבַבֹּרֽוֹת׃
13:7And some of the Ivrim went over Yarden (Jordan) to the land of Gad and Gil’ad (Gilead). As for Shaul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
זוְעִבְרִ֗ים עָֽבְרוּ֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן אֶ֥רֶץ גָּ֖ד וְגִלְעָ֑ד וְשָׁאוּל֙ עוֹדֶ֣נּוּ בַגִּלְגָּ֔ל וְכָל־הָעָ֖ם חָרְד֥וּ אַחֲרָֽיו׃
13:8And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Shmuel (Samuel) had appointed: but Shmuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
חוַיּ֣וֹחֶל (כתיב וייחל) ׀ שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים לַמּוֹעֵד֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל וְלֹא־בָ֥א שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל הַגִּלְגָּ֑ל וַיָּ֥פֶץ הָעָ֖ם מֵעָלָֽיו׃
13:9And Shaul said, “Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering.
טוַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֔וּל הַגִּ֣שׁוּ אֵלַ֔י הָעֹלָ֖ה וְהַשְּׁלָמִ֑ים וַיַּ֖עַל הָעֹלָֽה׃
13:10And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Shmuel came; and Shaul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.
יוַיְהִ֗י כְּכַלֹּתוֹ֙ לְהַעֲל֣וֹת הָעֹלָ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל בָּ֑א וַיֵּצֵ֥א שָׁא֛וּל לִקְרָאת֖וֹ לְבָרֲכֽוֹ׃
13:11And Shmuel said, “What have you done?” And Shaul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you came not within the days appointed, and that the Pelishtim gathered themselves together at Michmas;
יאוַיֹּ֥אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑יתָ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר שָׁא֡וּל כִּֽי־רָאִיתִי֩ כִֽי־נָפַ֨ץ הָעָ֜ם מֵעָלַ֗י וְאַתָּה֙ לֹא־בָ֨אתָ֙ לְמוֹעֵ֣ד הַיָּמִ֔ים וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים נֶאֱסָפִ֥ים מִכְמָֽשׂ׃
13:12Therefore said I, ‘The Pelishtim will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto Hashem’: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.”
יבוָאֹמַ֗ר עַ֠תָּה יֵרְד֨וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֤ים אֵלַי֙ הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל וּפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לֹ֣א חִלִּ֑יתִי וָֽאֶתְאַפַּ֔ק וָאַעֲלֶ֖ה הָעֹלָֽה׃
13:13And Shmuel said to Shaul, “You have done foolishly: you have not kept the commandment of Hashem your God, which He commanded you: for now would Hashem have established your kingdom upon Israel for ever.
יגוַיֹּ֧אמֶר שְׁמוּאֵ֛ל אֶל־שָׁא֖וּל נִסְכָּ֑לְתָּ לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֗רְתָּ אֶת־מִצְוַ֞ת יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֔ךְ כִּ֣י עַתָּ֗ה הֵכִ֨ין יְהוָ֧ה אֶת־מַֽמְלַכְתְּךָ֛ אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
13:14But now your kingdom shall not continue: Hashem has sought Him a man after His own heart, and Hashem has commanded him to be captain over His people, because you have not kept that which Hashem commanded you.”
ידוְעַתָּ֖ה מַמְלַכְתְּךָ֣ לֹא־תָק֑וּם בִּקֵּשׁ֩ יְהוָ֨ה ל֜וֹ אִ֣ישׁ כִּלְבָב֗וֹ וַיְצַוֵּ֨הוּ יְהוָ֤ה לְנָגִיד֙ עַל־עַמּ֔וֹ כִּ֚י לֹ֣א שָׁמַ֔רְתָּ אֵ֥ת אֲשֶֽׁר־צִוְּךָ֖ יְהוָֽה׃
13:15And Shmuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Giv’at Binyamin. And Shaul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men.
טווַיָּ֣קָם שְׁמוּאֵ֗ל וַיַּ֛עַל מִן־הַגִּלְגָּ֖ל גִּבְעַ֣ת בִּנְיָמִ֑ן וַיִּפְקֹ֣ד שָׁא֗וּל אֶת־הָעָם֙ הַנִּמְצְאִ֣ים עִמּ֔וֹ כְּשֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת אִֽישׁ׃
13:16And Shaul, and Yonatan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Geva of Binyamin: but the Pelishtim encamped in Michmas.
טזוְשָׁא֞וּל וְיוֹנָתָ֣ן בְּנ֗וֹ וְהָעָם֙ הַנִּמְצָ֣א עִמָּ֔ם יֹשְׁבִ֖ים בְּגֶ֣בַע בִּנְיָמִ֑ן וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים חָנ֥וּ בְמִכְמָֽשׂ׃
13:17And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Pelishtim in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leads to Ofrah (Ophrah), unto the land of Shu’al (Shual):
יזוַיֵּצֵ֧א הַמַּשְׁחִ֛ית מִמַּחֲנֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה רָאשִׁ֑ים הָרֹ֨אשׁ אֶחָ֥ד יִפְנֶ֛ה אֶל־דֶּ֥רֶךְ עָפְרָ֖ה אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ שׁוּעָֽל׃
13:18And another company turned the way to Beit Choron (Beth-horon): and another company turned to the way of the border that looks to the valley of Tzevo’im (Zeboim) toward the wilderness.
יחוְהָרֹ֤אשׁ אֶחָד֙ יִפְנֶ֔ה דֶּ֖רֶךְ בֵּ֣ית חֹר֑וֹן וְהָרֹ֨אשׁ אֶחָ֤ד יִפְנֶה֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַגְּב֔וּל הַנִּשְׁקָ֛ף עַל־גֵּ֥י הַצְּבֹעִ֖ים הַמִּדְבָּֽרָה׃
13:19Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Pelishtim said, “Lest the Ivrim make them swords or spears.”
יטוְחָרָשׁ֙ לֹ֣א יִמָּצֵ֔א בְּכֹ֖ל אֶ֣רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־אָמְר֣וּ (כתיב אמר) פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים פֶּ֚ן יַעֲשׂ֣וּ הָעִבְרִ֔ים חֶ֖רֶב א֥וֹ חֲנִֽית׃
13:20But all the Israelites went down to the Pelishtim, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.
כוַיֵּרְד֥וּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים לִ֠לְטוֹשׁ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־מַחֲרַשְׁתּ֤וֹ וְאֶת־אֵתוֹ֙ וְאֶת־קַרְדֻּמּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֖ת מַחֲרֵשָׁתֽוֹ׃
13:21Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
כאוְֽהָיְתָ֞ה הַפְּצִ֣ירָה פִ֗ים לַמַּֽחֲרֵשֹׁת֙ וְלָ֣אֵתִ֔ים וְלִשְׁלֹ֥שׁ קִלְּשׁ֖וֹן וּלְהַקַּרְדֻּמִּ֑ים וּלְהַצִּ֖יב הַדָּרְבָֽן׃
13:22So 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 Shaul and Yonatan: but with Shaul and with Yonatan his son was there found.
כבוְהָיָה֙ בְּי֣וֹם מִלְחֶ֔מֶת וְלֹ֨א נִמְצָ֜א חֶ֤רֶב וַחֲנִית֙ בְּיַ֣ד כָּל־הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶת־שָׁא֖וּל וְאֶת־יוֹנָתָ֑ן וַתִּמָּצֵ֣א לְשָׁא֔וּל וּלְיוֹנָתָ֖ן בְּנֽוֹ׃
13:23And the garrison of the Pelishtim went out to the passage of Michmas.
כגוַיֵּצֵא֙ מַצַּ֣ב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אֶֽל־מַעֲבַ֖ר מִכְמָֽשׂ׃
Sources & method
- Hebrew text
- The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
- English translation
- The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
- Verse numbers
- Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 1 Samuel they differ from most English Bibles, or a verse is divided differently, in chapters 19, 20, 21, 23 and 24; a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
- Hebrew font
- SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.