15. Samuel left Gilgal. The rest of the people followed Saul to meet the soldiers. They went from Gilgal to Gibeah in Benjamin, where Saul counted the troops who were still with him—about 600 men.
16. Saul, his son Jonathan, and the troops who were with them stayed at Geba in Benjamin while the Philistines camped at Michmash.
17. Raiding parties left the Philistine camp in three columns. One column turned onto the road to Ophrah to the region of Shual.
18. Another column turned onto the road to Beth Horon. And one turned onto the road toward the region that overlooks the valley of Zeboim and the desert.
19. No blacksmith could be found in the entire land of Israel. In this way the Philistines kept the Hebrews from making swords and spears.
20. Everyone in Israel had to go to the Philistines to sharpen the blade of his plow, his mattock, ax, or sickle.
21. The price was a pim for plow blades and mattocks, and one-tenth of an ounce of silver to sharpen a mattock or set a metal point on a cattle-prod.
22. So on the day of battle, not one sword or spear could be found among all the troops who were with Saul and Jonathan. But Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
23. Now, Philistine troops had gone out to the pass at Michmash.