1. Sha’ul was... years old when he began to reign. And when he had reigned two years over Yisra’ĕl,
2. Sha’ul chose for himself three thousand men of Yisra’ĕl. And two thousand were with Sha’ul in Miḵmash and in the mountains of Bĕyth Ěl, and a thousand were with Yonathan in Giḇ‛ah of Binyamin. And the rest of the people he sent away, each to his tent.
3. And Yonathan smote the watch-post of the Philistines that was in Geḇa, and the Philistines heard of it. And Sha’ul blew the ram’s horn throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Heḇrews hear!”
4. And all Yisra’ĕl heard the news that Sha’ul had smitten a watch-post of the Philistines, and also that Yisra’ĕl had become a stench to the Philistines. And the people were summoned to Sha’ul at Gilgal.
5. And the Philistines gathered to fight Yisra’ĕl, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as numerous as the sand on the seashore. And they came up and encamped in Miḵmash, east of Bĕyth Awen.
6. And the men of Yisra’ĕl saw that they were in trouble, for the people were distressed, and the people hid in caves, and in thorny bushes, and in rocks, and in holes, and in pits.
7. And some Heḇrews passed over the Yardĕn to the land of Gaḏ and Gil‛aḏ. But Sha’ul was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him, trembling.
8. And he waited for seven days, according to the appointment with Shemu’ĕl. But Shemu’ĕl did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattered from him.
9. And Sha’ul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering.
10. And it came to be, as he had finished offering the burnt offering, look, Shemu’ĕl came. And Sha’ul went out to meet him, to bless him.
11. Then Shemu’ĕl said, “What have you done?” And Sha’ul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered at Miḵmash,