¹⁷ Three ·groups [raiding parties] went out from the Philistine camp to make raids. One ·group [company] went on the Ophrah road in the land of Shual. ¹⁸ The second group went on the Beth Horon road. The third group went on the border road that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the ·desert [wilderness].

¹⁹ The whole land of Israel had no blacksmith because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews ·might [^Lmust not] make swords and spears.”