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The Philistines called their army together to fight Israel. They had 3,000[a] chariots, 6,000 cavalry, and as many foot soldiers as there are grains of sand on the beach. They went to Michmash and set up camp there east of Beth-Aven.[b]

The Israelite army realized that they were outnumbered and were going to lose the battle. Some of the Israelite men hid in caves or in clumps of bushes,[c] and some ran to places where they could hide among large rocks. Others hid in tombs[d] or in deep dry pits. Still others[e] went to Gad and Gilead on the other side of the Jordan River.

Saul stayed at Gilgal. His soldiers were shaking with fear,

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Footnotes

  1. 13.5 3,000: Some ancient translations; Hebrew “30,000.”
  2. 13.5 Beth-Aven: This Beth-Aven was probably located about one and a half kilometers southwest of Michmash, between Michmash and Geba.
  3. 13.6 in … bushes: Or “in cracks in the rocks.”
  4. 13.6 tombs: The Hebrew word may mean a room cut into solid rock and used as a burial place, or it may mean a cellar.
  5. 13.7 Still others: This translates a Hebrew word which may be used of wandering groups of people who sometimes became outlaws or hired soldiers (see also 14.21).

The Philistines assembled(A) to fight Israel, with three thousand[a] chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand(B) on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash,(C) east of Beth Aven.(D) When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid(E) in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns.(F) Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad(G) and Gilead.

Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking(H) with fear.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Samuel 13:5 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac; Hebrew thirty thousand