The Bible Study podcast episode 234. Today the Bible study podcast continues the study of First Samuel with chapter 13.

Welcome to the Bible study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. As you may recall, in the last episode, we were

looking at 1 Samuel 12, and we saw Saul finally growing into the role of king. Saul finally taking

up the mantle of king and leading his people to victory over the Amorites. In this chapter,

Chapter 13, things go wrong. Saul was 30 years old when he became king, and he reigned

over Israel 42 years. Saul chose 3,000 men of Israel, 2,000 were with him at McMash and

in the hill country of Bethel, and 1,000 were with Jonathan in in Gibbia in Benjamin, the rest of the men

he sent back to their homes. Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines

heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, let the Hebrews hear.

So all Israel heard the news. Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become

obnoxious to the Philistines, and the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgall.

The Philistines assembled to fight Israel with 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and soldiers as

numerous as the sands on the seashore. They went up and camped at

McMash east of Beth Avon. Then the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that

their army was hard-pressed. They hid in caves and thickets among the rocks and in pits and cisterns.

Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgall,

and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel,

but Samuel did not come to Gilgall, and Saul's men began to scatter. So he said to them,

bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, and Saul offered up the burnt offering.

Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him,

What have you done? asked Samuel.

Saul replied, when I saw the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the sad time,

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