This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in 1 Samuel 13, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Once upon a time, a man named Saul became king over Israel. He gathered three thousand men to fight against the Philistines. Two thousand men went with Saul, and a thousand went with his son Jonathan. The rest of the people went home.
Jonathan attacked the Philistine soldiers at Geba and won. Saul blew a trumpet to tell everyone that they had won and that the Philistines were afraid of Israel. The Israelites were called to gather and join Saul at Gilgal.
The Philistines had a huge army with 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and many soldiers. They came to fight against Israel and set up camp in Michmash. When the Israelites saw the Philistine army, they were scared and hid in caves, rocks, and tombs.
Saul waited for seven days for Samuel the prophet to come, but he didn’t. So, Saul decided to offer the burnt offering to God himself, which he wasn’t supposed to do. Just as Saul finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel arrived. Samuel asked Saul what he had done, and Saul explained that he was afraid of the Philistines and that Samuel didn’t come in time. Samuel said that Saul was foolish and had disobeyed God’s commands.
He also told Saul, “You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
Saul had about 600 men with him, including his son Jonathan. They stayed in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped in Michmash. The Philistines sent raiders out in three different groups. One group went to Ophrah, another to Beth-horon, and the third to the border near the Valley of Zeboim.
The Philistines didn’t want the Israelites to have weapons, so they didn’t allow blacksmiths in Israel. The Israelites had to go to the Philistines to get their tools sharpened, and they had to pay them money for it. On the day of the battle, none of the Israelites had swords or spears, except for Saul and Jonathan. The Philistines were waiting for them at the pass of Michmash.
Biblical Lessons
- We should trust God to protect us in times of trouble.
- It’s important to have faith in God, even when we are afraid.
- Disobeying God’s commands can have serious consequences.
- We should not rely on our own strength and power, but on God’s power to help us overcome challenges.
- It’s important to be patient and wait for God’s timing, even if it seems like He is taking too long.
- God is always looking for people who have a heart for Him and are willing to obey Him.