16 And Saul and Jonathan his son and the people who were present with them stayed in ^zGeba of Benjamin, but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 And ^araiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shual; 18 another company turned toward ^bBeth-horon; and another company turned toward the border that looks down on the Valley of ^cZeboim toward the wilderness.

19 ^dNow there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears.” 20 But every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle,¹ 21 and the charge was two-thirds of a shekel² for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekel³ for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads.⁴ 22 So on the day of the battle ^ethere was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan, but Saul and Jonathan his son had them. 23 And ^fthe garrison of the Philistines went out to the ^gpass of ^hMichmash.