Israel without Weapons

Saul, Jonathan, and their men remain at Geba while the Philistines stay at Michmash and send out raiding bands in three directions.

N¹⁶ow Saul and Jonathan his son and the troops with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Michmash. ¹⁷And raiders went out of the Philistine camp in three divisions. One headed toward Ophrah in the land of Shual, ¹⁸another toward Beth-horon, and the third down the border road overlooking the Valley of Zeboim facing the wilderness.

The chapter explains that no blacksmith is found in Israel, since the Philistines prevent weapon-making and force Israelites to come to them even for sharpening tools.

¹⁹And no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews must not be allowed to make swords or spears.” ²⁰Instead, all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles. ²¹The charge was a pim for sharpening a plowshare or mattock, a third of a shekel for sharpening a pitchfork or an axe, and a third of a shekel for repointing an oxgoad.

When battle comes, no Israelite soldiers have swords or spears except Saul and Jonathan, while a Philistine garrison holds the pass at Michmash.

²²So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hands of the troops with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons. ²³And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.