1 Samuel 13:8-23 - Saul's Unlawful Sacrifice
8 He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel: but Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 Saul said, "Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings." He offered the burnt offering.
10 It came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. 11 Samuel said, "What have you done?" Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash; 12 therefore I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven't entreated the favor of the LORD.' I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering."
13 Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you; for now the LORD would have established your kingdom on Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which the LORD commanded you." 15 And Samuel arose and departed from Gilgal, and the rest of the people went up after Saul to meet him after the men of war, when they had come up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.
16 Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual; 18 and another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears"; 20 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle; 21 yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the plowshares, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads. 22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 23 The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.