Joe: Alright! So we’re talking about the book of 1 Samuel and chapter 13. What’s going on here?

Bible Expert: Well, it starts out with the Philistines assembling their army against Israel and Saul musters his men to fight them. But Saul only assembles three thousand men and the Philistines had thirty thousand.

Jamie: Whoa, that’s a huge difference!

Joe: Yeah, that’s a lot of people!

Bible Expert: Right. So Saul takes his men to the hill country of Ephraim and the Philistines set up camp in the Valley of Rephaim. So Saul and the Israelites are in a tight spot and Saul decides to offer a burnt offering to God, hoping that God will come to his aid.

Joe: Interesting! So, did it work?

Bible Expert: Not really. God didn’t respond right away, so Saul decides to take matters into his own hands and orders his men to attack the Philistines. But they don’t have enough weapons, so Saul orders that no one can eat until they have defeated the Philistines.

Joe: Wow, that’s intense.

Bible Expert: Yeah, it is. But despite this desperate move, the Israelites are still outnumbered and Saul is forced to flee. The Philistines then take over the land and it’s not until Samuel comes and defeats them that the Israelites are able to reclaim the land.