1 Samuel 13:16-23

¹⁶ Saul and his son Jonathan and the men with them were staying in Gibeah in Benjamin, while the Philistines camped at Mikmash. ¹⁷ Raiding parties went out from the Philistine camp in three detachments. One turned toward Ophrah in the vicinity of Shual, ¹⁸ another toward Beth Horon, and the third toward the borderland overlooking the Valley of Zeboyim facing the wilderness.

¹⁹ Not a blacksmith could be found in the whole land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears!” ²⁰ So all Israel went down to the Philistines to have their plowpoints, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened. ²¹ The price was two-thirds of a shekel for sharpening plowpoints and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening forks and axes and for repointing goads.

²² So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

²³ Now a detachment of Philistines had gone out to the pass at Mikmash.

Questions to consider:

• Why don't the people of Israel have spears?
• Why might this be a problem?
• Where do the people of Israel find blacksmiths?
  
• Who does have a spear?
  

Possibilities for prayer:

Sometimes it can feel like we are going into the battles of life completely unarmed. We don't feel prepared, qualified, or able to do the things that we feel God is leading us to do. This is generally not a great feeling, but what is encouraging is that we are never completely unarmed or completely alone, because we have God with us. Let's ask for more encounters of God in our lives, and for the knowledge of God's presence to be something of which we are constantly aware.