La royauté
The Philistine raiding parties and Israel's lack of weapons
From the Philistine camp, raiding parties went out in three detachments that spread toward Ophrah, Beth-Horon and the Valley of Zeboim. There was no blacksmith to be found in all Israel, for the Philistines had forbidden the Hebrews to make swords or spears. The Israelites had to go down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes and sickles sharpened, and they paid for the work. On the day of battle, none in Saul's army had a sword or spear—only Saul and Jonathan were armed.
1 Samuel 13,17-22
17Raiders went out from the Philistine camp in three companies. One turned toward Ophrah, in the land of Shual;
וַיֵּצֵ֧א הַמַּשְׁחִ֛ית מִמַּחֲנֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה רָאשִׁ֑ים הָרֹ֨אשׁ אֶחָ֥ד יִפְנֶ֛ה אֶל־דֶּ֥רֶךְ עָפְרָ֖ה אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ שׁוּעָֽל׃
18another turned toward Beth-horon; and the third turned toward the border overlooking the Valley of Zeboim, facing the wilderness.
וְהָרֹ֤אשׁ אֶחָד֙ יִפְנֶ֔ה דֶּ֖רֶךְ בֵּ֣ית חֹר֑וֹן וְהָרֹ֨אשׁ אֶחָ֤ד יִפְנֶה֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַגְּב֔וּל הַנִּשְׁקָ֛ף עַל־גֵּ֥י הַצְּבֹעִ֖ים הַמִּדְבָּֽרָה׃ ס
19No blacksmith could be found anywhere in the land of Israel, for the Philistines had said, "The Hebrews must not be allowed to make swords or spears!"
וְחָרָשׁ֙ לֹ֣א יִמָּצֵ֔א בְּכֹ֖ל אֶ֣רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־*אמר **אָמְר֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים פֶּ֚ן יַעֲשׂ֣וּ הָעִבְרִ֔ים חֶ֖רֶב א֥וֹ חֲנִֽית׃
20So all Israel had to go down to the Philistines to have their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles sharpened.
וַיֵּרְד֥וּ כָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים לִ֠לְטוֹשׁ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־מַחֲרַשְׁתּ֤וֹ וְאֶת־אֵתוֹ֙ וְאֶת־קַרְדֻּמּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֖ת מַחֲרֵשָׁתֽוֹ׃
21The charge was two-thirds of a shekel for sharpening plowshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for pitchforks and axes, and for resetting a goad.[^1]
[^1]: The Hebrew names a weight called a *pim*, about two-thirds of a shekel. This verse is difficult, and the weights given are estimates.
וְֽהָיְתָ֞ה הַפְּצִ֣ירָה פִ֗ים לַמַּֽחֲרֵשֹׁת֙ וְלָ֣אֵתִ֔ים וְלִשְׁלֹ֥שׁ קִלְּשׁ֖וֹן וּלְהַקַּרְדֻּמִּ֑ים וּלְהַצִּ֖יב הַדָּרְבָֽן׃
22So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hand of any of the men with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them.
וְהָיָה֙ בְּי֣וֹם מִלְחֶ֔מֶת וְלֹ֨א נִמְצָ֜א חֶ֤רֶב וַחֲנִית֙ בְּיַ֣ד כָּל־הָעָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֶת־שָׁא֖וּל וְאֶת־יוֹנָתָ֑ן וַתִּמָּצֵ֣א לְשָׁא֔וּל וּלְיוֹנָתָ֖ן בְּנֽוֹ׃