1-3 and Saul was in Geba with his 600 men. Saul's own tent was set up under a fruit tree by the threshing place at the edge of town. Ahijah was serving as priest, and one of his jobs was to get answers from the Lord for Saul. Ahijah's father was Ahitub, and his father's brother was Ichabod. Ahijah's grandfather was Phinehas, and his great-grandfather Eli had been the Lord's priest at Shiloh.
One day, Jonathan told the soldier who carried his weapons that he wanted to attack the Philistine camp on the other side of the valley. So they slipped out of the Israelite camp without anyone knowing it. Jonathan didn't even tell his father he was leaving.
4-5 Jonathan decided to get to the Philistine camp by going through the pass that led between Shiny Cliff and Michmash to the north and Thornbush Cliff and Geba to the south.
6 Jonathan and the soldier who carried his weapons talked as they went toward the Philistine camp. “It's just the two of us against all those godless men,” Jonathan said. “But the Lord can help a few soldiers win a battle just as easily as he can help a whole army. Maybe the Lord will help us win this battle.”
7 “Do whatever you want,” the soldier answered. “I'll be right there with you.”
8 “This is what we will do,” Jonathan said. “We will go across and let them see us. 9 If they agree to come down the hill and fight where we are, then we won't climb up to their camp. 10 But we will go if they tell us to come up the hill and fight. That will mean the Lord is going to help us win.”
11-12 Jonathan and the soldier stood at the bottom of the hill where the Philistines could see them. The Philistines said, “Look! Those worthless Israelites have crawled out of the holes where they've been hiding.” Then they yelled down to Jonathan and the soldier, “Come up here, and we will teach you a thing or two!”
Jonathan turned to the soldier and said, “Follow me! The Lord is going to let us win.”
13 Jonathan crawled up the hillside with the soldier right behind him. When they got to the top, Jonathan killed the Philistines who attacked from the front, and the soldier killed those who attacked from behind. 14 Before they had gone 30 meters, they had killed about 20 Philistines.
15 The whole Philistine army panicked—those in camp, those on guard duty, those in the fields, and those on raiding patrols. All of them were afraid and confused. Then God sent an earthquake, and the ground began to tremble.
Israel Defeats the Philistines
16 Saul's lookouts at Geba saw that the Philistine army was running in every direction, like melted wax. 17 Saul told his officers, “Call the roll and find out who left our camp.” When they had finished, they found out that Jonathan and the soldier who carried his weapons were missing.
18 At that time, Ahijah was serving as priest for the army of Israel, and Saul told him, “Come over here! Let's ask God what we should do.” 19 Just as Saul finished saying this, he could see that the Philistine army camp was getting more and more confused, and he said, “Ahijah, never mind!”
20 Saul quickly called his army together, then led them to the Philistine camp. By this time the Philistines were so confused that they were killing each other.
21 There were also some hired soldiers in the Philistine camp, who now switched to Israel's side and fought for Saul and Jonathan.
22 Many Israelites had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim. And when they heard that the Philistines were running away, they came out of hiding and joined in chasing the Philistines.
23-24 So the Lord helped Israel win the battle that day.
Saul's Curse on Anyone Who Eats
Saul had earlier told his soldiers, “I want to get even with those Philistines by sunset. If any of you eat before then, you will be under a curse!” So he made them swear not to eat.
By the time the fighting moved past Beth-Aven, the Israelite troops were weak from hunger. 25-26 The army and the people who lived nearby had gone into a forest, and they came to a place where honey was dripping on the ground. But no one ate any of it, because they were afraid of being put under the curse.
27 Jonathan did not know about Saul's warning to the soldiers. So he dipped the end of his walking stick in the honey and ate some with his fingers. He felt stronger and more alert. 28 Then a soldier told him, “Your father swore that anyone who ate food today would be put under a curse, and we agreed not to eat. That's why we're so weak.”
29 Jonathan said, “My father has caused you a lot of trouble. Look at me! I ate only a little of this honey, but already I feel strong and alert. 30 I wish you had eaten some of the food the Philistines left behind. We would have been able to kill a lot more of them.”
31 By evening the Israelite army was exhausted from killing Philistines all the way from Michmash to Aijalon. 32 They grabbed the food they had captured from the Philistines and started eating. They even killed sheep and cows and calves right on the spot and ate the meat without draining the blood. 33 Someone told Saul, “Look! The army is disobeying the Lord by eating meat before the blood drains out.”
“You're right,” Saul answered. “They are being unfaithful to the Lord! Hurry! Roll a big rock over here. 34 Then tell everyone in camp to bring their cattle and lambs to me. They can kill the animals on this rock, then eat the meat. That way no one will disobey the Lord by eating meat with blood still in it.”
That night the soldiers brought their cattle over to the big rock and killed them there. 35 It was the first altar Saul had built for offering sacrifices to the Lord.
The Army Rescues Jonathan
36 Saul said, “Let's attack the Philistines again while it's still dark. We can fight them all night. Let's kill them and take everything they own!”
The people answered, “We will do whatever you want.”
“Wait!” Ahijah the priest said. “Let's ask God what we should do.”
37 Saul asked God, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you help us win?”
This time God did not answer. 38 Saul called his army officers together and said, “We have to find out what sin has kept God from answering. 39 I swear by the living Lord that whoever sinned must die, even if it turns out to be my own son Jonathan.”
No one said a word.
40 Saul told his army, “You stand on that side of the priest, and Jonathan and I will stand on the other side.”
Everyone agreed.
41 Then Saul prayed, “Our Lord, God of Israel, why haven't you answered me today? Please show us who sinned. Was it my son Jonathan and I, or was it your people Israel?”
The answer came back that Jonathan or Saul had sinned, not the army. 42 Saul told Ahijah, “Now ask the Lord to decide between Jonathan and me.”
The answer came back that Jonathan had sinned. 43 “Jonathan,” Saul exclaimed, “tell me what you did!”
“I dipped the end of my walking stick in some honey and ate a little. Now you say I have to die!”
44 “Yes, Jonathan. I swear to God that you must die.”
45 “No!” the soldiers shouted. “God helped Jonathan win the battle for us. We won't let you kill him. We swear to the Lord that we won't let you kill him or even lay a hand on him!” So the army kept Saul from killing Jonathan.
46 Saul stopped hunting down the Philistines, and they went home.
Saul Fights His Enemies
47-48 When Saul became king, the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, the Philistines, and the Amalekites had all been robbing the Israelites. Saul fought back against these enemies and stopped them from robbing Israel. He was a brave commander and always won his battles.
Saul's Family
49-51 Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. They had three sons: Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. They also had two daughters: The older one was Merab, and the younger one was Michal.
Abner, Saul's cousin, was the commander of the army. Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel.
War with the Philistines
52 Saul was at war with the Philistines for as long as he lived. Whenever he found a good warrior or a brave man, Saul made him join his army.
Ouvanḓe wa Jonatan
1 Eyuva rimwe Jonatan, omuzandu wa Saul, wa tja nai komukarere omutjinde wovirwise vye: “Indjo, tu yende kozondanda zovatjevere zOvafilisti.” Nungwari ku ihe ka tjivisire ko. 2 Saul wa tonene ondanda ye kehi yomundenya mbwa ri mOmigron popezu na Gibea; novarwe wovita mba ri pu ye va ri ovarumendu mangara omasere hamboumwe. 3 Momayuva ngo omurumendu ngwaa zara ombanda youpristeri wa ri Ahija, omuzandu wa Ahitub, erumbi ra Ikabod, omuzandu wa Pinhas, omuzandu wa Eli, ingwi omupristeri wa Muhona mOsilo. Imba ovarwe wovita wina kaave tjiwa kutja Jonatan wa ya.
4 Nu pombero Jonatan pa tuurungira okuyenda kozondanda zovatjevere zOvafilisti pa ri ozohungu mbari, imwe komunda auhe; imwe ya rukirwe Boses, nongwao Sene. 5 Ohungu imwe ya kuramene komukuma wokeyuva kokunene ouhunga na Mikmas, nongwao komukuma wokeyuva kokumuho ouhunga na Geba.
6 Jonatan otja tja nai komukarere omutjinde wovirwise vye: “Indjo, tu yende kozondanda zovatjevere mbo ovanavisenginina. Ngahino Muhona me tu vatere; orondu pu Muhona kape notjiṋa tji matji mu tjaere okutupa outoṋi, nangarire kutja oweṱe ovengi poo oweṱe ouṱiṱi.”
7 Ingwi omukarere omutjinde wovirwise vye arire tja tja nai: “Tjita otja pu movanga, ami mbi ri puna ove.”
8 Nu Jonatan wa tja: “Osemba uri! Matu i kovarumendu mbo, atu keriraisa ku wo. 9 Nowo tji va tja nai ku eṱe: ‘Kurameye nga tji twe ya ku eṋe!’ Matu kurama pu tu ri, atu ha i ku wo. 10 Nungwari tji va tja: ‘Indjeye ku eṱe!’ Matu i ku wo. Ihi matji rire otjiraisiro tjokutja Muhona we ve yandja mouvara wetu.”
11 Nu aveyevari tji ve riraisa kovatjevere vOvafilisti, imba Ovafilisti va tja: “Tareye, Ovaheberi owo mba, mave piti momina mu va ṱara!” 12 Novatjevere vOvafilisti va ravaera nai ku Jonatan nomukarere omutjinde wovirwise vye: “Indjeye mu ronde nguno ku eṱe! Tu notjiṋa okumuraera.”
Jonatan otja tja nai komukarere omutjinde wovirwise vye: “Ndji kongorera! Muhona we ve yandja mouvara wOvaisrael.” 13 Jonatan wa ronda komake nozombaze, nomukarere omutjinde wovirwise vye we mu kongorera. Nu Jonatan nomukarere we va rwisa Ovafilisti nave ve zepa. 14 Jonatan nomukarere omutjinde wovirwise vye otji va zepa ovandu mangara omirongo vivari. Omazepero nga ya tjitirwa mokarukondwa okaṱiṱi kehi. 15 Otji pa penduka omburuma mozondanda zOvafilisti na mokati kotjimbumba atjihe tjovita; nu imba ovatjevere mba ri mokuti na ihi otjira tjovapunde wina va uruma; nehi ra nyinganyinga; nu pa kara ondiriro onene.
Ovafilisti mave haverwa
16 Nozohoze za Saul nḓa ri mOgibea mehi romuhoko wa Benjamin za muna Ovafilisti amave zungana mozondanda mokupurukisiwa i omburuma. 17 Saul arire tja tja kovarwe wovita, mba ri pu ye: “Vareye ovandu, nu mu tare kutja owaṋi ngu he ri po pu eṱe.” Nowo tji va vara, pa munika kutja Jonatan nomukarere omutjinde wovirwise vye kave po. 18 Nu Saul wa tja nai komupristeri Ahija: “Eta ondjaṱu yomorukoro nguno!” Orondu moruveze ndo Ahija ee i zara momurungu wOvaisrael. 19 Nu Saul ngunda ama hungire nomupristeri, omazunganeno mozondanda zOvafilisti otji ya ryamena ko komurungu. Saul arire tja tja komupristeri: “Yarura eke roye!” 20 Saul novarwe ve wovita ve rikuta kumwe nave i pamwe kotjirwa. Owo va rwa nOvafilisti mba uta okuzepasana oveni momburukiro onene. 21 NOvaheberi tjiva mbe rikutire kOvafilisti nu mba ire puna wo kovita va za ko ku wo nave rikutu rukwao kOvaisrael, mba ri puna Saul na Jonatan. 22 NOvaisrael ovakwao, mba ṱarere mehi rozondundu ra Efraim, tji va zuva kutja Ovafilisti va tupuka, owo wina otji ve rikuta kovakwao nave rwisa Ovafilisti. 23 Muhona wa yama Ovaisrael meyuva ndo; notjirwa tja ryama nga munda mbwina na Bet-Awen.
Ovitjitwa vyokombunda yotjirwa
24 Ovaisrael va pungarisiwa i ondjara eyuva ndo, Saul tjinga a yanena ovarwe wovita ama tja: “Nga sengwe ngamwa auhe ngu ma ri otjiṋa ndinondi, ngunda ambi hiya sutisa ovanavita na ami.” Komuhingo mbwi otji pe ha ri omundu ngwa rya otjiṋa oure weyuva arihe ndo. 25 Novandu avehe vehi ndo ve ya mokuti kwomahwa nave vaza mo ouitji wozonyutji apehe. 26 Novarwe wovita wina tji ve ya momahwa nga, tjandje mwa takavara ouitji wozonyutji; nungwari kapa ri umwe ngwe u rya, tjinga ava tira osengiro ya Saul. 27 Nungwari Jonatan ka zuvire kutja ihe wa yanena ovarwe wovita, notja roporora okati ke ka ri na ko meke, na hweke ohonga yako mehira rouitji na ri, nu kamanga otja kotora omasa. 28 Nu umwe wovarwe wovita wa tja nai ku ye: “Iho wa yanena otjimbumba tjovita oruyano oruzeu a tja: ‘Nga sengwe ngamwa auhe ngu ma ri otjiṋa ndinondi!’ Atuhe opu twa zu okuwotamisiwa i ondjara.”
29 Jonatan wa zira a tja: “Tate wa tjita otjiṋa otjivi kotjiwaṋa tjetu; tareye, nambano mba kotora omasa, tji mba zu nokurya ouitji wozonyutji. 30 Andakuzu ovarwe wovita va rya ovikurya mbi mbi va toora, tji va za nokutoṋa ovanavita na wo, outoṋi wOvaisrael kOvafilisti itjau rira ounene komeho!”
31 Meyuva ndo Ovaisrael va havera Ovafilisti nave ve tezere okuza kOmikmas nga kOajalon; nOvaisrael va pungarisiwa i ondjara. 32 Nowo otji va hakahana okupunda ozonyanda nozongombe nozondana, ave zepa nave ri onyama ai nombinḓu. 33 Saul wa raerwa nai: “Tara, ovandu va tura ondjo komurungu wa Muhona, tji va ri onyama ndji nombinḓu.”
Nu Saul wa ravaera a tja: “Oweṋe ovehinouṱakame! Ndji kunguzurireye ewe enene nguno.” 34 Norukwao Saul wa rakiza nai: “Pizukeye mokati kovandu, mu ve tjivise kutja auhe nga ete ongombe nonḓu ye ku ami, nu e i zepere mba, tjazumba a rye. Nungwari amu tjiti ouvi komurungu wa Muhona mokurya onyama ndji nombinḓu.” Nu auhe wovandu mba otja eta otjinamuinyo tje, ne tji zepere mbo. 35 Saul wa tungira Muhona otjipunguhiro; otjo otji tja ri otjipunguhiro otjitenga Saul tja tungira Muhona.
36 Saul wa tja nai: “Ngatu tezere Ovafilisti ouṱuku, tu rare amatu ve zepa nga kotjiserauva, nu atu hupisa nangarire umwe.”
Nowo va zira ave tja: “Tjita uri pu pe ri osemba kove.”
Nungwari omupristeri wa tja nai: “Rutenga ngatu pure ku Ndjambi.”
37 Saul otja pura nai ku Ndjambi: “Hi kumuke okutezera Ovafilisti? Ove mo ve yandja momake wOvaisrael?” Nungwari Ndjambi ke mu pere eziriro meyuva ndo. 38 Nu Saul wa tja: “Indjeye nguno, oweṋe viuru vyotjiwaṋa amuhe, nu mu konḓonone kutja ondjo yourunde wandino i na uṋe. 39 Ami me yana ku Muhona omunamuino, Omukuture wa Israel, kutja nangarire kutja ondjo ndji i nomuzandu wandje Jonatan, tjiri, nga ṱe.” 40 Saul arire tja tja nai kOvaisrael avehe: “Eṋe kurameye komunda umwe, nami nomuzandu wandje Jonatan matu kurama komunda umwe.”
Novarwe wovita va zira ku Saul ave tja: “Tjita pu pe ri osemba kove!”
41 Saul wa kumba a tja: “Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, raisa ouatjiri!” Nu Jonatan na Saul otji va urikwa, nungwari ihi otjimbumba tjovita tja pita nokuhinondjo. 42 Nu Saul wa tja: “Urikeye pokati ketu nomuzandu wandje Jonatan.” Nu Jonatan ongwa urikwa. 43 Nu Saul wa pura Jonatan a tja: “Ndji raera otjiṋa tji wa tjiti.”
Jonatan we mu zira a tja: “Mba roro kaṱiṱi kouitji wozonyutji nohonga yokati ku mba ri na ko meke. Owami ngwi, hi ṱe!”
44 Nu Saul wa zira nai ku ye: “Ndjambi nge ndji zepe, tjinangara ove ko nakuṱa!”
45 Nungwari otjimbumba tjovita tja tja nai ku Saul: “Indu Jonatan ngwa etera Ovaisrael outoṋi ounene nai, wa pu pokuṱa are? Ihi kamaatji tjitwa. Tjiri tjimbe tja Muhona omunamuinyo, kamaape wire ondjise pehi kotjiuru tje. Orondu ihi eye tja tjiti ndino, wa tjiti nombatero ya Ndjambi.” Komuhingo mbwi otjiwaṋa otji tja yama Jonatan kutja a ha ṱu.
46 Saul otja isa okutezera Ovafilisti na yaruka koye, nOvafilisti va yaruka kehi rawo.
Ouhonapare wa Saul neṱunḓu re
47 Saul tja za nokurira ombara mOisrael wa rwisa ovanavita na ye ngamwa akuhe, okutja Ovamoab nOvaamoni nOvaedom, nozombara za Soba, nOvafilisti. Nu akuhe kaa ru, wa ri noutoṋi. 48 Eye wa rwa noupenda na havere Ovaamalek, na yama Ovaisrael momake wovanavita, mba huura ehi.
49 Ovazandu va Saul va ri ooJonatan na Iswi na Malkisua; nomukazona we erumbi wa ri Merab, nomuangu wa ri Mikal. 50 Nomukazendu we wa ri nena Ahinoam, omusuko wa Ahimaas; nomuhongere we wovita wa ri Abner, omuzandu wainyangwe Ner. 51 Kis, ihe ya Saul, na Ner, ihe ya Abner, va ri ovazandu va Abiel.
52 Saul wa rwa tjinene kuna Ovafilisti oure womuinyo we auhe; neye aruhe tja munu omurumendu ombanḓe poo ombangaṋe, otjiye mu kutu moviungura vye vyovita.
