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.
Oshilonga shuufule shaJonatan
1 Esiku limwe Jonatan okwa lombwele omuhumbati gwomatati ge a ti: “Tu taaguluke, tu ye kontanda yAafilisti.” Ihe Jonatan ina lombwela nando he Saul, 2 ngoka a li a yungu ontanda momuti omugranati muMigron popepi naGibea; okwa li e na aalumentu konyala omathele gahamano. 3 (Omuyambi ngoka a zala omapepenguwo, okwa li Ahija yaAhitub. Ahitub okwa li omumwayina gwaIkabod yaPinehas nomutekulu gwaEli, ngoka a li nale omuyambi gwOmuwa muShilo.) Aantu inaa tseya kutya Jonatan okwa ya.
4 Metaulilo lyaMikmash, moka Jonatan a li e na okweenda, e ye kontanda yAafilisti, mondjila omwa li omamanya gaali, Bozez naSene ga tegama. 5 Ndyoka lya taalela kuMikmash, olya li kombinga yuumbangalantu wetaulilo, nekwawo lya taalela kuGeba, okombinga yuumbugantu.
6 Jonatan okwa ti komumati: “Natu ye popepi nontanda yAafilisti mboka aapagani. Pamwe Omuwa te tu kwatha. Ngele ote shi ningi, nena kape na shoka tashi mu imbi, e tu pe esindano, nando otu li po aashona.”
7 Omumati okwa yamukula a ti: “Shaa shoka wa hala u ninge, ondi li pamwe nangoye.”
8 Jonatan okwa ti: “Onawa. Otatu ka taaguluka e tatu yi montaneho yAafilisti. 9 Ngele otaye tu lombwele, tu ya tegelele, nena otatu thikama mpoka tu li. 10 Ihe ngele otaye tu lombwele, tu ye kuyo, nena natu ye, oshoka shika osho endhindhiliko kutya Omuwa okwe tu pa esindano, tu ya sinde.”
11 Ano oyi imonitha kAafilisti, nAafilisti oya ti: “Taleni! Aahebeli yamwe oyo mbeyaka taa hololoka momakololo moka ya li ya holama.” 12 Nena oyi igidha Jonatan nomumati ya ti: “Ileni huka! Otu na sha oku mu lombwela.”
Jonatan okwa ti komumati: “Landula ndje. Omuwa okwa gandja esindano kuIsrael, e ya sinde.” 13 Jonatan okwa londo ta kookaya ta zi metaulilo, nomumati okwe mu landula. Jonatan okwa ponokele Aafilisti e te ya hata pevi, nomumati okwe ya dhipaga. 14 Meponokelo ndika lyotango Jonatan nomumati oya dhipaga konyala aalumentu omilongo mbali mehala eshona. 15 Aafilisti ayehe montanda oya haluka; aaponokeli naakwiita Aafilisti oya kwatwa kuumbanda; evi olya kakama, nokwa li epiyagano enene.
Aafilisti taa sindwa
16 Aalangeli yaSaul muGibea moshitopolwa shaBenjamin oya mono Aafilisti taa matuka mepiyagano. 17 Nena Saul okwa ti kaantu ye: “Yaluleni aakwiita, mu mone mboka yaa po.” Oye shi ningi noya mono kutya Jonatan nomumati gwe ngoka ha humbata omatati ge, kaye po. 18 Saul okwa lombwele omuyambi Ahija ta ti: “Eta omapepenguwo huka.” (Esiku ndyoka Ahija okwa li e ga zala montaneho yAaisraeli.) 19 Manga Saul ta popi ta lombwele omuyambi, epiyagano montanda yAafilisti olya lundu pombanda noonkondo. Nena Saul okwa ti kuAhija: “Kape na ompito okupula omayele kOmuwa.” 20 Opo ihe oya matukile kolugodhi okukondjitha Aafilisti, mboka ya li taa kondjithathana molwokupiyagana kwawo. 21 Aahebeli yamwe mboka ya li ya gama kombinga yAafilisti noya yi nayo kontanda, oye ya pilukile e taa gama kuSaul naJonatan. 22 Yalwe mboka ya li ya holama moondundu dhaEfraim, oyu uvu kutya Aafilisti otaa yi ontuku. Onkee oya gama kuyakwawo e taa ponokele Aafilisti. 23 Oya kondjo ondjila ayihe, sigo ya kondo Betaven. Omuwa okwa hupitha Israel esiku ndyoka.
Iiningwanima konima yolugodhi
24 Aaisraeli oya li ya loloka noya sa ondjala esiku ndyoka, oshoka Saul okwa li a gandja nokugana oshipango tashi ti: “Shaa ngoka ta li sha nena, manga inaandi galulila aatondi ondjahi yandje, na thingwe.” Onkee kakwa li omuntu a li a lya sha esiku alihe. 25 Ayehe oye ya mokuti, naakuhe oya mono omagadhi goonyushi. 26 Okuti okwa li ku udha omagadhi goonyushi, ihe kapwa li ngoka a vulu oku ga lya, oshoka ayehe oya li ya tila etulomutima lyaSaul. 27 Ihe Jonatan okwa li inaa uva kutya he okwa tilitha aantu nethingo. Onkee okwa hoyo nondhimbo ndjoka a li nayo, a tsu mo mehila lyoonyushi nomagadhi oga zi mo e ta li. Ohaluka okwa ndjangumukwa nawa. 28 Ihe gumwe gwomaantu okwa ti: “Tse atuhe otwa sa ondjala, ihe ho okwe tu kotokele a ti: ‘Oongoka ta li sha nena, na thingwe.’ ”
29 Jonatan okwa yamukula a ti: “Akwetu, tate okwa ningile aantu ye iihuna yi thike peni! Taleni, nkene nda ndjanga, sho nda makele omagadhi goonyushi. 30 Ando aantu yetu ya lile iikulya mbyoka ye yi kutha aatondi, ando oya ndjanga ngiini noya dhipaga Aafilisti yangapi!”
31 Esiku ndyoka Aaisraeli oya dhenge Aafilisti noye ya tidhagana ondjila ayihe okuza kuMikmash sigo okuAjalon. Ihe Aaisraeli oya li ya nongwa nayi kondjala. 32 Oya mbulukutile koshihakanwa ye shi yugu aatondi, oya kutha oonzi noongombe noya tselele mpoka noya li onyama yi na ombinzi. 33 Saul okwa lombwelwa kwa tiwa: “Tala, aantu otaa yono kOmuwa, sho taa li onyama yi na ombinzi.”
Saul okwi igidha a ti: “Yagwaaleki ne! Galangatithilii ndje huka emanya enene.” 34 Okwe ya lombwele ishewe a ti: “Indeni mokati kaantu, mu ya lombwele, ye ete oongombe dhawo noonzi huka. Naye dhi tsele yo ye dhi lile mpaka; inaa yona kOmuwa mokulya onyama yi na ombinzi.” Uusiku mbwiyaka oye eta iimuna yawo ayihe noye yi tselele mpoka. 35 Saul okwa tungile Omuwa oshiyambelo; osho oshiyambelo shotango a tungile Omuwa.
36 Saul okwa ti kaantu ye: “Natu ka tidhagane Aafilisti uusiku, tu ya yuge, sigo taku shi tse tu ya dhipage ayehe.”
Oya yamukula ya ti: “Ninga shoka wa tala sho opala.”
Ihe omuyambi okwa ti: “Natu puleni tango Kalunga.”
37 Saul okwa pula Kalunga a ti: “Nandi ka ponokele Aafilisti? Oto ke tu pa esindano?” Ihe Kalunga ina yamukula esiku ndyoka. 38 Nena Saul okwa ti kaawiliki yoshigwana: “Ileni huka, mu konakone kutya epuko oli li peni nena. 39 Otandi uvaneke koshipala shaKalunga omunamwenyo, ngoka ta pe Israel esindano, kutya omunandjo ngoka ota ka dhipagwa, nando na kale omumwandje Jonatan.” Ihe kapwa li ngoka a popya sha. 40 Nena Saul okwa ti kuyo: “Amuhe thikameni kombinga ndjiyaka, manga tse naJonatan tatu thikama kombinga ndjika.”
Oya ti: “Ninga shoka sho opala momeho goye.”
41 Saul okwa ti kOmuwa Kalunga kaIsrael: “Omuwa, oshike inoo yamukula ndje nena? Omuwa Kalunga kaIsrael, yamukula ndje momamanya omayapuki. Ngele uusama owaJonatan nenge owandje, yamukula muUrim; ihe ngele owaantu yoye Aaisraeli, yamukula muTummim.” Eyamukulo olyu ulike Jonatan naSaul, aantu noya manguluka. 42 Nena Saul okwa ti: “Tokola pokati ketu nomumwandje Jonatan.” Jonatan oku ulikwa. 43 Nena Saul okwa pula Jonatan: “Owa ninga shike?”
Jonatan okwa yamukula: “Onda lya uugadhi woonyushi. Ongame nguka, ondi ilongekidhila okusa.”
44 Saul okwa ti kuye: “Jonatan, Kalunga na dhenge ndje, ndi se, ngele ito dhipagwa!”
45 Ihe aantu oya ti kuSaul: “Ngiini? Jonatan a se, ngoka a sindile Israel esindano enene? Aawoo! Otatu gana kuKalunga omunamwenyo kutya ita ka kanitha nando ondali yefufu lyokomutse gwe. Shoka a ningi nena, okwe shi ningi kekwatho lyaKalunga.” Osho ngaaka aantu oya popile Jonatan, kaa se.
46 Konima yaashika Saul okwa galuka okulandula Aafilisti, noya shuna koshilongo shaandjawo.
Elelo lyaSaul noluvalo lwe
47 Saul sho a ningi omukwaniilwa gwaIsrael, okwa kondjitha aatondi ye ayehe koombinga adhihe: Aamoabi, Aayammoni nAaedomi, aakwaniilwa yaZoba, nAafilisti. Shaa nkoka a ka kondja, okwa sindana.
48 Okwa kondjo nuupenda nokwa dhenge nokuli Aayamaleki. Okwa mangulula Aaisraeli kwaamboka ya li haye ya yugu.
49 Aana aamati yaSaul oya li Jonatan, Ishvi naMalkishua. Omwana omukadhona omukuluntu oye Merab, nomushona oMikal. 50 Omukadhi okwa li Ahinoam yaAhimaaz; ondjayi yetangakwiita lye oAbner, omuna gwomumwahegona Ner. 51 He yaSaul, Kish, nahe yaAbner, Ner, oya li aana yaAbiel.
52 Ethimbo alihe mokukala kwe Saul okwa kondjitha Aafilisti. Shampa a mono omulumentu omunankondo nofule, okwe mu taamba momatanga ge.
