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.
Jonathan's Daring Deed
1 One day Jonathan said to the young man who carried his weapons, “Let's go across to the Philistine camp.” But Jonathan did not tell his father Saul, 2 who was camping under a pomegranate tree in Migron, not far from Gibeah; he had about six hundred men with him. 3 (The priest carrying the ephod was Ahijah, the son of Ichabod's brother Ahitub, who was the son of Phinehas and grandson of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh.) The men did not know that Jonathan had left.
4 In Michmash Pass, which Jonathan had to go through to get over to the Philistine camp, there were two large jagged rocks, one on each side of the pass: one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. 5 One was on the north side of the pass, facing Michmash, and the other was on the south side, facing Geba.
6 Jonathan said to the young man, “Let's cross over to the camp of those heathen Philistines. Maybe the Lord will help us; if he does, nothing can keep him from giving us the victory, no matter how few of us there are.”
7 The young man answered, “Whatever you want to do, I'm with you.”
8 “All right,” Jonathan said. “We will go across and let the Philistines see us. 9 If they tell us to wait for them to come to us, then we will stay where we are. 10 But if they tell us to go to them, then we will, because that will be the sign that the Lord has given us victory over them.”
11 So they let the Philistines see them, and the Philistines said, “Look! Some Hebrews are coming out of the holes they have been hiding in!” 12 Then they called out to Jonathan and the young man, “Come on up here! We have something to tell you!”
Jonathan said to the young man, “Follow me. The Lord has given Israel victory over them.” 13 Jonathan climbed up out of the pass on his hands and knees, and the young man followed him. Jonathan attacked the Philistines and knocked them down, and the young man killed them. 14 In that first slaughter Jonathan and the young man killed about twenty men in an area of about half an acre. 15 All the Philistines in the countryside were terrified; the raiders and the soldiers in the camp trembled with fear; the earth shook, and there was great panic.
The Defeat of the Philistines
16 Saul's men on watch at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin saw the Philistines running in confusion. 17 So Saul said to his men, “Count the soldiers and find out who is missing.” They did so and found that Jonathan and the young man who carried his weapons were missing. 18 “Bring the ephod here,” Saul said to Ahijah the priest. (On that day Ahijah was carrying it in front of the people of Israel.) 19 As Saul was speaking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp kept getting worse, so Saul said to him, “There's no time to consult the Lord!” 20 Then he and his men marched into battle against the Philistines, who were fighting each other in complete confusion. 21 Some Hebrews, who had been on the Philistine side and had gone with them to the camp, changed sides again and joined Saul and Jonathan. 22 Others, who had been hiding in the hills of Ephraim, heard that the Philistines were running away, so they also joined in and attacked the Philistines, 23 fighting all the way beyond Bethaven. The Lord saved Israel that day.
Events after the Battle
24 The Israelites were weak with hunger that day, because Saul, with a solemn oath, had given the order: “A curse be on anyone who eats any food today before I take revenge on my enemies.” So nobody had eaten anything all day. 25 They all came into a wooded area and found honey everywhere. 26 The woods were full of honey, but no one ate any of it because they were all afraid of Saul's curse. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father threaten the people with a curse; so he reached out with the stick he was carrying, dipped it in a honeycomb, and ate some honey. At once he felt much better. 28 But one of the men told him, “We are all weak from hunger, but your father threatened us and said, ‘A curse be on anyone who eats any food today.’”
29 Jonathan answered, “What a terrible thing my father has done to our people! See how much better I feel because I ate some honey! 30 How much better it would have been today if our people had eaten the food they took when they defeated the enemy. Just think how many more Philistines they would have killed!”
31 That day the Israelites defeated the Philistines, fighting all the way from Michmash to Aijalon. By this time the Israelites were very weak from hunger, 32 and so they rushed over to what they had captured from the enemy, took sheep and cattle, slaughtered them on the spot, and ate the meat with the blood still in it. 33 Saul was told, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood in it.”
“You are traitors!” Saul cried out. “Roll a big stone over here to me.” 34 Then he gave another order: “Go among the people and tell them all to bring their cattle and sheep here. They are to slaughter them and eat them here; they must not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it.” So that night they all brought their cattle and slaughtered them there. 35 Saul built an altar to the Lord, the first one that he built.
36 Saul said to his men, “Let's go down and attack the Philistines in the night, plunder them until dawn, and kill them all.”
“Do whatever you think best,” they answered.
But the priest said, “Let's consult God first.”
37 So Saul asked God, “Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you give us victory?” But God did not answer that day. 38 Then Saul said to the leaders of the people, “Come here and find out what sin was committed today. 39 I promise by the living Lord, who gives Israel victory, that the guilty one will be put to death, even if he is my son Jonathan.” But no one said anything. 40 Then Saul said to them, “All of you stand over there, and Jonathan and I will stand over here.”
“Do whatever you think best,” they answered.
41 Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Lord, why have you not answered me today? Lord, God of Israel, answer me by the sacred stones. If the guilt is Jonathan's or mine, answer by the Urim; but if it belongs to your people Israel, answer by the Thummim.” The answer indicated Jonathan and Saul; and the people were cleared. 42 Then Saul said, “Decide between my son Jonathan and me.” And Jonathan was indicated. 43 Then Saul asked Jonathan, “What have you done?”
Jonathan answered, “I ate a little honey with the stick I was holding. Here I am—I am ready to die.”
44 Saul said to him, “May God strike me dead if you are not put to death!”
45 But the people said to Saul, “Will Jonathan, who won this great victory for Israel, be put to death? No! We promise by the living Lord that he will not lose even a hair from his head. What he did today was done with God's help.” So the people saved Jonathan from being put to death.
46 After that, Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they went back to their own territory.
Saul's Reign and Family
47 After Saul became king of Israel, he fought all his enemies everywhere: the people of Moab, of Ammon, and of Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he fought he was victorious. 48 He fought heroically and defeated even the people of Amalek. He saved the Israelites from all attacks.
49 Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His older daughter was named Merab, and the younger one Michal. 50 His wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; his army commander was his cousin Abner, the son of his uncle Ner. 51 Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel.
52 As long as he lived, Saul had to fight fiercely against the Philistines. So whenever he found a man who was strong or brave, he would enlist him in his army.
