1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it . And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. 4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.
5 ¶ And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
8 ¶ And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
11 ¶ And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. 14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
17 ¶ And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: 18 And another company turned the way to Beth-horon: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 ¶ Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: 20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. 21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. 22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.
1 Sauls bija gadus vecs, kad viņš k uva ķēniņš un valdīja divus gadus pār Israēlu.
2 Un Sauls sev izmeklēja no Israēla trīs tūkstošus vīru, un divi tūkstoši bija pie viņa Mikmašas un Bētcles kalnos, bet tūkstoš vīri bija pie Jonatāna Gibeā Benjamīna ciltī; visu pārējo karavīru daudzumu viņš atlaida, ikvienu uz savu telti.
3 Bet Jonatāns sagrāva filistiešu sardžu nometni, kupa atradās Gibeā, un filistieši to dzirdēja; bet Sauls lika pūst taures visā zemē, paziņodams: „Lai ebrēji to dzird!“
4 Kad viss Israēls dzirdēja sakām, ka Sauls ir sagrāvis filistiešu sardžu nometni un Israēls k uvis filistiešiem nepanesams, tad tika sasaukta visa tauta uz Gilgalu, lai sekotu Saulam.
5 Arī filistieši sapulcējās kopā, lai uzbruktu Israēlam, pavisam trīsdesmit tūkstoši ratu un seši tūkstoši jātnieku, bet kājnieku tik daudz kā smiltis jūrmalā; tie devās kapa gājienā un uzcēla savu telšu nometni austrumos no Bet-Avenas pie Mikmašas.
6 Un kad nu Israēla vīrieši izprata, ka tiem ir beigas un ka visa tauta ir smagās sprugās, tad ļaudis meklēja paslēptuves—ir alās, ir aizās un klintīs, ir klintīs iekaltās kapenēs, ir ūdens tvertnēs.
7 Daži devās pat pāri Jardānai uz Gada un Gileāda zemi, bet Sauls vēl kavējās Gilgalā, un visa aiz viņa stāvošā tauta bija lielās izbailēs.
8 Tā viņš gaidīja septiņas dienas līdz Samuēla noliktajam laikam, bet kad Samuēls nenāca uz Gilgalu un ļaudis, kas bija pie viņa, sāka jau izklīst,
9 Tad Sauls sacīja „Atnesiet šurp pie manis dedzināmo upuri un kaujamo pateicības upuri!“ Un viņš upurēja dedzināmo upuri.
10 Un notika, ka tikko kā viņš bija pabeidzis upurēt dedzināmo upuri, redzi, tad atnāca Samuēls. Un Sauls izgāja viņam pretī, lai viņu apsveiktu.
11 Tad Samuēls sacīja: „Ko tu esi darījis?“ Un Sauls atbildēja: „Kad es redzēju, ka tauta klīst projām no manis, un tu noliktā laikā nenāci, un filistieši ir sapulcējušies Mikmašā,
12 Tad es domāju: Tagad filistieši dosies pret mani uz Gilgalu uzbrukumā, —bet es vēl neesmu paspējis tā Kunga priekšā izlūgties žēlastību—tā es iedro-šinājos un nesu dedzināmo upuri.“
13 Tad Samuēls atbildēja Saulam: „Tu esi aplami darījis; tu neesi izpildījis tā Kunga, sava Dieva, bausli, ko Viņš tev bija pavēlējis; patlaban tas Kungs būtu tavu ķēniņa varu pār Israēlu apstiprinājis uz mūžīgiem laikiem,
14 Bet nu tagad tava ķēniņa valsts nepastāvēs. Tas Kungs jau ir izmeklējis sev vīru, kas ir pēc Viņa sirds prāta, un tas Kungs tam ir nolicis būt savai tautai par valdnieku, jo tu neesi izpildījis, ko tas Kungs bija tev pavēlējis.“
15 Tad Samuēls cēlās, devās projām no Gilgalas un gāja savu ceļu; bet atlikušie karavīri sekoja Saulam no Gilgalas uz Gibeu Benjamīna ciltī; tur Sauls pārskaitīja savu kara pulku, kas bija vēl pie viņa palicis, ap seši simti vīru.
16 Un Sauls līdz ar savu dēlu Jonatānu un tiem ļaudīm, kas bija pie viņa palikuši, apmetās Gibeā Benjamīna ciltī, bet filistieši bija uzcēluši savas teltis Mikmašā.
17 Tad no filistiešu nometnes izgāja sirotāju pulks, kas sadalījās trijās nodaļās; viena nodaļa nogriezās pa ceļu uz Ofru, uz Suala zemi,
18 Bet otra nodaļa nogriezās uz Bet-Horonas pusi, un trešā nodaļa pagriezās uz ceļu, kas sniedzas līdz Ceboima lejai uz tuksneša pusi.
19 Tolaik neviena kalēj a nevarēj a atrast pa visu Israēla zemi, jo filistieši bija teikuši: „Lai tikai ebrēji sev neizgatavo zobenu vai šķēpu!“
20 Tādēļ ikvienam israēlietim bija jānoiet lejā pie filistiešiem, lai asinātu ir sava arkla lemesi, ir kapli, ir cirvi, ir sirpi,
21 Arī zobus izkaptīm, kapļiem un cirvjiem, zarus trijžuburu dakšām, vai lai sametinātu vēršu dzenamos.
22 Tā nu notika, ka kaujas dienā tieši to karotāju rokās, kuri atradās pie Saula un Jonatāna, nebija neviena zobena un neviena šķēpa; vienīgi Saulam un viņa dēlam Jonatānam bija ieroči.
23 Bet viena filistiešu sardze bija izvirzījusies uz kalnu pāreju pie Mikmašas.
