1 Kādā dienā Jonatāns, Saula dēls, sacīja savam puisim, kas nesa viņa ieročus: "Nāc, mēģināsim tuvoties filistiešu sardzei, kas atrodas tur pretējā pusē." Bet savam tēvam viņš nekā neteica. 2 Sauls bija apmeties Gibeas ārmalā zem granātkoka, kas atrodas Migronā; un karotāju, kas bija pie viņa, varēja būt ap seši simti. 3 Tur bija arī Ahija, Ahituba dēls, kas bija Šīlo svētnīcas, Tā Kunga priestera, Ēļa dēla Pinehasa dēla Ihaboda brālis, un nēsāja efodu; bet ļaudis nezināja, ka Jonatāns bija aizgājis. 4 Bet pie šaurās pārejas, kurai Jonatāns lūkoja tikt pāri, lai nokļūtu filistiešu sardzei tuvāk, atradās divas smailas klints radzes - viena šai pusē, otra viņā pusē; vienas smailes vārds bija Bocecs, bet otrai vārds bija Sene. 5 Viena stāvi slējās uz ziemeļiem pret Mikmašu, otra uz dienvidiem pret Gibeu. 6 Tad Jonatāns sacīja savam puisim, ieroču nesējam: "Nāc, dosimies tur pāri pret šo neapgraizītās tautas sardzi; varbūt Tas Kungs dos mums veiksmi, jo Tam Kungam neviens nevar aizliegt izcīnīt uzvaru vai nu ar daudz, vai arī ar maz ļaudīm." 7 Tad viņa ieroču nesējs tam sacīja: "Dari itin visu, kas tavā sirdī; ej droši, redzi, es iešu tev līdzi, jo es esmu vienis prātis ar tevi." 8 Tad Jonatāns sacīja: "Redzi, mēs dosimies tur pāri pie tiem vīriem, un mēs viņiem parādīsimies negaidot. 9 Un, ja tie mums uzsauc: stāviet mierā, kamēr mēs pie jums nonāksim, - tad paliksim stāvam savās vietās un nekāpsim augšā pie viņiem. 10 Bet, ja gadītos, ka tie mums saka: nāciet augšā pie mums, - tad kāpsim augšā, jo tad Tas Kungs tos ir nodevis mūsu rokā, un tā ir mums zīme." 11 Kad nu tie abi pēkšņi parādījās filistiešu sardzei, tad filistieši sacīja: "Redzi, ebreji nāk ārā no alām, kur tie bija paslēpušies." 12 Un sardzes vīri sauca Jonatānam un viņa ieroču nesējam, sacīdami: "Nāciet pie mums augšā! Mēs jums iedosim labu mācību." Tad Jonatāns sacīja savam ieroču nesējam: "Kāp man pakaļ, jo Tas Kungs ir tos devis Israēla rokā!" 13 Tad Jonatāns rāpās ar rokām un kājām augšā un viņa ieroču nesējs aiz viņa. Un tie krita Jonatāna priekšā, un viņa ieroču nesējs pēc tam tos nonāvēja pavisam. 14 Un šajā pirmajā kaujā, ko izcīnīja Jonatāns un viņa ieroču nesējs, krita divdesmit vīru uz tik liela lauka gabala, ko vēršu jūgs apar pus dienā. 15 Tad nometnē izcēlās izbailes gan ļaudīs, gan kareivjos, pat sardzes vīri un izsūtītie sirotāju pulki drebēja bailēs; un zeme trīcēja un radīja izbailes, it kā tās būtu paša Dieva uzsūtītas. 16 Kad Saula izlūki Gibeā Benjamīna ciltī redzēja, ka tas pulks tur šķīda un klīda šurpu turpu, 17 tad Sauls sacīja kareivjiem, kas bija pie viņa: "Pārskaitiet ļaudis, lai mēs redzam, kas no mums ir aizgājis!" Un tie nostājās rindās, un redzi, tur nebija Jonatāna un viņa ieroču nesēja. 18 Tad Sauls pavēlēja Ahijam: "Atnes šurp Dieva šķirstu," - jo Dieva šķirsts tolaik bija pie Israēla bērniem. 19 Un, kamēr Sauls vēl sarunājās ar priesteri, tikmēr troksnis filistiešu nometnē pieauga un vērsās plašumā. Un Sauls sacīja priesterim: "Apturi savu roku!" 20 Tad Sauls un visa tauta, kas bija pie viņa, sasaucās un devās uzbrukumā, un redzi, tur jau bija zobens pret zobenu un visai liels apjukums. 21 Un arī ebreji, kuri ilgāku laiku bija bijuši pie filistiešiem nometnē un bija līdz ar tiem kopā devušies no visas apkārtnes uz kaujas lauku, tagad arīdzan pārgāja pie Israēla, kas bija Saula un Jonatāna pusē. 22 Tāpat arī visi Israēla vīri, kas bija savrup paslēpušies Efraima kalnos, kad tie dzirdēja, ka filistieši metušies bēgt, sāka vajāt viņus, tiem uzbrukdami. 23 Tā Tas Kungs tanī dienā izglāba Israēlu, bet pati kauja sniedzās līdz Bet-Avenai. 24 Un tanī dienā Israēla vīri ļoti nogura, jo Sauls bija uzlicis tautai lāstu, sacīdams: "Nolādēts tas vīrs, kas ko ēdīs, pirms nāks vakars un iekāms es nebūšu atriebies saviem ienaidniekiem!" Un tā neviens no viņiem neaiztika ēdamo. 25 Un visa tauta devās mežā, un tur bija medus uz lauka. 26 Kad ļaudis ienāca mežā, redzi, tur pilēja medus, bet neviens necēla savu roku pie mutes, jo viņi bijās lāsta. 27 Bet Jonatāns to nebija dzirdējis, ka viņa tēvs bija uzlicis lāstu tautai, un viņš izstiepa savu šķēpa galu, kas bija viņa rokā, iemērca to medus šūnās un cēla savu roku pie mutes; tad viņa acis kļuva skaidras. 28 Tad kāds no ļaudīm ieminējās, sacīdams: "Tavs tēvs likdams uzlika lāstu tautai, sacīdams: nolādēts tas vīrs, kas šodien ko ēd!" Un tā tauta nogura. 29 Tad Jonatāns sacīja: "Mans tēvs grūž visu zemi postā! Redziet, cik skaidras ir kļuvušas manas acis, kopš es esmu kādu lāsi no šī medus nobaudījis. 30 Bet cik daudz labāk vēl būtu bijis, ja ļaudis šodien būtu spēcīgi ēduši no savu ienaidnieku laupījuma, ko tie ir ieguvuši; tāpēc nu arī filistiešu sakāve vēl nav bijusi tik liela." 31 Taču tanī dienā tie kāva filistiešus no Mikmašas līdz Ajalonai, kaut arī karotāji bija ļoti noguruši. 32 Bet pret vakaru tauta metās laupīt, un tie ņēma sīklopus, vēršus un teļus, kāva tos turpat nost un ēda tos ar visām asinīm. 33 Kad tas tika pateikts Saulam, paziņojot: redzi, tauta apgrēkojas pret To Kungu, ēzdama gaļu kopā ar asinīm, - tad viņš sacīja: "Jūs esat noziegušies! Atveliet man tagad šurp lielu akmeni!" 34 Un Sauls sacīja: "Iejaucieties ļaužu vidū un sakiet tiem: atvediet pie manis ikviens savu vērsi un ikviens savu avi un nokaujiet tos šinī te vietā un ēdiet, bet neapgrēkojieties pret To Kungu, ka jūs ēdat gaļu kopā ar asinīm!" Un tā ikviens no viņiem naktī atveda savu vērsi, kas bija viņa īpašums, un tos tur nokāva. 35 Tad Sauls uzcēla altāri Tam Kungam; tas bija pirmais altāris, ko viņš cēla Tam Kungam. 36 Un Sauls sacīja: "Dzīsimies filistiešiem pakaļ šai naktī un aplaupīsim tos, līdz kamēr rīta gaisma aust, un neatstāsim no viņiem dzīvu nevienu!" Un tie sacīja: "Dari, kā tev patīk." Bet priesteris teica: "Lai vispirms mēs še stājamies Dieva priekšā." 37 Kad Sauls prasīja Dievam: "Vai man doties vajāt filistiešus? Vai Tu tos dosi Israēla rokā?" - tad Tas Kungs viņam tanī dienā neatbildēja. 38 Tad Sauls sacīja: "Nāciet šurp, visi tautas vadoņi, meklējiet un izdibiniet, kas bijis šodien šīs apgrēcības vaininieks! 39 Tik tiešām, ka Tas Kungs dzīvo, kas ir Israēlu izglābis, un, jebšu tas būtu mans dēls Jonatāns, tam ir jāmirst!" Bet neviens no visas tautas viņam neatbildēja. 40 Un atkal viņš sacīja visam Israēlam: "Jūs būsit vienā pusē, bet es un mans dēls Jonatāns būsim otrā pusē." Bet kara tauta Saulam atbildēja: "Dari, kā tev patīk." 41 Tad Sauls sacīja Tam Kungam, Israēla Dievam: "Dari zināmu patiesību!" Tad Jonatāns un Sauls ar meslu tika apzīmēti, bet tauta izgāja bez vainas. 42 Tad Sauls pavēlēja: "Metiet meslus par mani un par manu dēlu Jonatānu!" Un mesli krita par ļaunu Jonatānam. 43 Un Sauls vaicāja Jonatānam: "Saki man, ko tu esi izdarījis?" Un Jonatāns viņam sacīja: "Es tikai ar sava šķēpa smaili, kas bija man rokā, esmu nogaršojis lāsi medus; vai tāpēc man tagad jāmirst?" 44 Tad Sauls sacīja: "Lai Dievs man dara tā un vēl vairāk, bet, Jonatān, tev tiešām ir jāmirst!" 45 Tad ļaudis iebilda un sacīja Saulam: "Vai Jonatānam ir jāmirst, kas Israēlam sagādāja šo lielo uzvaru? Nebūt ne! Tik tiešām, ka Tas Kungs dzīvo, ne matam nebūs nokrist no viņa galvas! Jo viņš to šodien ir veicis kopā ar Dievu." Un tā tauta Jonatānu atbrīvoja, un viņam nebija jāmirst. 46 Tad Sauls pārtrauca filistiešu vajāšanu un devās atpakaļ kalnā; arī filistieši atgriezās paši savās vietās. 47 Bet Sauls bija sagrābis varu pār Israēlu, un viņš karoja visapkārt pret visiem saviem ienaidniekiem: pret Moābu, pret Amona bērniem un pret Edomu, pret Cobas ķēniņiem un pret filistiešiem. Un it visus, pret kuriem viņš vērsās, viņš visur uzvarēja. 48 Un viņš rīkojās drosmīgi un sakāva amalekiešus, un izglāba Israēlu no viņu laupītāju rokām. 49 Un Saulam bija dēli: Jonatāns, Išvijs un Malhišs, un viņa abu meitu vārdi bija: pirmdzimtās - Meraba, bet jaunākās - Mihala. 50 Un Saula sievas vārds bija Ahinoāma, Ahimaaca meita; bet viņa karaspēka virspavēlnieka vārds bija Abners, Nera, Saula tēvabrāļa, dēls. 51 Un Kīšs, Saula tēvs, un Ners, Abnera tēvs, abi bija Abiēla dēli. 52 Bet karš pret filistiešiem, kamēr Sauls dzīvoja, bija briesmīgs. Un, kad Sauls redzēja kādu stipru un varenu cīnītāju, viņš to pievienoja savam pulkam.
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.
