1 Now it came to pass one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armour, Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison which is on the other side. But he did not tell his father.2 And Saul abode at the extreme end of Gibeah under the pomegranate-tree which {was} in Migron; and the people that were with him were about six hundred men.3 (And Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, Jehovah's priest in Shiloh, wore the ephod.) And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone.4 Now between the passes by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison there was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side; and the name of the one {was} Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.5 The one crag {formed} a pillar on the north opposite to Michmash, and the other on the south opposite to Geba.6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised: perhaps Jehovah will work for us; for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.7 And his armour-bearer said to him, Do all that is in thy heart; turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will shew ourselves to them.9 If they say thus to us, Stand still until we come to you, then we will stay in our place, and will not go up to them.10 And if they say thus, Come up to us, then we will go up; for Jehovah has given them into our hand; and this shall be the sign to us.11 And both of them shewed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armour-bearer and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you something. And Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, Come up after me; for Jehovah has delivered them into the hand of Israel.13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armour-bearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan; and his armour-bearer slew after him.14 And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armour-bearer wrought was about twenty men, as it were on the half-furrow of an acre of land.15 And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the ravagers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked; for it was a trembling {from} God.16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on slaying one another.17 Then said Saul to the people that were with him, Muster now, and see who is gone from us. And they mustered, and behold, Jonathan and his armour-bearer were not there.18 And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.19 And it came to pass while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw thy hand.20 And Saul and all the people that were with him were called together, and they came to the battle; and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great confusion.21 And there were Hebrews with the Philistines before that time, who had gone up with them into the camp round about; and they also {turned} to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.22 And all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in mount Ephraim heard that the Philistines fled, and they also followed hard after them in the battle.23 And Jehovah saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over beyond Beth-Aven.24 But the men of Israel were distressed that day. Now Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food until evening, and {until} I am avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted food.25 And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey on the ground.26 And the people had come into the wood, and behold, the honey flowed; but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.27 But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people; and he put forth the end of his staff which was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright.28 Then answered one of the people and said, Thy father strictly adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day; and the people are faint.29 And Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land: see, I pray you, that mine eyes are bright, because I tasted a little of this honey.30 How much more, if the people had eaten freely to-day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for would there not now have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Ajalon; and the people were very faint.32 And the people fell on the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate {them} with the blood.33 And they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have acted perversely: roll me now a great stone.34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, Bring near to me every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slaughter them here, and eat; and sin not against Jehovah in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slaughtered {them} there.35 And Saul built an altar to Jehovah: this was the first altar he built to Jehovah.36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever is good in thy sight. Then said the priest, Let us come near hither to God.37 And Saul inquired of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou give them into the hand of Israel? But he did not answer him that day.38 And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the heads of the people; and know and see wherein this sin has been this day.39 For, {as} Jehovah liveth, who has saved Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall certainly die. And no one answered him among all the people.40 Then said he to all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what is good in thy sight.41 And Saul said to Jehovah the God of Israel, Give a perfect {testimony}! And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people escaped.42 And Saul said, Cast {lots} between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.43 And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him and said, With the end of the staff which is in my hand I tasted a little honey, {and} behold, I must die!44 And Saul said, God do so {to me} and more also; thou shalt certainly die, Jonathan.45 And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! {as} Jehovah liveth, there shall not a hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has wrought with God this day. So the people delivered Jonathan, that he died not.46 And Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.47 And Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines; and whithersoever he turned himself, he discomfited {them}.48 And he did valiantly, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of their spoilers.49 And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Jishvi, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.50 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.51 And Kish the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner were sons of Abiel.52 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to himself.

1 En op 'n dag het Jonatan, die seun van Saul, aan die dienaar wat sy wapens dra, gesê: Kom, ons gaan oor na die wagpos van die Filistyne wat daar oorkant is. Maar aan sy vader het hy dit nie te kenne gegee nie.2 En Saul het gesit op die grens van G¡bea onder die granaatboom wat by Migron staan; en die manskappe by hom was omtrent ses honderd man.3 En Ah¡a, die seun van Ah¡tub, die broer van Ikabod, die seun van P¡nehas, die seun van Eli, die priester van die HERE in Silo, het die skouerkleed gedra. Maar die manskappe het nie geweet dat Jonatan weggegaan het nie.4 Nou was daar tussen die passe waar Jonatan wou deurgaan na die wagpos van die Filistyne, 'n spits rots oorkant en 'n spits rots duskant, en die naam van die een was Boses en die naam van die ander Sene.5 Die een spits staan soos 'n pilaar noord teenoor Migmas, en die ander een suid teenoor Geba.6 Jonatan dan het aan die dienaar wat sy wapens dra, gesê: Kom, ons gaan oor na die wagpos van daardie onbesnedenes; miskien sal die HERE vir ons optree, want by die HERE is daar geen verhindering om deur baie of deur min te verlos nie.7 Toe sê sy wapendraer vir hom: Doen alles wat in u hart is, maak soos u wil; hier is ek by u volgens die wens van u hart.8 Daarop sê Jonatan: Kyk, ons sal na die manne toe oorgaan en ons aan hulle vertoon.9 As hulle vir ons so sê: Staan stil totdat ons by julle kom! dan moet ons op ons plek bly staan en nie na hulle opklim nie.10 Maar as hulle so sê: Kom op na ons toe! dan klim ons op, want dan het die HERE hulle in ons hand gegee; en dit sal vir ons die teken wees.11 Toe hulle twee hul aan die wagpos van die Filistyne vertoon, sê die Filistyne: Kyk, daar kom Hebreërs uit die gate uit waar hulle weggekruip het.12 En die manne van die wagpos het Jonatan en sy wapendraer aangespreek en gesê: Klim op na ons toe, dan sal ons julle 'n les leer! Daarop sê Jonatan aan sy wapendraer: Klim op agter my aan, want die HERE het hulle in die hand van Israel gegee.13 En Jonatan het op sy hande en voete uitgeklim, en sy wapendraer agter hom aan; en hulle het voor Jonatan geval terwyl sy wapendraer agter hom aan van kant maak.14 Hierdie eerste slag waarin Jonatan en sy wapendraer ongeveer twintig man verslaan het, het plaasgevind op omtrent die helfte van 'n aanvoorsel van 'n stuk land.15 Toe kom daar 'n skrik in die laer, in die veld en onder al die manskappe; die wagpos en die roofkommando, hulle het ook geskrik, ja, die land het gebewe, sodat dit 'n skrik van God geword het.16 En toe die spioene van Saul in G¡bea in Benjamin sien dat die menigte daar verward heen en weer golf,17 sê Saul aan die manskappe wat by hom was: Hou tog 'n monstering en kyk wie van ons af weggegaan het. En by die monstering het geblyk dat Jonatan en sy wapendraer daar nie was nie.18 Toe sê Saul vir Ah¡a: Bring die ark van God nader. Want die ark van God was in die tyd by die kinders van Israel.19 En terwyl Saul nog met die priester spreek en die rumoer wat in die laer van die Filistyne was, altyddeur groter word, sê Saul vir die priester: Trek jou hand terug!20 Saul en al die manskappe wat by hom was, is toe saamgeroep, en hulle het by die geveg aangekom; en kyk, die swaard van die een was teen die ander -- 'n baie groot verwarring.21 Selfs die Hebreërs wat die Filistyne soos gister en eergister bygestaan het, wat verspreid met hulle saam in die leër opgetrek het, hulle het ook aangesluit by die Israeliete wat saam met Saul en Jonatan was.22 Toe al die manne van Israel wat op die gebergte van Efraim weggekruip het, hoor dat die Filistyne vlug, het die hulle ook in die geveg agternagesit.23 En die HERE het Israel op die dag verlos. Toe die geveg dan by Bet-Awen verbygaan,24 en die manne van Israel die dag aangedryf word, het Saul die manskappe besweer en gesê: Vervloek is die man wat iets eet tot vanaand, sodat ek my op my vyande kan wreek. Daarom het al die manskappe aan niks geproe nie.25 En al die mense het in 'n bos gekom, en daar was heuning op die veld.26 Toe die manskappe in die bos kom, was daar oorvloed van heuning; maar niemand het met sy hand aan sy mond geraak nie, omdat die manskappe bevrees was vir die eed.27 Maar Jonatan het nie gehoor toe sy vader die manskappe besweer het nie en het die punt van die staf wat in sy hand was, uitgesteek en dit in 'n heuningkoek gedoop en sy hand aan sy mond gebring, en sy oë het helder geword.28 Daarop spreek een van die manskappe hom aan en sê: Jou vader het die manskappe met hierdie dure eed besweer: Vervloek is die man wat vandag iets eet. Daarom is die volk afgemat.29 En Jonatan sê: My vader stort die land in die ongeluk; kyk tog hoe helder my oë nou is, omdat ek hierdie bietjie heuning geproe het.30 Hoeveel te meer as die manskappe vandag vry kon eet van die buit van hul vyande wat hulle gevind het! Maar nou is die slagting onder die Filistyne nie groot nie.31 Maar die dag het hulle die Filistyne verslaan van Migmas af na Ajalon toe, en die manskappe was baie afgemat.32 En die manskappe het op die buit afgestorm, en kleinvee en beeste en kalwers geneem en dit op die grond geslag, en die manskappe het dit met bloed en al geëet.33 Toe daar aan Saul geboodskap is: Kyk, die manskappe besondig hulle teen die HERE deur met bloed en al te eet, het hy gesê: Julle handel troueloos; rol nou 'n groot klip na my toe.34 Verder het Saul gesê: Versprei julle onder die manskappe en sê aan hulle: Bring na my elkeen sy bees en elkeen sy stuk kleinvee, en slag dit hier en eet; maar besondig julle nie teen die HERE deur met bloed en al te eet nie. En al die manskappe het elkeen in die nag sy bees met sy hand gebring en dit daar geslag.35 En Saul het vir die HERE 'n altaar gebou; dit was die eerste altaar wat hy vir die HERE gebou het.36 Toe sê Saul: Laat ons in die nag aftrek agter die Filistyne aan, en laat ons onder hulle plunder totdat dit môre lig word; en ons moet nie een onder hulle laat oorbly nie. En hulle antwoord: Doen alles wat goed is in u oë. Maar die priester het gesê: Laat ons hier tot God nader.37 Toe het Saul God geraadpleeg: Sal ek aftrek agter die Filistyne aan? Sal U hulle in Israel se hand gee? Maar Hy het hom die dag nie geantwoord nie.38 En Saul sê: Kom nader hierheen, al die hoofde van die volk, en ondersoek en kyk waarin hierdie sonde vandag begaan is.39 Want so waar as die HERE leef wat Israel verlos, al was dit ook in my seun Jonatan, dan moet hy sekerlik sterwe! Maar niemand uit al die manskappe het hom geantwoord nie.40 Daarop sê hy aan die hele Israel: Julle moet eenkant staan, en ek en my seun Jonatan sal eenkant staan. En die manskappe antwoord Saul: Doen wat goed is in u oë.41 Toe sê Saul aan die HERE: God van Israel, gee tog die waarheid! En Jonatan en Saul is aangewys, maar die manskappe het vry uitgegaan.42 En Saul sê: Werp die lot tussen my en my seun Jonatan. En Jonatan is aangewys.43 Daarop vra Saul vir Jonatan: Gee my tog te kenne wat jy gedoen het. En Jonatan het hom te kenne gegee en gesê: Ek het net 'n bietjie heuning geproe met die punt van die staf wat in my hand was; hier is ek, ek sal sterwe.44 Toe sê Saul: Mag God aan my so doen en so daaraan toedoen, jy moet sekerlik sterwe, Jonatan!45 Maar die manskappe het aan Saul gesê: Moet Jonatan sterwe wat hierdie groot verlossing in Israel bewerk het? Volstrek nie! So waar as die HERE leef, geen haar van sy hoof sal op die aarde val nie! Want met God het hy dit vandag gedoen. So het die volk dan Jonatan losgekoop, dat hy nie gesterf het nie.46 Daarna het Saul agter die Filistyne teruggetrek, en die Filistyne het na hulle plek gegaan.47 So het Saul dan die koningskap oor Israel verkry en oorlog gevoer rondom teen al sy vyande: teen Moab en teen die kinders van Ammon en teen Edom en teen die konings van Soba en teen die Filistyne; en oral waarheen hy hom gewend het, het hy straf geoefen.48 En hy het hom dapper gedra: hy het Amalek verslaan en Israel gered uit die hand van sy berower.49 En die seuns van Saul was Jonatan en Jiswi en Malkisua, en die naam van sy twee dogters: die naam van die oudste was Merab, en die naam van die jongste Migal.50 En die naam van Saul se vrou was Ah¡noam, 'n dogter van Ah¡ma„s; en die naam van sy leërowerste was Abner, die seun van Ner, die oom van Saul.51 En Kis was die vader van Saul, en Ner, die vader van Abner, was die seun van Ab¡ël.52 Die oorlog teen die Filistyne was hewig al die dae van Saul; en waar Saul ook 'n held of 'n dapper man sien, het hy hom by hom opgeneem.