1 Saul tinha trinta anos de idade quando começou a reinar, e reinou sobre Israel quarenta e dois anos.2 Saul escolheu três mil homens de Israel; dois mil ficaram com ele em Micmás e nos montes de Betel, e mil ficaram com Jônatas em Gibeá de Benjamim. O restante dos homens ele mandou de volta para suas tendas.3 Jônatas atacou os destacamentos dos filisteus em Gibeá, e os filisteus foram informados disso. Então Saul mandou tocar a trombeta por todo o país dizendo: "Que os hebreus fiquem sabendo disto! "4 E todo Israel ouviu a notícia de que Saul tinha atacado o destacamento dos filisteus atraindo o ódio dos filisteus sobre Israel. Então os homens foram convocados para se unirem a Saul em Gilgal.5 Os filisteus reuniram-se para lutar contra Israel, com três mil carros de guerra, seis mil condutores de carros e tantos soldados quanto a areia da praia. Eles foram a Micmás, a leste de Bete-Áven e lá acamparam.6 Quando os soldados de Israel viram que a situação era difícil e que seu exército estava sendo muito pressionado, esconderam-se em cavernas e buracos, entre as rochas e em poços e cisternas.7 Alguns hebreus até atravessaram o Jordão para chegar à terra de Gade e de Gileade. Saul ficou em Gilgal, e os soldados que estavam com ele tremiam de medo.8 Ele esperou sete dias, o prazo estabelecido por Samuel; mas este não chegou a Gilgal, e os soldados de Saul começaram a se dispersar.9 Então ele ordenou: "Tragam-me o holocausto e os sacrifícios de comunhão". Saul ofereceu então o holocausto,10 e quando ele terminou de oferecê-lo, Samuel chegou, e Saul foi saudá-lo.11 E perguntou-lhe Samuel: "O que você fez? " Saul respondeu: "Quando vi que os soldados estavam se dispersando e que você não tinha chegado no prazo estabelecido e que os filisteus estavam reunidos em Micmás,12 pensei: ‘Agora, os filisteus me atacarão em Gilgal, e eu não busquei o Senhor’. Por isso senti-me obrigado a oferecer o holocausto".13 Disse Samuel: "Você agiu como tolo, desobedecendo ao mandamento que o Senhor seu Deus lhe deu; se você tivesse obedecido, ele teria estabelecido para sempre o seu reinado sobre Israel.14 Mas agora seu reinado não permanecerá; o Senhor procurou um homem segundo o seu coração e o designou líder de seu povo, pois você não obedeceu ao mandamento do Senhor".15 Então Samuel partiu de Gilgal e foi a Gibeá de Benjamim, e Saul contou soldados que estavam com ele. Eram cerca de seiscentos.16 Saul e seu filho Jônatas, acompanhados de seus soldados, ficaram em Gibeá de Benjamim, enquanto os filisteus estavam acampados em Micmás.17 Uma tropa de ataque saiu do acampamento filisteu em três divisões. Uma foi em direção a Ofra, nos arredores de Sual,18 outra para Bete-Horom, e a terceira para a região fronteiriça de onde se avista o vale de Zeboim, diante do deserto.19 Naquela época não havia nem mesmo um único ferreiro em toda a terra de Israel, pois os filisteus não queriam que os hebreus fizessem espadas e lanças.20 Assim, eles tinham que ir aos filisteus para afiar seus arados, enxadas, machados e foices.21 O preço para afiar rastelos e enxadas era oito gramas de prata, e quatro gramas de prata para afiar tridentes, machados e pontas de aguilhadas.22 Por isso no dia da batalha nenhum soldado de Saul e Jônatas tinha espada ou lança nas mãos, exceto o próprio Saul e seu filho Jônatas.23 Aconteceu que um destacamento filisteu foi para o desfiladeiro de Micmás.

1 Saul was... years old when he began to reign; And he reigned two years over Israel.2 Saul chose himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mount of 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 struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba: and the Philistines heard. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.4 And all Israel heard it said that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was a stench to the Philistines. And the people had gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.5 And the Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth-aven.6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits.7 Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but 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 didn't come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.9 And Saul said, Bring the burnt-offering here to me, and the 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, look, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.11 And Samuel said, What have you done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn't come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash;12 therefore I said, Now will the Philistines come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven't entreated the favor of Yahweh: I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt-offering.13 And Samuel said to Saul, You have done foolishly; you haven't kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you: for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.14 But now your kingdom will not continue: Yahweh has sought himself a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be leader over his people, because you have not kept that which Yahweh commanded you.15 And Samuel arose, and went up from Gilgal, and went on his way. But the remainder of the people went up after Saul to meet the battlefolk, and they went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, remained in Geba 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 to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;18 and another company turned the way to Beth-horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.19 Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, Or else the Hebrews will make swords or spears:20 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock;21 yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the three-pronged fork, and for the axes, and to set 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 who were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son there was found.23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.