1 Certo dia, Jônatas, filho de Saul, disse ao seu jovem escudeiro: "Vamos ao destacamento filisteu, do outro lado". Ele, porém, não contou isto a seu pai.2 Saul estava sentado debaixo de uma romãzeira na fronteira de Gibeá, em Migrom. Com ele estavam uns seiscentos soldados,3 entre os quais Aías, que levava o colete sacerdotal. Ele era filho de Aitube, irmão de Icabode, filho de Finéias e neto de Eli, o sacerdote do Senhor em Siló. Ninguém sabia que Jônatas havia saído.4 Em cada lado do desfiladeiro que Jônatas pretendia atravessar para chegar ao destacamento filisteu, havia um penhasco íngreme; um se chamava Bozez; o outro, Sené.5 Havia um penhasco ao norte, na direção de Micmás, e outro ao sul, na direção de Geba.6 E Jônatas disse a seu escudeiro: "Vamos ao destacamento daqueles incircuncisos. Talvez o Senhor aja em nosso favor, pois nada pode impedir o Senhor de salvar, seja com muitos ou com poucos".7 Disse seu escudeiro: "Faze tudo o que tiveres em mente; eu irei contigo".8 Jônatas disse: "Venha, vamos atravessar na direção dos soldados e deixaremos que nos avistem.9 Se nos disserem: ‘Esperem aí até que cheguemos perto’, ficaremos onde estivermos e não avançaremos.10 Mas, se disserem: ‘Subam até aqui’, subiremos, pois este será um sinal para nós de que o Senhor os entregou em nossas mãos".11 Então os dois se deixaram ver pelo destacamento dos filisteus, que disseram: "Vejam, os hebreus estão saindo dos buracos onde estavam escondidos".12 E gritaram para Jônatas e seu escudeiro: "Subam até aqui e lhes daremos uma lição". Diante disso, Jônatas disse a seu escudeiro: "Siga-me; o Senhor os entregou nas mãos de Israel".13 Jônatas escalou, usando as mãos e os pés, e o escudeiro foi logo atrás. Jônatas começou a derrubá-los, e seu escudeiro, logo atrás dele, os matava.14 Naquele primeiro ataque, Jônatas e seu escudeiro mataram cerca de vinte homens numa pequena área de terra.15 Então caiu terror sobre todo o exército, tanto sobre os que estavam no acampamento e no campo, como sobre os que estavam nos destacamentos e até mesmo nas tropas de ataque. O chão tremeu e houve um pânico terrível.16 As sentinelas de Saul em Gibeá de Benjamim viram o exército filisteu se dispersando, correndo em todas as direções.17 Então Saul disse aos seus soldados: "Contem os soldados e vejam quem está faltando". Quando o fizeram, viram que Jônatas e seu escudeiro não estavam presentes.18 Saul ordenou a Aías: "Traga a arca de Deus". Naquele tempo ela estava com os israelitas.19 Enquanto Saul falava com o sacerdote, o tumulto no acampamento filisteu ia crescendo cada vez mais. Então Saul disse ao sacerdote: "Não precisa trazer a arca".20 Então Saul e todos os soldados se reuniram e foram para a batalha. Encontraram os filisteus em total confusão, ferindo uns aos outros com suas espadas.21 Alguns hebreus que antes estavam do lado dos filisteus e que com eles tinham ido ao acampamento filisteu, passaram para o lado dos israelitas que estavam com Saul e Jônatas.22 Quando todos os israelitas que haviam se escondido nos montes de Efraim ouviram que os filisteus batiam em retirada, também entraram na batalha, perseguindo-os.23 Assim o Senhor concedeu vitória a Israel naquele dia, e a batalha se espalhou para além de Bete-Áven.24 Os homens de Israel estavam exaustos naquele dia, pois Saul havia lhes imposto um juramento, dizendo: "Maldito seja todo o que comer antes do anoitecer, antes que eu tenha me vingado de meus inimigos! " Por isso ninguém tinha comido nada.25 O exército inteiro entrou num bosque, onde havia mel no chão.26 Eles viram o mel escorrendo, contudo ninguém comeu pois temiam o juramento.27 Jônatas, porém, não sabia do juramento que seu pai havia imposto ao exército de modo que estendeu a ponta da vara que tinha na mão e a molhou no favo de mel. Quando comeu seus olhos brilharam.28 Então um dos soldados lhe disse: "Seu pai impôs ao exército um juramento severo, dizendo: ‘Maldito seja todo o que comer hoje! ’ Por isso os homens estão exaustos".29 Jônatas disse: "Meu pai trouxe desgraça para nós. Veja como meus olhos brilham desde que provei um pouco deste mel.30 Como teria sido bem melhor se os homens tivessem comido hoje um pouco do que tomaram dos seus inimigos. A matança de filisteus não teria sido ainda maior? "31 Naquele dia, depois de derrotarem os filisteus, desde Micmás até Aijalom, os israelitas estavam completamente exaustos.32 Eles então se lançaram sobre os despojos e pegaram ovelhas, bois e bezerros, e mataram-nos ali mesmo e comeram a carne com o sangue.33 E alguém disse a Saul: "Veja, os soldados estão pecando contra o Senhor, comendo carne com sangue". Ele disse: "Vocês foram infiéis. Rolem uma grande pedra até aqui.34 Saiam entre os soldados e digam-lhes: ‘Cada um traga a mim seu boi ou sua ovelha, abatam-nos e comam a carne aqui. Não pequem contra o Senhor comendo carne com sangue’ ". Assim, cada um levou seu boi naquela noite e ali os abateram.35 Então, Saul edificou um altar para o Senhor; foi a primeira vez que fez isso.36 Saul disse ainda: "Desçamos atrás dos filisteus, à noite, e os saqueemos até o amanhecer, e não deixemos vivo nem um só deles". Eles responderam: "Faze o que achares melhor". O sacerdote, porém, disse: "Consultemos aqui a Deus".37 Então Saul perguntou a Deus: "Devo perseguir os filisteus? Tu os entregarás nas mãos de Israel? " Mas naquele dia Deus não lhe respondeu.38 Disse então Saul: "Venham cá, todos vocês que são líderes do exército, e descubramos que pecado foi cometido hoje.39 Juro pelo nome do Senhor, o libertador de Israel, mesmo que seja meu filho Jônatas, ele morrerá". Mas ninguém disse uma só palavra.40 Então disse Saul a todos os israelitas: "Fiquem vocês de um lado; eu e meu filho Jônatas ficaremos do outro". E eles responderam: "Faze o que achares melhor".41 E Saul orou ao Senhor, ao Deus de Israel: "Dá-me a resposta certa". A sorte caiu em Jônatas e Saul, e os soldados saíram livres.42 Saul disse: "Tirem sortes entre mim e meu filho Jônatas". E Jônatas foi indicado.43 Então Saul disse a Jônatas: "Diga-me o que você fez". E Jônatas lhe contou: "Eu provei um pouco de mel com a ponta de minha vara. Estou pronto para morrer".44 Saul disse: "Que Deus me castigue com todo rigor, caso você não morra, Jônatas! "45 Os soldados, porém, disseram a Saul: "Será que Jônatas, que trouxe esta grande libertação para Israel deve morrer? Nunca! Juramos pelo nome do Senhor, nem um só cabelo de sua cabeça cairá ao chão, pois ele fez isso hoje com o auxílio de Deus". Então os homens resgataram Jônatas, e ele não foi morto.46 E Saul parou de perseguir os filisteus, e eles voltaram para sua própria terra.47 Quando Saul assumiu o reinado sobre Israel, lutou contra os seus inimigos em redor: moabitas, amonitas, edomitas, os reis de Zobá e os filisteus. Para qualquer lado que fosse, infligia-lhes castigo.48 Lutou corajosamente e derrotou os amalequitas, libertando Israel das mãos daqueles que os saqueavam.49 Os filhos de Saul foram Jônatas, Isvi e Malquisua. O nome de sua filha mais velha era Merabe, e o da mais nova era Mical.50 Sua mulher chamava-se Ainoã e era filha de Aimaás. O nome do comandante do exército de Saul era Abner, filho de Ner, tio de Saul.51 Quis, pai de Saul, e Ner, pai de Abner, eram filhos de Abiel.52 Houve guerra acirrada contra os filisteus durante todo o reinado de Saul. Por isso sempre que Saul conhecia um homem forte e corajoso, alistava-o no seu exército.

1 Now it fell on a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on yonder side. But he didn't tell his father.2 And Saul remained in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate-tree which is in Migron: and the people who 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, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people didn't know that Jonathan was gone.4 And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.5 The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.6 And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint to Yahweh to save by many or by few.7 And his armorbearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart: turn yourself, look, I am with you according to your heart.8 Then said Jonathan, Look, we will pass over to the men, and we will disclose ourselves to them.9 If they say thus to us, Tarry until we come to you{+}; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them.10 But if they say thus, Come up to us; then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand: and this will be the sign to us.11 And both of them disclosed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Look, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you{+} something. And Jonathan said to his armorbearer, Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel.13 And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armorbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armorbearer slew them after him.14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within, as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land.15 And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceedingly great trembling.16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and saw that the multitude melted away, and they went [here] and there.17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, Number now, and see who has gone from us. And when they had numbered, look, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.18 And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring here the ark of God. For the ark of God was [there] at that time with the sons of Israel.19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand.20 And Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and saw that every man's sword was against his fellow man, [and there was] a very great panic.21 Now the Hebrews who were formerly with the Philistines, and who went up with them into the camp round about, even they also [came] to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.22 Likewise all the men of Israel that had hid themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also stuck [closely] after them in the battle.23 So Yahweh saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth-aven.24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I may be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted food.25 And all the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground.26 And when the people had come to the forest, look, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.27 But Jonathan didn't hear when his father charged the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.28 Then one of the people answered, and said, Your father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day. And the people were faint.29 Then said Jonathan, My father has troubled the land: see, I pray you{+}, how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.30 How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For now there has been no great slaughter among the Philistines.31 And they struck of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint;32 and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.33 Then they told Saul, saying, Look, the people sin against Yahweh, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, you{+} have betrayed [Yahweh]: roll a great stone to me this day.34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and don't sin against Yahweh in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.35 And Saul built an altar to Yahweh: the same was the first altar that he built to Yahweh.36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatever seems good to you. Then said the priest, Let us draw near here to God.37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he did not answer him that day.38 And Saul said, Draw near here, all you{+} chiefs of the people; and know and see in what this sin has been this day.39 For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he will surely die. But there wasn't a man among all the people who answered him.40 Then he said to all Israel, You{+} be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what seems good to you.41 Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, Why haven't you answered your slave today? If the guilt is in me or in Jonathan my son, Yahweh, God of Israel, give Urim; but if it is in your people Israel, give Thummim. And Jonathan and Saul were taken [by lot]; but the people escaped.42 And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, look, I must die.44 And Saul said, God do so and more also; for you will surely die, Jonathan.45 And the people said to Saul, Will Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far from it: as Yahweh lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground; for he has wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he did not die.46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.47 Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the sons of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and wherever he turned himself, he saved.48 And he did valiantly, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who despoiled them.49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: 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 was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.52 And there was intense 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.