1 Saul was years old when he began to reign; and, when he had reigned two years over Israel,2 Saul chose him three thousand men out of Israel, of whom there were with Saul, two thousand in Michmash and in the hill-country of Bethel, and, a thousand, were with Jonathan, in Gibeah of Benjamin,but, the rest of the people, he let go, every man to his own home.3 Then did Jonathan smite the garrison of Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it,and, Saul, blew with a horn throughout all the land saying, Let the Hebrews hear!4 And, all Israel, heard saySaul hath smitten the garrison of the Philistines, Moreover, also, Israel have made themselves odious among the Philistines,so the people were called together to follow Saul, to Gilgal.5 And, the Philistines, gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, a people also like the sand that is on the sea-shore for multitude,and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, east of Beth-aven.6 So, the men of Israel, saw they were in a strait, for the people had been harassed,and the people had hidden themselves in caves, and in thickets, and among cliffs, and in holes, and in pits.7 And, Hebrews, had passed over the Jordan, to the land of Gad, and Gilead,but, Saul, was yet in Gilgal, and all the people, trembled after him.8 And he waited seven days, by the set time that Samuel had named, but Samuel came not to Gilgal,and the people were scattered from him.9 Then said Saul, Bring near unto me, the ascending-sacrifice and the peace-offerings. And he offered up the ascending-sacrifice.10 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of offering up the ascending-sacrifice, lo! Samuel, had come,and Saul went out to meet him, that he might bless him.11 Then said SamuelWhat hast thou done? And Saul saidBecause I saw that the people had been scattered from me, and, thou, hadst not come within the appointed days, and, the Philistines, had gathered themselves together to Michmash,12 therefore I saidNow, will the Philistines come down against me, at Gilgal, but, the face of Yahweh, have I not appeased: So I forced myself, and offered up the ascending-sacrifice.13 And Samuel said unto SaulThou hast shewn thyself foolish,thou hast not kept the commandment of Yahweh thy God, which he commanded thee, for, now, would Yahweh have established thy kingdom unto Israel until times age-abiding;14 Whereas, now, shall thy kingdom not be established,Yahweh hath sought out for him a man after his own heart, and Yahweh hath commanded him to be leader over his people, because thou hast not kept that which Yahweh commanded thee.15 And Samuel arose, and ascended from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were found with him, about six hundred men.16 Now, Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were found with him, were abiding in Geba of Benjamin,but, the Philistines, had encamped in Michmash.17 And the spoilers came forth out of the camp of the Philistines, in three companies, the first company, turned unto the way of Ophrah, unto the land of Shual;18 and, the second company, turned unto the way of Beth-horon,and, the third company, turned unto the way of the boundary that overlooketh the valley of Zeboim, towards the wilderness.19 Now, a smith, could not be found, throughout all the land of Israelfor the Philistines had said, Lest the Hebrews make sword or spear.20 So all Israel went down to the Philistines,to sharpen every man his share, and his mattock, and his axe, and his sickle.21 Howbeit they had a file for the sickles, and the mattocks, and the three-pronged forks, and the axes,and for setting the goads.22 Thus would it come to pass, in the day of battle, that there was foundneither sword nor spear, in the hand of any of the people, that were with Saul and Jonathan, but such were found belonging to Saul and to Jonathan his son.23 Now the garrison of the Philistines had come out to the pass of Michmash.

1 Um ano tinha estado Saul em seu reinado e o segundo ano reinou sobre Israel. 2 Então, Saul escolheu para si três mil homens de Israel; e estavam com Saul dois mil em Micmás e na montanha de Betel, e mil estavam com Jônatas em Gibeá de Benjamim; e despediu o resto do povo, cada um para sua casa. 3 E Jônatas feriu a guarnição dos filisteus que estava em Gibeá, o que os filisteus ouviram; pelo que Saul tocou a trombeta por toda a terra, dizendo: Ouçam os hebreus. 4 Então, todo o Israel ouviu dizer: Saul feriu a guarnição dos filisteus, e também Israel se fez abominável aos filisteus. Então, o povo foi convocado após Saul em Gilgal.

5 E os filisteus se ajuntaram para pelejar contra Israel: trinta mil carros, e seis mil cavaleiros, e povo em multidão como a areia que está à borda do mar; e subiram e se acamparam em Micmás, ao oriente de Bete-Áven. 6 Vendo, pois, os homens de Israel que estavam em angústia (porque o povo estava apertado), o povo se escondeu pelas cavernas, e pelos espinhais, e pelos penhascos, e pelas fortificações, e pelas covas, 7 e os hebreus passaram o Jordão para a terra de Gade e Gileade; e, estando Saul ainda em Gilgal, todo o povo veio atrás dele, tremendo.

8 E esperou sete dias, até ao tempo que Samuel determinara; não vindo, porém, Samuel a Gilgal, o povo se espalhava dele. 9 Então, disse Saul: Trazei-me aqui um holocausto e ofertas pacíficas. E ofereceu o holocausto. 10 E sucedeu que, acabando ele de oferecer o holocausto, eis que Samuel chegou; e Saul lhe saiu ao encontro, para o saudar. 11 Então, disse Samuel: Que fizeste? Disse Saul: Porquanto via que o povo se espalhava de mim, e tu não vinhas nos dias aprazados, e os filisteus já se tinham ajuntado em Micmás, 12 eu disse: Agora, descerão os filisteus sobre mim a Gilgal, e ainda à face do Senhor não orei; e forcei-me e ofereci holocausto. 13 Então, disse Samuel a Saul: Agiste nesciamente e não guardaste o mandamento que o Senhor, teu Deus, te ordenou; porque, agora, o Senhor teria confirmado o teu reino sobre Israel para sempre. 14 Porém, agora, não subsistirá o teu reino; já tem buscado o Senhor para si um homem segundo o seu coração e já lhe tem ordenado o Senhor que seja chefe sobre o seu povo, porquanto não guardaste o que o Senhor te ordenou. 15 Então, se levantou Samuel e subiu de Gilgal a Gibeá de Benjamim; e Saul contou o povo que achou com ele, uns seiscentos varões.

16 E Saul, e Jônatas, seu filho, e o povo que se achou com eles ficaram em Gibeá de Benjamim; porém os filisteus se acamparam em Micmás. 17 E os destruidores saíram do campo dos filisteus em três companhias; uma das companhias voltou pelo caminho de Ofra à terra de Sual; 18 outra companhia voltou pelo caminho de Bete-Horom; e a outra companhia voltou pelo caminho do termo que olha para o vale Zeboim, contra o deserto.

19 E em toda a terra de Israel nem um ferreiro se achava, porque os filisteus tinham dito: Para que os hebreus não façam espada nem lança. 20 Pelo que todo o Israel tinha que descer aos filisteus para amolar cada um a sua relha, e a sua enxada, e o seu machado, e o seu sacho. 21 Tinham, porém, limas adentadas para os seus sachos, e para as suas enxadas, e para as forquinhas de três dentes, e para os machados, e para consertar as aguilhadas. 22 E sucedeu que, no dia da peleja, se não achou nem espada, nem lança na mão de todo o povo que estava com Saul e com Jônatas; porém acharam-se com Saul e com Jônatas, seu filho. 23 E saiu a guarnição dos filisteus ao caminho de Micmás.