1 Um dia, Jônatas, filho de Saul, disse ao seu escudeiro: Vem, passemos até ao acampamento dos filisteus que está do outro lado. Mas nada disse ao seu pai.2 Saul estava acampado na extremidade de Gabaa, debaixo da romãzeira de Magron, com uma tropa de seiscentos homens aproximadamente.3 Aquias, filho de Aquitob, irmão de lcabod, filho de Finéias, filho de Heli, o sacerdote do Senhor em Silo, levava o efod. O povo ignorava a saída de Jônatas.4 Ora, no desfiladeiro que Jônatas tentava atravessar para atingir a guarnição dos filisteus, havia rochedos altos, em forma de dentes, de um e outro lado, um dos quais se chamava Boses e o outro Sene.5 Um desses se elevava ao norte, defronte de Macmas, e o outro ao sul, do lado de Gabaa.6 Disse, pois, Jônatas ao seu escudeiro: Vem, ataquemos a guarnição desses incircuncisos; talvez o Senhor combaterá por nós. Nada impede que ele dê a vitória a poucos tão bem como a muitos.7 Seu escudeiro respondeu-lhe: Faze como te aprouver; vai aonde quiseres, que eu te seguirei aonde deliberares.8 Pois bem, replicou Jônatas; marchemos contra esses homens e mostremos-nos a eles.9 Se nos disserem: Esperai até que vamos ter convosco, ficaremos em nosso posto, e não subiremos a eles.10 Se, porém, nos disserem: Subi a nós - iremos, porque o Senhor no-los terá entregue nas mãos. Isso nos servirá de sinal.11 Então, mostraram-se ambos à guarnição dos filisteus. Estes disseram: Eis os hebreus que saem das cavernas onde se tinham escondido.12 E os homens da guarda gritaram a Jônatas e ao escudeiro: Subi a nós; queremos dizer-vos uma coisa. Jônatas disse ao escudeiro: Segue-me, porque o Senhor os entregou nas mãos de Israel.13 Subiu, pois, Jônatas, trepando com as mãos e com os pés, seguido do escudeiro. Os filisteus caíram diante de Jônatas, e o seu escudeiro matava-os atrás dele.14 Esse foi o primeiro massacre que fizeram Jônatas e o seu escudeiro, metade de uma jeira de terra.15 Espalhou-se o terror no acampamento dos filisteus, assim como na região e entre todo o povo. A guarnição e os saqueadores ficaram tomados de espanto, e a terra ficou em pânico: pois aquilo era como um terror de Deus.16 As sentinelas de Saul que estavam em Gabaa de Benjamim, viram a multidão de fugitivos que se dispersava por todos os lados.17 Saul disse ao povo: Fazei uma chamada e vede quem saiu dentre nós. Fez-se a chamada e verificou-se a falta de Jônatas e de seu escudeiro.18 Saul disse a Aquias: Faze aproximar a arca de Deus. {Porque a arca de Deus se encontrava naquele dia com os israelitas.}19 Enquanto Saul falava ao sacerdote, o tumulto no acampamento dos filisteus crescia cada vez mais. Saul disse ao sacerdote: Retira a tua mão.20 O rei e todo o povo que estavam com ele foram até o lugar do combate: os filisteus, numa extrema confusão, voltavam a espada uns contra os outros.21 Os hebreus que tinham estado desde há muito tempo com os filisteus, e que os tinham seguido ao acampamento, voltaram e puseram-se do lado dos israelitas que estavam com Saul e Jônatas.22 Igualmente todos os israelitas que se tinham escondido no monte de Efraim, sabendo que os filisteus tinham fugido, saíram a persegui-los para os ferir.23 Naquele dia, o Senhor deu a vitória a Israel. O combate prosseguiu até além de Bet-Aven.24 Os israelitas estavam extenuados naquele dia, porque Saul conjurara o povo, dizendo: Maldito seja o homem que tomar alimento antes do anoitecer, antes que eu me tenha vingado de meus inimigos. Por isso ninguém tinha comido.25 Todos tinham entrado numa floresta, onde havia mel na superfície do solo.26 o povo entrou, pois, na floresta e viu o mel que corria, mas ninguém levou a mão à boca, por respeito ao juramento.27 Mas Jônatas, ignorando o juramento que o seu pai obrigara o povo a fazer, estendeu a ponta da vara que tinha na mão, mergulhou-a num favo de mel e o levou à boca. Então seus olhos {fatigados} brilharam.28 Um homem do grupo disse-lhe: Teu pai fez jurar o povo, dizendo: Maldito o homem que hoje tomar alimento. E o povo estava esgotado.29 Jônatas disse: Meu pai fez mal à terra. Vede como se me iluminaram os olhos, porque comi um pouco de mel.30 Ah! se o povo tivesse hoje comido da presa tomada ao inimigo, não teria sido muito maior a derrota dos filisteus?31 Eles bateram, naquele dia, os filisteus desde Macmas até Ajalon.32 O povo, esgotado de fadiga, lançou-se sobre a presa e tomou as ovelhas, os bois e os bezerros, que degolou sobre a terra, comendo a carne juntamente com o sangue.33 Eis que o povo está pecando contra o Senhor, vieram dizer a Saul, comendo carne com sangue. Isso é uma impiedade, exclamou o rei; revolvei-me já para aqui uma grande pedra.34 Ide por todo o povo, ajuntou, e dizei-lhes que cada um me traga as suas ovelhas e os seus bois, para que sejam degolados aqui. Comê-los-eis então, sem pecar contra o Senhor, comendo carne com sangue. Cada um deles levou naquela noite o gado que tinha em mãos e o degolou ali.35 Saul edificou um altar ao Senhor. Este foi o primeiro altar que ele levantou.36 Depois Saul disse: Desçamos durante a noite contra os filisteus e despojemo-los até os primeiros albores do dia e não deixemos vivo um só homem deles. O povo disse: Faze tudo o que melhor te parecer. Então o sacerdote disse: Aproximemo-nos aqui de Deus.37 Saul consultou a Deus: Perseguirei os filisteus? Entregá-los-eis nas mãos de Israel? Mas Deus não lhe respondeu dessa vez.38 Saul disse: Fazei vir aqui todos os chefes do povo; investigar e dizei-me qual é o pecado que hoje se cometeu.39 Pela vida do Senhor, libertador de Israel! Mesmo que fosse o meu filho Jônatas, ele morrerá! Mas ninguém na multidão lhe respondeu.40 Ponde-vos de um lado, disse ele a todo o Israel; eu e meu filho Jônatas estaremos do outro. A multidão respondeu-lhe: Faze o que te parecer melhor.41 Saul disse ao Senhor: Deus de Israel, dai-nos a conhecer a verdade! Jônatas e Saul foram designados pela sorte, e o povo ficou livre.42 Então Saul disse: Lançai a sorte entre mim e Jônatas, meu filho. E caiu a sorte em Jônatas.43 Confessa-me o que fizeste, disse Saul ao seu filho. Jônatas contou-lhe: Provei um pouco de mel com a ponta da vara que eu. tinha na mão. Eis que vou morrer!44 Saul disse: Trate-me Deus com todo o rigor, se não morreres, Jônatas!45 Mas o povo interveio: Como haveria de perecer Jônatas, ele que deu essa vitória tão grande a Israel? Isso não pode ser! Viva Deus! Nem um só cabelo de sua cabeça cairá por terra, porque foi por Deus que ele operou hoje dessa forma. Assim o povo salvou Jônatas, e ele não morreu.46 Saul voltou e não perseguiu os filisteus, que foram para as suas terras.47 Saul, depois de ter tomado posse do reino de Israel, combateu contra todos os inimigos da vizinhança: Moab, os amonitas, Edom, os reis de Soba, os filisteus; para onde quer que se voltava, ele vencia.48 Portou-se valorosamente, feriu Amalec e livrou Israel das mãos dos que o devastavam.49 Os filhos de Saul foram Jônatas, Jessui e Melquisua; a primogênita de suas duas filhas chamava-se Merob, a mais nova Micol.50 Sua mulher chamava-se Aquinoã, filha de Aquimaas. O general de seu exército era Abner, filho de Ner, tio de Saul.51 Cís, pai de Saul, e Ner, pai de Abner, eram filhos de Abiel.52 Durante todo o tempo da vida de Saul a guerra foi encarniçada contra os filisteus. O rei, logo que descobria um homem forte e valente, tomava-o a seu serviço.

1 Now it came to pass upon a day that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said unto the young man that bore his armour, Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that [is] on the other side. But he did not tell his father.2 And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which [is] in Migron, and the people that [were] with him [were] about six hundred men;3 and Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, was wearing the ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone.4 And between the passages by which Jonathan sought to go over unto 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 forefront of the one [was] situated northward over against Michmash and the other towards the Negev over against Gibeah.6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour, Come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised; peradventure the LORD will work for us, for it is not difficult for the LORD to save by many or by few.7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that [is] in thy heart; go. Behold, I [am] with thee according to thy will.8 Then Jonathan said, Behold, we will go over unto [these] men, and we will show ourselves unto them.9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you, then we will stand still in our place and will not go up unto them.10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us, then we will go up, for the LORD has delivered them into our hand, and this [shall be] a sign unto us.11 And both of them showed themselves unto 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 armourbearer and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. Then Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me, for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet and his armourbearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan, and his armourbearer slew after him.14 And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armourbearer made was about twenty men within as it were a half acre of land, [which] a yoke [of oxen might plow].15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people of the garrison; and those who had gone out to destroy the land, they also trembled, and the earth quaked, and there was fear of God.16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down [one another].17 Then Saul said unto the people that [were] with him, Number now and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer [were] not [there].18 And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel.19 And it came to pass while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that [was] in the host of the Philistines went on and increased. Then Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thy hand.20 And Saul and all the people that [were] with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle; and, behold, each man's sword was against his fellow, [and there was] a very great discomfiture.21 Moreover, the Hebrews [that] had been with the Philistines before that time, who had gone up with them into the camp [from the country] round about, even they also [turned] to be with the Israelites that [were] with Saul and Jonathan.22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in Mount Ephraim, [when] they heard that the Philistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle.23 So the LORD saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.24 But the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed [be] the man that eats [any] food until evening that I may be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted [any] food.25 And [the army] of all the land came to a wood, and there was honey upon the ground.26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.27 But Jonathan had not heard 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 a honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened.28 Then one of the people spoke and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed [be] the man that eats [any] food this day. And the people were faint.29 Then Jonathan said, 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 haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? Would there not have been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, but the people were very faint.32 Therefore, the people flew upon 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, Behold, the people sin against the LORD in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed; roll a great stone unto me this day.34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people and tell each one to bring his ox and his sheep here unto me and slay [them] here and eat and do not sin against the LORD in eating with the blood. And of all the people, each one brought his ox with him that night and slew [them] there.35 And Saul built an altar unto the LORD; the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatever seems good unto thee. Then the priest said, Let us draw near unto God here.37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he did not answer him that day.38 Then Saul said, Bring here all the chief of the people and know and see by whom this sin has been this day.39 For, [as] the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan, my son, he shall surely die. But [there was] not a man among all the people [that] answered him.40 Then he said unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seems good unto thee.41 Therefore, Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Show who is without blemish. And Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people went out [free].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 thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that [was] in my hand; must I die for this.44 And Saul answered, God do so and more also, for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.45 Then the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great saving health in Israel? No, in no wise: [as] the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head 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 So Saul took the kingdom over Israel and 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 troubled [them].48 And he gathered a host and smote Amalek and delivered Israel out of the hands of those that spoiled them.49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishui and Melchishua. 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 For 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 strong man or any valiant man, he took him unto him.: