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 happened on a day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come! Let’s go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side." But he didn’t tell his father. 2 Saul stayed 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 including 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. The people didn’t know that Jonathan was gone.

4 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 Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come! Let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Yahweh will work for us, for there is no restraint on Yahweh to save by many or by few."

7 His armor bearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Go, and behold, I am with you according to your heart."

8 Then Jonathan said, "Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them. 9 If they say this to us, ‘Wait 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 this, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up, for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us."

11 Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, "Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!" 12 The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something!"

Jonathan said to his armor bearer, "Come up after me, for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel." 13 Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him, and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him. 14 That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land.

15 There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so there was an exceedingly great trembling. 16 The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away and scattered. 17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, "Count now, and see who is missing from us." When they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

18 Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring God’s ark here." For God’s ark was with the children of Israel at that time. 19 While Saul talked to the priest, the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand!"

20 Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle; and behold, they were all striking each other with their swords in very great confusion. 21 Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before and who went up with them into the camp from all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So Yahweh saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over by Beth Aven.

24 The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, "Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies." So none of the people tasted food.

25 All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the people had come to the forest, behold, honey was dripping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath. Therefore he put out 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 brightened. 28 Then one of the people answered, and said, "Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’" So the people were faint.

29 Then Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the plunder of their enemies which they found? For now there has been no great slaughter among the Philistines." 31 They struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint; 32 and the people pounced on the plunder, and took sheep, cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, "Behold, the people are sinning against Yahweh, in that they eat meat with the blood."

He said, "You have dealt treacherously. Roll a large stone to me today!" 34 Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, ‘Every man bring me here his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don’t sin against Yahweh in eating meat with the blood.’" All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.

35 Saul built an altar to Yahweh. This was the first altar that he built to Yahweh. 36 Saul said, "Let’s go down after the Philistines by night, and take plunder among them until the morning light. Let’s not leave a man of them."

They said, "Do whatever seems good to you."

Then the priest said, "Let’s draw near here to God."

37 Saul asked counsel of God: "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?" But he didn’t answer him that day. 38 Saul said, "Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see in whom this sin has been today. 39 For as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But there was not 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."

The people said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you."

41 Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, "Show the right."

Jonathan and Saul were chosen, but the people escaped.

42 Saul said, "Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son."

Jonathan was selected.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done!"

Jonathan told him, and said, "I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die."

44 Saul said, "God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan."

45 The people said to Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God today!" So the people rescued Jonathan, so he didn’t 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 children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned himself, he defeated them. 48 He did valiantly and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them. 49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, 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 The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

52 There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he took him into his service.