1Tsiku lina Yonatani mwana wa Sauli anawuza mnyamata wake womunyamulira zida zake za nkhondo kuti, “Tiye tiwoloke tipite ku kaboma ka Afilisti tsidya ilo.” Koma iye sanawuze abambo ake.
2Sauli ankakhala mʼmalire a Gibeya pa tsinde pa mtengo wamakangadza ku Migironi. Anthu amene anali naye analipo 600. 3Pakati pawo panalinso Ahiya amene ankavala efodi. Iye anali mwana wa Ahitubi, mʼbale wake wa Ikabodi mwana wa Finehasi, mwana wa Eli, wansembe wa Yehova wa ku Silo. Koma palibe amene anadziwa kuti Yonatani wachoka.
4Pa mpata pamene Yonatani ankafuna kudutsa kukafika ku kaboma ka nkhondo ka Afilisti kunali thanthwe lotsetsereka mbali ina ndi lina lotsetsereka mbali inayo. Thanthwe limodzi linkatchedwa Bozezi ndipo linalo linkatchedwa Seni. 5Thanthwe limodzi linali chakumpoto kuyangʼanana ndi Mikimasi, ndipo thanthwe linalo linali chakummwera kuyangʼanana ndi Geba.
6Yonatani anawuza mnyamata wake womunyamulira zida uja kuti, “Tiye tiwoloke tipite ku kaboma ka anthu osachita mdulidwewo. Mwina Yehova adzatigwirira ntchito. Palibe chomuletsa Yehova kutipulumutsa, ngakhale tikhale ambiri kapena ochepa.”
7Mnyamata uja anati, “Chitani chilichonse chimene mtima wanu ukhumba. Ine ndili nanu pamodzi. Chimene mtima wanu ukhumba ndi chomwenso ine ndikhumba.”
8Yonatani anati, “Tiye tsono tiwoloke kupita kumene kuli anthuwo ndi kukadzionetsa kwa iwo. 9Akatiwuza kuti, ‘Imani pomwepo mpaka tikupezeni,’ ife tikangoyima pomwepo osapita kumene kuli iwoko. 10Koma akadzati, ‘Bwerani kuno,’ ndiye ife tikapitedi, chifukwa ichi chidzakhala chizindikiro chakuti Yehova wapereka mʼmanja mwathu.”
11Choncho awiriwa anadzionetsa ku kaboma ka nkhondo ka Afilisti. Tsono Afilistiwo anati, “Taonani! Aheberi akutuluka mʼmaenje mʼmene anabisala.” 12Anthu a ku kaboma kaja anafuwula kwa Yonatani ndi mnyamata wake uja kuti, “Bwerani kuno ndipo tikuphunzitsani phunziro.”
Ndipo Yonatani anati kwa mnyamata wake. “Nditsate pakuti Yehova wapereka Afilistiwa mʼmanja mwa Aisraeli.”
13Choncho Yonatani anakwera mokwawa, ndipo mnyamata wake uja ankamutsata. Tsono Yonatani anathira nkhondo Afilisti aja namawagwetsa, ndipo mnyamata wake uja ankawapha pambuyo pa iyeyo. 14Nthawi yoyambayo Yonatani ndi mnyamata wake uja anapha anthu makumi awiri ndipo anawaphera pa malo ochepa okwanira ngati theka la ekala.
Aisraeli Agonjetsa Afilisti
15Tsono gulu lonse la ankhondo, ndiye kuti iwo amene anali mʼmisasa ndi mʼminda ndiponso iwo amene anali ku kaboma ka ankhondo kaja, onse anagwidwa ndi mantha aakulu. Dzikonso linagwedezeka, choncho anthu anachita mantha koopsa.
16Alonda a Sauli a ku Gibeya dziko la Benjamini atangomwaza maso anangoona chigulu cha asilikali chikumwazikana uku ndi uku. 17Kenaka Sauli anawawuza anthu amene anali naye kuti, “Awerengeni asilikali kuti muona amene wachoka.” Atawawerenga anapeza kuti Yonatani ndi mnyamata wake womunyamulira zida zake za nkhondo palibe.
18Tsono Sauli anawuza Ahiya kuti, “Bwera nalo Bokosi la Mulungulo.” (Nthawi imeneyo nʼkuti efodiyo ili ndi Ahiya pamaso pa Aisraeli). 19Pamene Sauli amayankhula ndi wansembe, phokoso limanka likulirakulira mu msasa wa Afilisti, Kotero Sauli anati kwa wansembe, “Leka kuwombeza.”
20Ndipo Sauli ndi asilikali onse amene anali naye anasonkhana kupita kukamenya nkhondo, ndipo anangoona chisokonezo chachikulu kwambiri. Afilisti akuphana okhaokha. 21Aheberi ena amene kale anali ndi Afilisti mpaka kukakhala ku misasa yawo, iwonso anatembenuka nakhala pamodzi ndi Aisraeli amene ankatsata Sauli ndi Yonatani. 22Ngakhale Aisraeli amene ankabisala ku dziko lamapiri la Efereimu atamva kuti Afilisti akuthawa, nawonso anawathamangitsa Afilistiwo nawathira nkhondo. 23Nkhondo inapitirira mpaka kufika ku Beti-Aveni. Choncho Yehova anapulumutsa Aisraeli tsiku limenelo.
Yonatani Adya Uchi
24Koma asilikali a Israeli anavutika tsiku limenelo, chifukwa Sauli anawalumbirira Aisraeli kuti, “Wotembereredwa munthu aliyense amene adzadya kusanade, ine ndisanalipsire adani anga!” Kotero palibe wankhondo aliyense amene analawa chakudya.
25Gulu lonse la ankhondo linalowa mʼnkhalango mmene munali uchi. 26Atalowa mʼnkhalango, anaona uchi ukukha, koma palibe amene anadya, pakuti ankaopa lumbiro lija. 27Koma Yonatani sanamve kuti abambo ake anawalumbirira anthu aja choncho anatenga ndodo yake imene inali mʼdzanja lake ndipo anayipisa mu chisa cha njuchi. Choncho iye anadya uchiwo ndipo mʼmaso mwake munayera. 28Kenaka mmodzi mwa Asilikali anamuwuza kuti, “Abambo ako alumbirira anthu nati, ‘Wotembereredwa munthu aliyense amene adye chakudya lero.’ Nʼchifukwa chake anthu alefuka.”
29Yonatani anati, “Abambo anga achita chinthu choyipira dziko. Taonani mʼmaso mwanga mwayera chifukwa ndalawa uchiwu pangʼono. 30Zikanakhala zabwino kwambiri anthuwa akanadya lero zofunkha za adani awo. Zikanatero tikanapha Afilisti ochuluka.”
31Tsiku limenelo Aisraeli anapha Afilisti kuchokera ku Mikimasi mpaka ku Ayaloni. Koma Aisraeliwo analefuka kwambiri ndi njala. 32Choncho iwo anathamangira pa zofunkha ndipo anatenga nkhosa, ngʼombe ndi ana angʼombe. Iwo anazipha zonsezi nazidya pamodzi ndi magazi omwe. 33Koma anthu ena anawuza Sauli kuti, “Taona anthu akuchimwira Yehova pakudya nyama yomwe ili ndi magazi.”
Ndipo Sauli anati, “Mwaonetsa kusakhulupirika. Tsopano gubuduzirani mwala waukulu pano.” 34Kenaka Sauli anati, “Mwazikanani pakati pa anthu ndi kukawawuza kuti aliyense abwere ndi ngʼombe yake kapena nkhosa yake, ndipo adzayiphe pomwe pano ndi kuyidya. Musachimwire Yehova pakudya nyama imene ili ndi magazi.”
Kotero aliyense anabwera ndi ngʼombe yake usiku womwewo ndi kuyipha pomwepo. 35Ndipo Sauli anamangira Yehova guwa. Ili linali guwa loyamba limene Sauli anamangira Yehova.
36Sauli anati, “Tiyeni titsatire Afilisti usikuwu ndi kulanda zinthu zawo mpaka mmawa. Tisasiyepo wamoyo ndi mmodzi yemwe.”
Ankhondowo anayankha kuti, “Chitani chilichonse chimene chikukomerani.”
Koma wansembe anati, “Tipemphe uphungu kwa Mulungu poyamba.”
37Choncho Sauli anafunsa Mulungu kuti, “Kodi ndiwatsatire Afilisti? Kodi mukawapereka mʼmanja mwathu?” Koma Mulungu sanamuyankhe tsiku limenelo.
38Choncho Sauli anati, “Bwerani kuno nonse atsogoleri a anthu, ndipo tiyeni tione kuti kodi tchimo limeneli lachitika bwanji lero? 39Pali Yehova amene amapulumutsa Israeli, ngakhale tchimolo litapezeka ndi mwana wanga Yonatani, iye afe ndithu.” Koma palibe ndi mmodzi yemwe mwa anthuwo amene anamuyankha.
40Tsono Sauli anawuza Aisraeli onse kuti, “Inu mukhale mbali imodzi. Ine ndi mwana wanga Yonatani tikhala mbali inayo.”
“Chitani chilichonse chimene chikukomerani.”
41Ndipo Sauli anapemphera kwa Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli kuti, “Chifukwa chiyani simunandiyankhe ine mtumiki wanu lero lino? Ngati tchimoli lipezeka ndi ine kapena ndi Yonatani mwana wanga, Inu Mulungu wa Israeli, aoneke ndi Urimu. Koma ngati wochimwa ndi anthu anu, Aisraeli aoneke Tamimu.” Maere anagwera Sauli ndi Yonatani ndipo anthu anapezeka osalakwa. 42Sauli anati, “Chitani maere pakati pa ine ndi Yonatani mwana wanga.” Ndipo maere anagwera Yonatani.
43Kenaka Sauli anati kwa Yonatani, “Ndiwuze chimene wachita.”
Ndipo Yonatani anamuwuza kuti, “Ine ndinangolawa uchi pangʼono ndi ndodo yangayi. Ndiye ine ndili wokonzeka kufa.”
44Sauli anati, “Mulungu andilange ngakhale kufa kumene, ngati sufa iwe Yonatani.”
45Koma anthuwo anafunsa Saulo kuti, “Kodi Yonatani afe, iye amene wagwira ntchito iyi yayikulu yopulumutsa Aisraeli? Osatheka! Pali Yehova ngakhale tsitsi ndi limodzi lomwe lapamutu pake silidzathothoka, pakuti wachita zimenezi lero ndi thandizo la Mulungu.” Choncho anthuwo anamupulumutsa Yonatani, ndipo sanaphedwe.
46Pambuyo pake Sauli analeka kulondola Afilisti, kenaka anabwerera ku dziko lawo.
47Sauli ali mtsogoleri wa Israeli, anachita nkhondo ndi adani awa omuzungulira: Mowabu, Amoni, Edomu mafumu a ku Zoba ndi Afilisti. Kulikonse kumene ankapita ankawagonjetsa. 48Anachita nkhondo mwamphamvu ndi kugonjetsa Aamaleki. Choncho anapulumutsa Aisraeli mʼmanja mwa anthu amene ankawalanda zinthu zawo.
Banja la Sauli
49Ana aamuna a Sauli anali Yonatani, Isivi ndi Maliki-Suwa. Analinso ndi ana aakazi awiri, dzina la mwana wake wamkulu wamkazi linali Merabi ndipo la mwana wake wamngʼono wamkazi linali Mikala. 50Dzina la mkazi wake linali Ahinoamu. Iyeyu anali mwana wa Ahimaazi. Dzina la mkulu wa ankhondo a Sauli linali Abineri mwana wa Neri, mʼbale wa abambo a Sauli. 51Kisi abambo a Sauli ndi Neri abambo a Abineri anali ana a Abieli.
52Pa moyo wake wonse, Sauli ankakhalira kuchita nkhondo pakati pa Israeli ndi Afilisti. Ndipo Sauli ankati akaona munthu aliyense wamphamvu kapena wolimba mtima ankamulemba ntchito mu gulu lake lankhondo.
1One day Jonathan, the son of Saul, spoke to the young man carrying his armor. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go over to the Philistine army camp on the other side of the pass.” But he didn’t tell his father about it.
2Saul was staying just outside Gibeah. He was under a pomegranate tree in Migron. He had about 600 men with him. 3Ahijah was one of them. He was wearing a sacred linen apron. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub. Ahitub was the son of Eli’s son Phinehas. Eli had been the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.
4Jonathan planned to go across the pass to reach the Philistine camp. But there was a cliff on each side of the pass. One cliff was called Bozez. The other was called Seneh. 5One cliff stood on the north side of the pass toward Mikmash. The other stood on the south side toward Geba.
6Jonathan spoke to the young man carrying his armor. He said, “Come on. Let’s go over to the camp of those fellows who aren’t circumcised. Perhaps the Lord will help us. If he does, it won’t matter how many or how few of us there are. That won’t keep the Lord from saving us.”
7“Go ahead,” the young man said. “Do everything you have in mind. I’m with you all the way.”
8Jonathan said, “Come on, then. We’ll go across the pass toward the Philistines and let them see us. 9Suppose they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you.’ Then we’ll stay where we are. We won’t go up to them. 10But suppose they say, ‘Come up to us.’ Then we’ll climb up. That will show us that the Lord has handed them over to us.”
11So Jonathan and the young man let the soldiers in the Philistine camp see them. “Look!” said the Philistines. “Some of the Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12The men in the Philistine camp shouted to Jonathan and the young man carrying his armor. They said, “Come on up here. We’ll teach you a thing or two.”
So Jonathan said to the young man, “Climb up after me. The Lord has handed them over to Israel.”
13Using his hands and feet, Jonathan climbed up. The young man was right behind him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines. The young man followed him and killed those who were still alive. 14In that first attack, Jonathan and the young man killed about 20 men. They did it in an area of about half an acre.
Israel Chases the Philistines Away
15Then panic struck the whole Philistine army. It struck those who were in the camp and those in the field. It struck those who were at the edge of the camp. It also struck those who were in the groups that had been sent out to attack Israel. The ground shook. It was a panic that God had sent.
16Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin saw what was happening. They saw the Philistine army melting away in all directions. 17Then Saul spoke to the men with him. He said, “Bring the troops together. See who has left our camp.” When they did, they discovered that Jonathan and the young man carrying his armor weren’t there.
18Saul said to Ahijah the priest, “Bring the ark of God.” At that time it was with the Israelites. 19While Saul was talking to the priest, the noise in the Philistine camp got louder and louder. So Saul said to the priest, “Stop what you are doing.”
20Then Saul and all his men gathered together. They went to the battle. They saw that the Philistines were in total disorder. They were striking one another with their swords. 21At an earlier time some of the Hebrews had been on the side of the Philistines. They had gone up with them to their camp. But now they changed sides. They joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22Some of the Israelites had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim. They heard that the Philistines were running away. They quickly joined the battle and chased after them. 23So on that day the Lord saved Israel. And the fighting continued on past Beth Aven.
Jonathan Eats Honey
24The Israelites became very hungry that day. That’s because Saul had forced the army to make a promise. He had said, “None of you must eat any food before evening comes. You must not eat until I’ve paid my enemies back for what they did. If you do, may you be under a curse!” So none of the troops ate any food at all.
25The whole army entered the woods. There was honey on the ground. 26When they went into the woods, they saw the honey dripping out of a honeycomb. No one put any of the honey in his mouth. They were afraid of the curse that would come if they broke their promise. 27But Jonathan hadn’t heard that his father had forced the army to make a promise. Jonathan had a long stick in his hand. He reached out and dipped the end of it into the honeycomb. He put some honey in his mouth. It gave him new life. 28Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father forced the army to make a promise that everyone must obey. He said, ‘None of you must eat any food today. If you do, may you be under a curse!’ That’s why the men are weak and ready to faint.”
29Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble for the country. See how I gained new life after I tasted a little of this honey. 30Our soldiers took food from their enemies today. Suppose they had eaten some of it. How much better off they would have been! Even more Philistines would have been killed.”
31That day the Israelites struck down the Philistines. They killed them from Mikmash to Aijalon. By that time they were tired and worn out. 32They grabbed what they had taken from their enemies. They killed some of the sheep, cattle and calves right there on the ground. They ate the meat while the blood was still in it. 33Then someone said to Saul, “Look! The men are sinning against the Lord. They’re eating meat that still has blood in it.”
Saul said to them, “You have broken your promise. Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34He continued, “Go out among the men. Tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep. Kill them here and eat them. Don’t sin against the Lord by eating meat that still has blood in it.’ ”
So that night everyone brought the ox he had taken and killed it there. 35Then Saul built an altar to honor the Lord. It was the first time he had done that.
36Saul said, “Let’s go down and chase after the Philistines tonight. Let’s not leave even one of them alive. Let’s take everything they have before morning.”
“Do what you think is best,” they replied.
But the priest said, “Let’s ask God for advice first.”
37So Saul asked God, “Should I go down and chase after the Philistines? Will you hand them over to Israel?” But God didn’t answer him that day.
38Saul said to the leaders of the army, “Come here. Let’s find out what sin has been committed today. 39The Lord is the one who rescues Israel. You can be sure that the Lord lives. And you can be just as sure that the sinner must die. He must die even if he’s my son Jonathan.” But no one said anything.
40Then Saul said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there. I and my son Jonathan will stand over here.”
“Do what you think is best,” they replied.
41Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel. He said, “Why haven’t you answered your servant today? If I or my son Jonathan is to blame, answer with Urim. But if the Israelites are to blame, answer with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen by casting lots. The other men were cleared of blame. 42Saul said, “Cast the lot to find out whether I or my son Jonathan is to blame.” And Jonathan was chosen.
43Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”
So Jonathan told him, “I used the end of my stick to get a little honey and taste it. And now do I have to die?”
44Saul said, “Jonathan, I must certainly put you to death. If I don’t, may God punish me greatly.”
45But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan be put to death? Never! He has saved Israel in a wonderful way. He did it today with God’s help. You can be sure that the Lord lives. And you can be just as sure that not even one hair on Jonathan’s head will fall to the ground.” So the men rescued Jonathan. He wasn’t put to death.
46Then Saul stopped chasing the Philistines. They went back to their own land.
47After Saul became the king of Israel, he fought against Israel’s enemies who were all around them. He went to war against Moab, Ammon and Edom. He fought against the kings of Zobah and the Philistines. No matter where he went, he punished his enemies. 48He fought bravely. He won the battle over the Amalekites. He saved Israel from the power of those who had carried off what belonged to Israel.
Saul’s Family
49Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. Saul’s older daughter was named Merab. His younger daughter was named Michal. 50Saul’s wife was named Ahinoam. She was the daughter of Ahimaaz. The commander of Saul’s army was named Abner. He was the son of Ner. Ner was Saul’s uncle. 51Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.
52As long as Saul was king, he had to fight hard against the Philistines. So every time Saul saw a strong or brave man, he took him into his army.
