1 S aul era în vîrstă de treizeci de ani, cînd a ajuns împărat, şi a domnit doi ani peste Israel.

Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

2 S aul şi -a ales trei mii de bărbaţi din Israel: două mii erau cu el la Micmaş şi pe muntele Betel, iar o mie erau cu Ionatan la Ghibea lui Beniamin. Pe ceilalţi din popor i -a trimes pe fiecare la cortul lui.

Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent.

3 I onatan a bătut tabăra Filistenilor care era la Gheba, şi Filistenii au auzit lucrul acesta. Saul a pus să sune cu trîmbiţa prin toată ţara, zicînd:,, Să audă Evreii lucrul acesta!``

And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”

4 T ot Israelul a auzit zicîndu-se:,, Saul a bătut tabăra Filistenilor, şi Israel s'a făcut urît Filistenilor``. Şi poporul a fost adunat la Saul în Ghilgal.

Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal.

5 F ilistenii s'au strîns să lupte cu Israel. Aveau o mie de cară şi şase mii de călăreţi; şi poporul acesta era fără număr: ca nisipul depe ţărmul mării. Au venit şi au tăbărît la Micmaş, la răsărit de Bet-Aven.

Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven.

6 B ărbaţii lui Israel s'au văzut la strîmtoare, căci erau strînşi de aproape şi s'au ascuns în peşteri, în stufişuri, în stînci, în turnuri şi în gropile pentru apă.

When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits.

7 U nii Evrei au trecut Iordanul, ca să se ducă în ţara lui Gad şi Galaad. Saul era tot la Ghilgal, şi tot poporul de lîngă el tremura.

And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 A aşteptat sapte zile, după timpul hotărît de Samuel. Dar Samuel nu venea la Ghilgal, şi poporul se împrăştia de lîngă Saul.

Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

9 A tunci Saul a zis:,, Aduceţi-mi arderea de tot şi jertfele de mulţămire.`` Şi a jertfit arderea de tot.

So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering.

10 P e cînd sfîrşea de adus arderea de tot, a venit Samuel, şi Saul i -a ieşit înainte să -i ureze de bine.

Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.

11 S amuel a zis:,, Ce-ai făcut?`` Saul a răspuns:,, Cînd am văzut că poporul se împrăştie de lîngă mine, că nu vii la timpul hotărît, şi că Filistenii sînt strînşi la Micmaş,

And Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash,

12 m i-am zis: Filistenii se vor pogorî împotriva mea la Ghilgal, şi eu nu m'am rugat Domnului! Atunci am îndrăznit şi am adus arderea de tot.``

then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”

13 S amuel a zis lui Saul:,, Ai lucrat ca un nebun şi n'ai păzit porunca pe care ţi -o dăduse Domnul, Dumnezeul tău. Domnul ar fi întărit pe vecie domnia ta peste Israel;

And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

14 d ar acum, domnia ta nu va dăinui. Domnul Şi -a ales un om după inima Lui, şi Domnul l -a rînduit să fie căpetenia poporului Său, pentrucă n'ai păzit ce-ţi poruncise Domnul.``

But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”

15 A poi Samuel s'a sculat, şi s'a suit din Ghilgal la Ghibea lui Beniamin. Saul a făcut numărătoarea poporului care se afla cu el: erau aproape şase sute de oameni.

Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people present with him, about six hundred men. No Weapons for the Army

16 S aul, fiul său Ionatan, şi poporul care se afla cu ei, se aşezaseră la Gheba lui Beniamin, şi Filistenii tăbărau la Micmaş.

Saul, Jonathan his son, and the people present with them remained in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

17 D in tabăra Filistenilor au ieşit trei cete ca să pustiască: una a luat drumul spre Ofra, spre ţara Şual;

Then raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned onto the road to Ophrah, to the land of Shual,

18 a lta a luat drumul spre Bet-Horon; şi a treia a luat drumul spre hotarul care caută spre valea Ţeboim, înspre pustie.``

another company turned to the road to Beth Horon, and another company turned to the road of the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

19 Î n toată ţara lui Israel nu se găsea niciun fierar; căci Filistenii ziseră:,, Să împedecăm pe Evrei să-şi facă săbii sau suliţe.``

Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.”

20 Ş i fiecare om din Israel se pogora la Filisteni ca să-şi ascută fierul plugului, coasa, securea şi sapa,

But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man’s plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle;

21 c înd se tocea sapa, coasa, furca cu trei coarne şi securea, şi ca să facă vîrf ţepuşului cu care mîna boii.

and the charge for a sharpening was a pim for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads.

22 Ş i aşa s'a întîmplat că în ziua luptei nu era nici sabie, nici suliţă în mînile întregului popor care era cu Saul şi Ionatan: nu avea decît Saul şi fiul său Ionatan.

So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.

23 O ceată de Filisteni a venit şi s'a aşezat la trecătoarea Micmaşului.

And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.