1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Beth-el, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent. 3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear. 4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Beth-aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. 10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.

11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering. 13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. 14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him, about six hundred men. 16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

17 And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: 18 And another company turned the way to Beth-horon: and another company turned to the way of the border that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: 20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. 21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. 22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found. 23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of Michmash.

1 扫罗登基的时候年三十岁， 作了以色列王四十二年（原文缺完整的年数， 这里是按《七十士译本》加上的）。

2 他从以色列人中为自己拣选了三千人； 两千人和扫罗一同驻在密抹和伯特利山， 一千人与约拿单一同驻在便雅悯的基比亚。其余的人， 扫罗都遣散他们各回自己的家去了。

3 约拿单攻打非利士人在迦巴的驻军， 非利士人听见了； 扫罗就在全地吹角， 说： "让希伯来人都听见。"

4 以色列众人听说扫罗攻打了非利士人的驻军， 又听说非利士人憎恨以色列人， 就应召在吉甲跟随扫罗。

5 非利士人聚集起来， 要与以色列人交战， 他们有战车三千（"三千"原文作"三万"， 这里参考一些《七十士译本》的抄本及叙利亚译本翻译）辆、骑兵六千人、步兵像海边的沙那么多。他们上来， 在伯．亚文东边的密抹安营。

6 以色列人看见自己情况危急， 处境窘迫， 众人就藏在山洞、岩穴、地洞里和地坑之中。

7 有些希伯来人渡过了约旦河， 逃到迦得和基列地。但是扫罗仍然留在吉甲， 跟随他的众人都恐惧战兢。

8 扫罗照着撒母耳所定的日期等了七天， 但撒母耳还没有来到吉甲， 众人就离开扫罗散去了。

9 扫罗说： "你们把燔祭和平安祭带到我这里来。"他就献上燔祭。

10 他刚刚献完了燔祭， 撒母耳就来到了； 扫罗出去迎接他， 向他问安。

11 撒母耳说： "你作了什么事？"扫罗回答： "因为我看见众民都离开我散去了， 你又没有照所定的日子来到， 而非利士人正在密抹聚集起来。

12 我心里想： ‘非利士人现在就要下到吉甲来攻打我， 我却还没有向耶和华求恩。’所以我就勉强自己把燔祭献上了。"

13 撒母耳对扫罗说： "你作了糊涂事了！ 你没有谨守耶和华你的 神吩咐你的命令。如果你谨守， 耶和华就必在以色列中坚立你的王位， 直到永远。

14 但现在你的王位必不长久， 耶和华已经为自己找到一个合他心意的人， 立他作自己子民的领袖， 因为你没有谨守耶和华所吩咐你的。"

15 于是撒母耳动身， 从吉甲上便雅悯的基比亚去； 扫罗数点跟随他的人， 约有六百人。

16 扫罗和他的儿子约拿单， 以及跟随他们的人都停留在便雅悯的迦巴， 非利士人却在密抹安营。

17 有突击队从非利士人的营里出来， 分成三队， 一队往俄弗拉向书亚地去，

18 一队往伯．和仑去， 一队往洗波音谷对面的境界向旷野去。

19 那时， 以色列全地找不到一个铁匠， 因为非利士人说： "恐怕希伯来人制造刀剑或枪矛。"

20 以色列众人要磨锄头、犁头、斧头和铲子， 就各自下到非利士人那里去磨。

21 磨锄头或犁头的价钱是七克银子， 磨三齿叉、斧头或刺棒的价钱是四克银子。

22 所以， 到了争战的时候， 跟随扫罗和约拿单的众民， 没有一个手里有刀或枪的， 只有扫罗和他的儿子约拿单有刀枪。

23 有一队非利士人的驻军出到密抹的隘口去。