Βασιλειῶν Αʹ 13
1 Ο Σαούλ ήτο βασιλεύς ενός έτους· αφού δε εβασίλευσε δύο έτη επί τον Ισραήλ,
Saul was no longer a young man when he became the king. He ruled Israel for 42 years.
2 εξέλεξεν ο Σαούλ εις εαυτόν τρεις χιλιάδας εκ του Ισραήλ· και ήσαν μετά του Σαούλ δύο χιλιάδες εν Μιχμάς και εν τω όρει Βαιθήλ, και χίλιοι ήσαν μετά του Ιωνάθαν εν Γαβαά του Βενιαμίν· το δε υπόλοιπον του λαού εξαπέστειλεν έκαστον εις την σκηνήν αυτού.
[Several years after he became king], he chose three thousand men from the Israeli army to go with him [to fight the Philistines]. Then he sent the other soldiers back home. Of the men he chose, 2,000 stayed with Saul at Micmash and in the hilly area near Bethel, and 1,000 stayed with [Saul’s son] Jonathan at Gibeah, in the area where the descendants of Benjamin lived.
3 Και επάταξεν ο Ιωνάθαν την φρουράν των Φιλισταίων την εν τω βουνώ· και ήκουσαν οι Φιλισταίοι. Και εσάλπισεν ο Σαούλ διά της σάλπιγγος εν πάση τη γη, λέγων, Ας ακούσωσιν οι Εβραίοι.
Jonathan [and the men who were with him] attacked the Philistine soldiers who were camped at Geba. The [other] Philistines heard about that. [So Saul realized that the army of Philistia would probably come to fight the Israelis again]. So Saul [sent messengers to] blow trumpets throughout Israel [to gather the people together and] proclaim to them, “All you Hebrews need to hear [that now the Philistines will start a war with us]!”
4 Και πας ο Ισραήλ ήκουσε να λέγωσιν, Επάταξεν ο Σαούλ την φρουράν των Φιλισταίων, και μάλιστα ο Ισραήλ μισείται υπό των Φιλισταίων. Και συνήχθη ο λαός κατόπιν του Σαούλ εν Γαλγάλοις.
The messengers told the rest of the army to gather together with Saul at Gilgal. And all the people in Israel heard the news. People were saying, “Saul’s army has attacked the Philistine camp, with the result that now the Philistines hate us Israelis very much.”
5 Οι δε Φιλισταίοι συνηθροίσθησαν διά να πολεμήσωσι μετά του Ισραήλ, τριάκοντα χιλιάδες αμαξών και εξ χιλιάδες ιππέων και λαός ως η άμμος η επί του χείλους της θαλάσσης κατά το πλήθος· και ανέβησαν και εστρατοπέδευσαν εν Μιχμάς, προς ανατολάς της Βαιθ-αυέν.
The Philistines gathered together and were given equipment to fight the Israelis. The Philistines had 3,000 chariots, and 6,000 chariot-drivers. Their soldiers [seemed to be as many] as grains of sand on the seashore [HYP]. They went up and set up their tents at Micmash, to the east of Beth-Aven ([which means ‘house of wickedness’, and really referred to Bethel town]).
6 Ότε οι άνδρες του Ισραήλ είδον ότι ήσαν εν αμηχανία, διότι ο λαός εμικροψύχει, τότε εκρύπτετο ο λαός εις τα σπήλαια και εις τα πυκνόφυτα και εις τους βράχους και εις τα οχυρά μέρη και εις τους λάκκους.
The Philistines attacked the Israelis very strongly, and the Israeli soldiers realized that they were in a very bad situation. So many of the Israeli soldiers hid in caves and holes in the ground, or among the rocks, or in pits, or in wells.
7 Και τινές εκ των Εβραίων διέβησαν τον Ιορδάνην προς την γην Γαδ και Γαλαάδ. Ο δε Σαούλ αυτός ήτο ακόμη εν Γαλγάλοις· και πας ο λαός τρέμων κατόπιν αυτού.
Some of them crossed the Jordan River at a place where it was very shallow. Then they went to the area where the descendants of Gad lived and to [the] Gilead [region]. But Saul stayed at Gilgal. All the soldiers who were with him were shaking [because they were so afraid].
8 Και περιέμεινεν επτά ημέρας, κατά τον διωρισμένον καιρόν υπό του Σαμουήλ· αλλ' ο Σαμουήλ δεν ήρχετο εις Γάλγαλα· και ο λαός διεσκορπίζετο από πλησίον αυτού.
Saul waited seven days, which was the number of days that Samuel had told him to wait for him. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal [during that time], so many of the men in Saul’s army began to leave him and run away.
9 Και είπεν ο Σαούλ, Φέρετε εδώ προς εμέ το ολοκαύτωμα, και τας ειρηνικάς προσφοράς. Και προσέφερε το ολοκαύτωμα.
So Saul said to the soldiers, “Bring to me an animal to be completely burned [on the altar] and one for the offering to enable us to maintain fellowship [with God].” [So the men did that].
10 Και ως ετελείωσε προσφέρων το ολοκαύτωμα, ιδού, ήλθεν ο Σαμουήλ· και εξήλθεν ο Σαούλ εις συνάντησιν αυτού, διά να χαιρετήση αυτόν.
And just as he was finished burning those offerings, Samuel arrived. Saul went to greet him.
11 Και είπεν ο Σαμουήλ, Τι έκαμες; Και απεκρίθη ο Σαούλ, Επειδή είδον ότι ο λαός διεσκορπίζετο απ' εμού, και συ δεν ήλθες την διωρισμένην ημέραν, οι δε Φιλισταίοι συνηθροίζοντο εις Μιχμάς,
Samuel [saw what Saul had done, and he] said to Saul, “Why have you done this?” Saul replied, “I saw that my men were leaving me and running away, and that you did not come here during the time that you said that you would come, and that the Philistine army was gathering together at Micmash.
12 διά τούτο είπα, Τώρα θέλουσι καταβή οι Φιλισταίοι εναντίον μου εις Γάλγαλα, και εγώ δεν έκαμα δέησιν προς τον Κύριον· ετόλμησα λοιπόν, και προσέφερα το ολοκαύτωμα.
“So I thought, ‘The Philistine army is going to attack us here at Gilgal, and I have not yet asked Yahweh to bless/help us.’ So I felt it was necessary to offer the burnt offerings [to seek God’s blessings].”
13 Και είπεν ο Σαμουήλ προς τον Σαούλ, Συ έπραξας αφρόνως· δεν εφύλαξας το πρόσταγμα Κυρίου του Θεού σου, το οποίον προσέταξεν εις σέ· διότι τώρα ο Κύριος ήθελε στερεώσει την βασιλείαν σου επί τον Ισραήλ έως του αιώνος·
Samuel replied, “What you did was very foolish! You have not obeyed what Yahweh, your God, commanded [about sacrifices]. If you had obeyed him, God would have allowed you and your descendants to rule [Israel] for a long time.
14 αλλά τώρα η βασιλεία σου δεν θέλει στηριχθή· ο Κύριος εζήτησεν εις εαυτόν άνθρωπον κατά την καρδίαν αυτού, και διώρισεν ο Κύριος αυτόν να ήναι άρχων επί τον λαόν αυτού, επειδή δεν εφύλαξας εκείνο το οποίον προσέταξεν εις σε ο Κύριος.
But now [because of what you have done, you will die, and after you die, ] none of your descendants will rule. Yahweh is seeking for a man [to be king] who will be just the kind of person that he wants him to be, so that he can appoint him to be the leader of his people. Yahweh will do this because you have not obeyed what he commanded.”
15 Και εσηκώθη ο Σαμουήλ και ανέβη από Γαλγάλων εις Γαβαά του Βενιαμίν. Ο δε Σαούλ ηρίθμησε τον λαόν τον ευρεθέντα μετ' αυτού, περίπου εξακοσίους άνδρας.
Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah. Saul stayed at Gilgal with his soldiers. There were only about 600 of them left [who had not run away].
16 Και ο Σαούλ και Ιωνάθαν ο υιός αυτού και ο λαός ο ευρεθείς μετ' αυτών, εκάθηντο εν Γαβαά του Βενιαμίν· οι δε Φιλισταίοι ήσαν εστρατοπεδευμένοι εν Μιχμάς.
Saul and his son Jonathan and the soldiers who were with them went to Geba [city] in the area of the tribe of Benjamin [and set up their tents there]. The Philistine army set up their tents at Micmash.
17 Και εξήλθον λεηλάται εκ του στρατοπέδου των Φιλισταίων εις τρία σώματα· το εν σώμα εστράφη εις την οδόν Οφρά, προς την γην Σωγάλ·
Three groups of Philistia men soon left the place where their army was staying, and went and (raided the Israeli towns/attacked the Israelis and took their possessions). One group went [north] toward Ophrah [city] in [the] Shual [region].
18 και το άλλο σώμα εστράφη εις την οδόν Βαιθ-ωρών· και το άλλο σώμα εστράφη εις την οδόν του ορίου, το οποίον βλέπει προς την κοιλάδα Σεβωείμ, κατά την έρημον.
One group went [west] to Beth-Horon [city]. The third group went toward the [Israeli] border, above Zeboim Valley, near the desert.
19 Και σιδηρουργός δεν ευρίσκετο εν πάση τη γη Ισραήλ· διότι οι Φιλισταίοι είπον, Μήποτε οι Εβραίοι κατασκευάσωσι ρομφαίας ή λόγχας·
At that time, there were no men in Israel who (were blacksmiths/could make things from iron). [The people of Philistia would not permit the Israelis to do that, because they were afraid that] they would make iron swords and spears for the Hebrews to fight with.
20 αλλά κατέβαινον πάντες οι Ισραηλίται προς τους Φιλισταίους, διά να ακονώσιν έκαστος το υνίον αυτού και την δικέλλαν αυτού και την αξίνην αυτού, και την σκαπάνην αυτού,
So [whenever the Israelis needed] to sharpen the blades of their plows, or picks, or axes, or sickles, they were forced to take those things to a Philistia man who could sharpen those things.
21 οσάκις ήθελον αμβλυνθή αι σκαπάναι και αι δικέλλαι και τα τρίκρανα και αι αξίναι αυτών· και διά να οξύνωσι τα βούκεντρα αυτών.
They needed to pay (one fourth of an ounce/8 grams) of silver for sharpening a plow, and (an eighth of an ounce/4 grams) of silver to sharpen an axe, or a sickle, or (an ox goad/a pointed rod to jab an ox to make it walk).
22 Διά τούτο εν τη ημέρα της μάχης, δεν ευρίσκετο ούτε μάχαιρα ούτε λόγχη εις την χείρα τινός εκ του λαού του όντος μετά του Σαούλ και Ιωνάθαν· εις τον Σαούλ όμως και εις τον Ιωνάθαν τον υιόν αυτού ευρέθησαν.
So [because the Israelis could not make weapons from iron], on the day that the Israelis fought [against the men of Philistia], Saul and Jonathan were the only Israeli men who had swords. None of the others had a sword; [they had only bows and arrows].
23 Η δε φρουρά των Φιλισταίων εξήλθε προς το πέρασμα Μιχμάς.
Before the battle started, some Philistia men went to (the pass/a narrow place between two cliffs) outside Micmash to guard it.
