I Samuelis 13
1 filius unius anni Saul cum regnare coepisset duobus autem annis regnavit super Israhel
Saul was thirty when he became king, and he reigned over Israel for forty-two years.
2 et elegit sibi Saul tria milia de Israhel et erant cum Saul duo milia in Machmas et in monte Bethel mille autem cum Ionathan in Gabaath Beniamin porro ceterum populum remisit unumquemque in tabernacula sua
Saul had chosen three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand of them were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and another thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. He sent the rest of the army home.
3 et percussit Ionathan stationem Philisthim quae erat in Gabaa quod cum audissent Philisthim Saul cecinit bucina in omni terra dicens audiant Hebraei
Jonathan attacked the Philistine garrison at Geba. The Philistines soon heard about it, so Saul had the trumpet call to arms sounded throughout the land, saying, “Hebrews, pay attention!”
4 et universus Israhel audivit huiuscemodi famam percussit Saul stationem Philisthinorum et erexit se Israhel adversum Philisthim clamavit ergo populus post Saul in Galgala
All of Israel heard the news, “Saul has attacked the Philistine garrison, and now Israel is like a bad smell to the Philistines!” So the whole army was called up to join Saul at Gilgal.
5 et Philisthim congregati sunt ad proeliandum contra Israhel triginta milia curruum et sex milia equitum et reliquum vulgus sicut harena quae est in litore maris plurima et ascendentes castrametati sunt in Machmas ad orientem Bethaven
The Philistines gathered to fight against Israel. They had three thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and soldiers as numerous as sand on the seashore. They advanced and camped at Michmash, east of Beth-aven.
6 quod cum vidissent viri Israhel se in arto sitos adflictus est enim populus absconderunt se in speluncis et in abditis in petris quoque et in antris et in cisternis
When the Israelite men realized the tough situation they were in, and that the army was taking a beating, they hid themselves in caves, holes, rocks, pits, and cisterns.
7 Hebraei autem transierunt Iordanem terram Gad et Galaad cumque adhuc esset Saul in Galgal universus populus perterritus est qui sequebatur eum
Some of the Hebrews even crossed the Jordan into the territory of Gad and Gilead, but Saul stayed at Gilgal, and all the men with him were trembling with fear.
8 et expectavit septem diebus iuxta placitum Samuhel et non venit Samuhel in Galgala dilapsusque est populus ab eo
Saul waited there seven days for the time that Samuel had said, but Samuel did not arrive at Gilgal, and the army started to desert him.
9 ait ergo Saul adferte mihi holocaustum et pacifica et obtulit holocaustum
So Saul ordered, “Bring the burnt offering and the friendship offerings to me,” and he presented the burnt offering.
10 cumque conplesset offerens holocaustum ecce Samuhel veniebat et egressus est Saul obviam ei ut salutaret eum
Just as he finished presenting the burnt offering, he saw Samuel arrive. Saul went over to meet him and say hello.
11 locutusque est ad eum Samuhel quid fecisti respondit Saul quia vidi quod dilaberetur populus a me et tu non veneras iuxta placitos dies porro Philisthim congregati fuerant in Machmas
“What have you done?” Samuel asked. Saul replied, “Well I saw my men were deserting me, and you hadn't arrived when you said you would, and the Philistines were gathering at Michmash to attack.
12 dixi nunc descendent Philisthim ad me in Galgala et faciem Domini non placavi necessitate conpulsus obtuli holocaustum
I said to myself, ‘The Philistines are about to attack me at Gilgal, and I haven't asked the Lord for his help.’ So I felt I had to present the burnt offering myself.”
13 dixitque Samuhel ad Saul stulte egisti nec custodisti mandata Domini Dei tui quae praecepit tibi quod si non fecisses iam nunc praeparasset Dominus regnum tuum super Israhel in sempiternum
“You've been really stupid,” Samuel told him. “You haven't kept the commands of the Lord your God. If you had, the Lord would have made your kingdom over Israel secure forever.
14 sed nequaquam regnum tuum ultra consurget quaesivit sibi Dominus virum iuxta cor suum et praecepit ei Dominus ut esset dux super populum suum eo quod non servaveris quae praecepit Dominus
But now your kingdom won't last. The Lord has found for himself a man who thinks like him, and has chosen him as ruler over his people, because you haven't kept the commands of the Lord.”
15 surrexit autem Samuhel et ascendit de Galgalis in Gabaa Beniamin et recensuit Saul populum qui inventi fuerant cum eo quasi sescentos viros
Then Samuel left Gilgal. The rest of the soldiers followed Saul to meet the army, going from Gilgal to Geba in Benjamin. Saul counted the number of soldiers who were with him and there were about six hundred.
16 et Saul et Ionathan filius eius populusque qui inventus fuerat cum eis erat in Gabaa Beniamin porro Philisthim consederant in Machmas
Saul, his son Jonathan, and the soldiers with them were staying in Geba of Benjamin, while the Philistines were camped at Michmash.
17 et egressi sunt ad praedandum de castris Philisthim tres cunei unus cuneus pergebat contra viam Ephra ad terram Saul
Three groups of raiders left the Philistine camp to go and attack. One group went towards Ophrah in the land of Shual,
18 porro alius ingrediebatur per viam Bethoron tertius autem verterat se ad iter termini inminentis valli Seboim contra desertum
one towards Beth-horon, and one towards the border that looks down on the Valley of Zeboim by the wilderness.
19 porro faber ferrarius non inveniebatur in omni terra Israhel caverant enim Philisthim ne forte facerent Hebraei gladium aut lanceam
There wasn't a blacksmith to be found anywhere in Israel, because the Philistines had said, “So that the Hebrews don't make swords and spears.”
20 descendebat ergo omnis Israhel ad Philisthim ut exacueret unusquisque vomerem suum et ligonem et securim et sarculum
All the Israelites had to go to the Philistines to sharpen their iron plowshares, pickaxes, axes, and sickles.
21 retunsae itaque erant acies vomerum et ligonum et tridentum et securium usque ad stimulum corrigendum
The fee was two-thirds of a shekel for plowshares and pickaxes, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and cattle prods.
22 cumque venisset dies proelii non est inventus ensis et lancea in manu totius populi qui erat cum Saul et cum Ionathan excepto Saul et Ionathan filio eius
So when it came to the day of battle none of the soldiers with Saul and Jonathan had swords or spears—only Saul and his son Jonathan had such weapons.
23 egressa est autem statio Philisthim ut transcenderet in Machmas
A Philistine garrison had taken control of the pass at Michmash.
