Now it came to pass one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armour: Come, and let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines, which is on the other side of yonder place. But he told not this to his father.

Et accidit quadam die ut diceret Jonathas filius Saul ad adolescentem armigerum suum: Veni, et transeamus ad stationem Philisthinorum, quæ est trans locum illum. Patri autem suo hoc ipsum non indicavit.

And one day, Saul’s son Jonathan proposed to the lad who carried his armour for him, Let us attack the Philistine detachment over yonder; but he said no word of it to Saul.

And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gabaa under the pomegranate tree, which was in Magron: and the people with him were about six hundred men.

Porro Saul morabatur in extrema parte Gabaa sub malogranato, quæ erat in Magron: et erat populus cum eo quasi sexcentorum virorum.

Saul was encamped on the outskirts of Gabaa, under the pomegranate tree at Magron, with some six hundred men under him;

And Achias the son of Achitob brother of Ichabod the son of Phinees, the son of Heli the priest of the Lord in Silo, wore the ephod. And the people knew not whither Jonathan was gone.

Et Achias filius Achitob fratris Ichabod filii Phinees, qui ortus fuerat ex Heli sacerdote Domini in Silo, portabat ephod. Sed et populus ignorabat quo isset Jonathas.

he had a priest with him, bearing the sacred mantle, Achias son of Achitob. (This Achitob was brother to Ichabod, and son of that Phinees whose father Heli was once the Lord’s priest at Silo.) The men in the ranks, too, knew nothing of Jonathan’s errand.

Now there were between the ascents, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the garrison of the Philistines, rocks standing up on both sides, and steep cliffs like teeth on the one side, and on the other, the name of the one was Boses, and the name of the other was Sene:

Erant autem inter ascensus per quos nitebatur Jonathas transire ad stationem Philisthinorum, eminentes petræ ex utraque parte, et quasi in modum dentium scopuli hinc et inde prærupti: nomen uni Boses, et nomen alteri Sene:

Just where he planned his attack on the Philistines, between the paths that climbed the hill, a rock jutted out on either hand like a single tooth, sheer on every side. One was called Boses and the other Sene;

One rock stood out towards the north over against Machmas, and the other to the south, over against Gabaa.

unus scopulus prominens ad aquilonem ex adverso Machmas, et alter ad meridiem contra Gabaa.

one faced northwards towards Machmas, and the other southwards towards Gabaa.

And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour: Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised, it may be the Lord will do for us, because it is easy for the Lord to save either by many, or by few.

Dixit autem Jonathas ad adolescentem armigerum suum: Veni, transeamus ad stationem incircumcisorum horum, si forte faciat Dominus pro nobis: quia non est Domino difficile salvare, vel in multis, vel in paucis.

Here, then, Jonathan said to his squire, Let us attack the post these uncircumcised Philistines have set on guard, and see if the Lord will speed us. Many or few, if the Lord means to grant us victory, who shall prevent him?

And his armourbearer said to him: Do all that pleaseth thy mind: go whither thou wilt, and I will be with thee wheresoever thou hast a mind.

Dixitque ei armiger suus: Fac omnia quæ placent animo tuo: perge quo cupis, et ero tecum ubicumque volueris.

As thou wilt, his squire answered; lead on, I will follow where thou biddest.

And Jonathan said: Behold we will go over to these men. And when we shall be seen by them,

Et ait Jonathas: Ecce nos transimus ad viros istos. Cumque apparuerimus eis,

We approach them, then, said Jonathan, and shew ourselves.

If they shall speak thus to us: Stay till we come to you: let us stand still in our place, and not go up to them.

si taliter locuti fuerint ad nos: Manete donec veniamus ad vos: stemus in loco nostro, nec ascendamus ad eos.

And now, if they bid us wait till they come down to fetch us, let us keep our ground, and abandon all thought of the ascent.

But if they shall say: Come up to us: let us go up, because the Lord hath delivered them into our hands, this shall be a sign unto us.

Si autem dixerint: Ascendite ad nos: ascendamus, quia tradidit eos Dominus in manibus nostris: hoc erit nobis signum.

But if they bid us come up to their side, then go up we will; it is a sign that the Lord means to give us the mastery.

So both of them discovered themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said: Behold the Hebrews come forth out of the holes wherein they were hid.

Apparuit igitur uterque stationi Philisthinorum: dixeruntque Philisthiim: En Hebræi egrediuntur de cavernis in quibus absconditi fuerant.

So both shewed themselves to the Philistine detachment; Why, said the Philistines, here are the Hebrews coming out of the pits where they lay in hiding!

And the men of the garrison spoke to Jonathan, and to his armourbearer, and said: Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armourbearer: Let us go up, follow me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hands of Israel.

Et locuti sunt viri de statione ad Jonathan et ad armigerum ejus, dixeruntque: Ascendite ad nos, et ostendemus vobis rem. Et ait Jonathas ad armigerum suum: Ascendamus: sequere me: tradidit enim Dominus eos in manus Israël.

And they cried out from their post to Jonathan and his squire, Come up to our side; we have something to disclose to you. And at that, Jonathan said to his squire, Up, then, go we; follow me close; the Lord is giving Israel the mastery.

And Jonathan went up creeping on his hands and feet, and his armourbearer after him. And some fell before Jonathan, others his armourbearer slew as he followed him.

Ascendit autem Jonathas manibus et pedibus reptans, et armiger ejus post eum. Itaque alii cadebant ante Jonathan, alios armiger ejus interficiebat sequens eum.

So, crawling upon hands and knees, Jonathan climbed up, and his squire after him; and of the enemy, some fell to Jonathan himself, some to the squire as he came up behind him.

And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was of about twenty men, within half an acre of land, which a yoke of oxen is wont to plough in a day.

Et facta est plaga prima qua percussit Jonathas et armiger ejus, quasi viginti virorum in media parte jugeri quam par boum in die arare consuevit.

This first slaughter that befell, when Jonathan and his squire assailed them, was but of twenty men, on a piece of ground that measured half an acre, a day’s ploughing for a pair of oxen.

And there was a miracle in the camp, through the fields: yea and all the people of their garrison, who had gone out to plunder, were amazed, and the earth trembled: and it happened as a miracle from God.

Et factum est miraculum in castris per agros: sed et omnis populus stationis eorum qui ierant ad prædandum, obstupuit, et conturbata est terra: et accidit quasi miraculum a Deo.

But all through the camp, all through the countryside, came a sudden terror; the rest of the detachment, that were returning from a foray, stood there open-mouthed; the earth, too, shook, and it seemed as if a divine terror were abroad.

And the watchmen of Saul, who were in Gabaa of Benjamin looked, and behold a multitude overthrown, and fleeing this way and that.

Et respexerunt speculatores Saul qui erant in Gabaa Benjamin, et ecce multitudo prostrata, et huc illucque diffugiens.

Looking out from Gabaa, the watchmen of Saul’s army wondered at the sight; so many men that lay slain, so many more in flight this way and that.

And Saul said to the people that were with him: Look, and see who is gone from us. And when they had sought, it was found that Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.

Et ait Saul populo qui erat cum eo: Requirite, et videte quis abierit ex nobis. Cumque requisissent, repertum est non adesse Jonathan et armigerum ejus.

And now Saul bade his men find out who it was that had left the ranks, and learned that Jonathan was not there, nor his squire.

And Saul said to Achias: Bring the ark of the Lord. (For the ark of God was there that day with the children of Israel.)

Et ait Saul ad Achiam: Applica arcam Dei. (Erat enim ibi arca Dei in die illa cum filiis Israël.)

So he bade Achias consult the ark of God (it was there that day, God’s ark, among the ranks of Israel);

And while Saul spoke to the priest, there arose a great uproar in the camp of the Philistines: and it increased by degrees, and was heard more clearly. And Saul said to the priest: Draw in thy hand.

Cumque loqueretur Saul ad sacerdotem, tumultus magnus exortus est in castris Philisthinorum: crescebatque paulatim, et clarius resonabat. Et ait Saul ad sacerdotem: Contrahe manum tuam.

but even as he was talking with the priest, a great clamour arose in the Philistine camp, that gained force and grew louder with every moment. Stay thy hand, he said to the priest,

Then Saul and all the people that were with him, shouted together, and they came to the place of the fight: and behold every man’s sword was turned upon his neighbour, and there was a very great slaughter.

Conclamavit ergo Saul, et omnis populus qui erat cum eo, et venerunt usque ad locum certaminis: et ecce versus fuerat gladius uniuscujusque ad proximum suum, et cædes magna nimis.

and so, with his whole army, raised the war-cry and went to the attack. They found that the Philistines had come to blows, friend turning his sword against friend, and the slaughter raged beyond all bounds.

Moreover the Hebrews that had been with the Philistines yesterday and the day before, and went up with them into the camp, returned to be with the Israelites, who were with Saul and Jonathan.

Sed et Hebræi qui fuerant cum Philisthiim heri et nudiustertius, ascenderantque cum eis in castris, reversi sunt ut essent cum Israël qui erant cum Saul et Jonatha.

Those Hebrews who, till now, had taken part with the Philistines, and were fighting at their side, now went over to the camp of Israel, the camp of Saul and Jonathan;

And all the Israelites that had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, hearing that the Philistines fled, joined themselves with their countrymen in the fight. And there were with Saul about ten thousand men.

Omnes quoque Israëlitæ qui se absconderant in monte Ephraim, audientes quod fugissent Philisthæi, sociaverunt se cum suis in prælio. Et erant cum Saul quasi decem millia virorum.

and all those others who were in hiding among the hills of Ephraim, when they heard of the Philistine rout, came out to aid their fellow-countrymen, till Saul found himself at the head of some ten thousand men.

And the Lord saved Israel that day. And the fight went on as far as Bethaven.

Et salvavit Dominus in die illa Israël: pugna autem pervenit usque ad Bethaven.

Thus the Lord gave Israel the victory that day, and the field of battle spread wider till it reached Bethaven.

And the men of Israel were joined together that day; and Saul adjured the people, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat food till evening, till I be revenged of my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food:

Et viri Israël sociati sunt sibi in die illa: adjuravit autem Saul populum, dicens: Maledictus vir qui comederit panem usque ad vesperam, donec ulciscar de inimicis meis. Et non manducavit universus populus panem:

The Israelites were fighting, that day, in a close body, and Saul put a ban on them, Cursed be the man that touches food before evening comes; I must take full vengeance on my enemies! So none of them took any food;

And all the common people came into a forest, in which there was honey upon the ground.

omneque terræ vulgus venit in saltum, in quo erat mel super faciem agri.

even when the whole army passed through a glade where there was honey lying on the ground,

And when the people came into the forest, behold the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth. For the people feared the oath.

Ingressus est itaque populus saltum, et apparuit fluens mel, nullusque applicuit manum ad os suum: timebat enim populus juramentum.

and they saw the honey oozing from its combs as they entered the glade, not one in the ranks put his hand to his mouth, such was their terror of the ban.

But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people: and he put forth the end of the rod, which he had in his hand, and dipt it in a honeycomb: and he carried his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened.

Porro Jonathas non audierat cum adjuraret pater ejus populum: extenditque summitatem virgæ quam habebat in manu, et intinxit in favum mellis: et convertit manum suam ad os suum, et illuminati sunt oculi ejus.

Jonathan had not heard his father bind the people so; and he, reaching forward and dipping the end of his staff into a honeycomb, took a mouthful from his hand; whereupon his eyesight grew clearer at once.

And one of the people answering, said: Thy father hath bound the people with an oath, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat any food this day. (And the people were faint.)

Respondensque unus de populo, ait: Jurejurando constrinxit pater tuus populum, dicens: Maledictus vir qui comederit panem hodie. (Defecerat autem populus.)

And what of the ban thy father laid on us, one of the men said to him, calling down a curse on anyone who should touch food to-day? But the Israelites were faint on their march,

And Jonathan said: My father hath troubled the land: you have seen yourselves that my eyes are enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey:

Dixitque Jonathas: Turbavit pater meus terram: vidistis ipsi quia illuminati sunt oculi mei, eo quod gustaverim paululum de melle isto:

and Jonathan said, It is an ill turn my father has done to his country; why, could you not see for yourselves how my eyes grew brighter for a mouthful of yonder honey?

How much more if the people had eaten of the prey of their enemies, which they found? had there not been made a greater slaughter among the Philistines?

quanto magis si comedisset populus de præda inimicorum suorum, quam reperit? nonne major plaga facta fuisset in Philisthiim?

Think what a blow we might have struck, if the men had eaten their fill when we came upon the plunder the enemy had left behind them!

So they smote that day the Philistines from Machmas to Ailon. And the people were wearied exceedingly.

Percusserunt ergo in die illa Philisthæos a Machmis usque in Ajalon. Defatigatus est autem populus nimis:

That day’s pursuit took the army all the way from Machmas to Aialon, and they were weary men indeed;

And falling upon the spoils, they took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people ate them with the blood.

et versus ad prædam tulit oves, et boves, et vitulos, et mactaverunt in terra: comeditque populus cum sanguine.

falling on the plunder they had recovered, they carried off sheep and ox and calf and slaughtered them there on the ground, eating them blood and all.

And they told Saul that the people had sinned against the Lord, eating with the blood. And he said: You have transgressed: roll here to me now a great stone.

Nuntiaverunt autem Sauli dicentes quod populus peccasset Domino, comedens cum sanguine. Qui ait: Prævaricati estis: volvite ad me jam nunc saxum grande.

When complaint was made that his men had disobeyed the Lord’s command by eating meat with the blood in it, Saul told them, You have broken the law; find a great stone, and roll it up to where I stand.

And Saul said: Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them to bring me every man his ox and his ram, and slay them upon this stone, and eat, and you shall not sin against the Lord in eating with the blood. So all the people brought every man his ox with him till the night: and slew them there.

Et dixit Saul: Dispergimini in vulgus, et dicite eis ut adducat ad me unusquisque bovem suum et arietem, et occidite super istud, et vescimini, et non peccabitis Domino comedentes cum sanguine. Adduxit itaque omnis populus unusquisque bovem in manu sua usque ad noctem: et occiderunt ibi.

Then he said, Go round and bid the folk bring ox and ram to me here, to slaughter their meat on this stone; sin no more by eating it with the blood in it. So, till late at night, each man brought his ox with him and slaughtered it there.

And Saul built an altar to the Lord: and he then first began to build an altar to the Lord.

Ædificavit autem Saul altare Domino, tuncque primum cœpit ædificare altare Domino.

And Saul built an altar to the Lord there, the first he ever raised to him.

And Saul said: Let us fall upon the Philistines by night, and destroy them till the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And the people said: Do all that seemeth good in thy eyes. And the priest said: Let us draw near hither unto God.

Et dixit Saul: Irruamus super Philisthæos nocte, et vastemus eos usque dum illucescat mane, nec relinquamus ex eis virum. Dixitque populus: Omne quod bonum videtur in oculis tuis, fac. Et ait sacerdos: Accedamus huc ad Deum.

And now, cried Saul, let us attack the Philistines in the darkness, and harry them till day dawns, so that none is left alive. Do as thou seest best, the people answered; but the priest said, God is present with us, let us have recourse to him.

And Saul consulted the Lord: Shall I pursue after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hands of Israel? And he answered him not that day.

Et consuluit Saul Dominum: Num persequar Philisthiim? si trades eos in manus Israël? Et non respondit ei in die illa.

Saul, then, asked the Lord whether he should pursue the Philistines, whether Israel would be granted the victory; but that day no answer came.

And Saul said: Bring hither all the corners of the people: and know, and see by whom this sin hath happened to day.

Dixitque Saul: Applicate huc universos angulos populi: et scitote, et videte per quem acciderit peccatum hoc hodie.

Summon all the chieftains, cried Saul; we must have clear proof who it is has brought guilt on us this day.

As the Lord liveth who is the saviour of Israel, if it was done by Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. In this none of the people gainsaied him.

Vivit Dominus salvator Israël, quia si per Jonathan filium meum factum est, absque retractione morietur. Ad quod nullus contradixit ei de omni populo.

As the Lord, Israel’s protector, is a living God, though it were Jonathan, my own son, that is answerable for it, he shall die without hope of reprieve. And no voice among them all said him nay.

And he said to all Israel: Be you on one side, and I with Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people answered Saul: Do what seemeth good in thy eyes.

Et ait ad universum Israël: Separamini vos in partem unam, et ego cum Jonatha filio meo ero in parte altera. Responditque populus ad Saul: Quod bonum videtur in oculis tuis, fac.

Do you stand on one side, he told the men of Israel, I and my son Jonathan on the other. Do as thou seest best, the people answered.

And Saul said to the Lord: O Lord God of Israel, give a sign, by which we may know, what the meaning is, that thou answerest not thy servant to day. If this iniquity be in me, or in my son Jonathan, give a proof: or if this iniquity be in thy people, give holiness. And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people escaped.

Et dixit Saul ad Dominum Deum Israël: Domine Deus Israël, da indicium: quid est quod non responderis servo tuo hodie? si in me, aut in Jonatha filio meo, est iniquitas hæc, da ostensionem: aut si hæc iniquitas est in populo tuo, da sanctitatem. Et deprehensus est Jonathas et Saul: populus autem exivit.

And Saul prayed to the Lord God of Israel, Lord God of Israel, send us right guidance; tell us why it is thou wilt give me, thy servant, no answer this day. If the guilt lies with me, or with my son Jonathan, let the sign be Revelation; if with thy people, let the sign be Holiness. Thereupon Jonathan and Saul were convicted, and the people went clear.

And Saul said: Cast lots between me, and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

Et ait Saul: Mittite sortem inter me et inter Jonathan filium meum. Et captus est Jonathas.

Then Saul bade them cast lots between himself and Jonathan, and the lot fell on Jonathan.

And Saul said to Jonathan: Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said: I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod, which was in my hand, and behold I must die.

Dixit autem Saul ad Jonathan: Indica mihi quid feceris. Et indicavit ei Jonathas, et ait: Gustans gustavi in summitate virgæ quæ erat in manu mea, paululum mellis, et ecce ego morior.

Tell me, said Saul to Jonathan, what it is thou hast done. So Jonathan told him; Touch food I did, but what food? A little honey picked up on the end of the staff I carried, and for that I must die.

And Saul said: May God do so and so to me, and add still more: for dying thou shalt die, O Jonathan.

Et ait Saul: Hæc faciat mihi Deus, et hæc addat, quia morte morieris, Jonatha.

And Saul answered, Due punishment the Lord give me, Jonathan, and more than due, if thy life is not forfeited!

And the people said to Saul: Shall Jonathan then die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? This must not be. As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people delivered Jonathan, that he should not die.

Dixitque populus ad Saul: Ergone Jonathas morietur, qui fecit salutem hanc magnam in Israël? hoc nefas est: vivit Dominus, si ceciderit capillus de capite ejus in terram, quia cum Deo operatus est hodie. Liberavit ergo populus Jonathan, ut non moreretur.

But the people cried out to Saul, What, shall he die, Jonathan, who has won such a victory for Israel? As the Lord is a living God, that were great wrong. Never a hair shall fall from his head; this day he has done good service, God speeding him. So it was that the people, that day, saved Jonathan’s life.

And Saul went back, and did not pursue after the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own places.

Recessitque Saul, nec persecutus est Philisthiim: porro Philisthiim abierunt in loca sua.

And Saul halted, not continuing his pursuit of the Philistines, who now went back to their own country.

And Saul having his kingdom established over Israel, fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and Edom, and the kings of Soba, and the Philistines; and whithersoever he turned himself, he overcame.

Et Saul, confirmato regno super Israël, pugnabat per circuitum adversum omnes inimicos ejus, contra Moab, et filios Ammon, et Edom, et reges Soba, et Philisthæos: et quocumque se verterat, superabat.

Once he was firmly established on the throne of Israel, Saul carried war into the territory of his enemies, Moab, Ammon, Edom, the kings of Soba, and the Philistines; and everywhere he won victories.

And gathering together an army, he defeated Amalec, and delivered Israel from the hand of them that spoiled them.

Congregatoque exercitu, percussit Amalec, et eruit Israël de manu vastatorum ejus.

He, too, it was that mustered an army and defeated Amalec, putting an end to their forays against Israel.

And the sons of Saul, were Jonathan, and Jessui, and Melchisua: and the names of his two daughters, the name of the firstborn was Merob, and the name of the younger Michol.

Fuerunt autem filii Saul, Jonathas, et Jessui, et Melchisua: et nomina duarum filiarum ejus, nomen primogenitæ Merob, et nomen minoris Michol.

Saul had three sons, Jonathan, Jessui and Melchisua, and two daughters, the elder called Merob and the younger Michol.

And the name of Saul’s wife, was Achinoam the daughter of Achimaas; and the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, the cousin german of Saul.

Et nomen uxoris Saul Achinoam filia Achimaas: et nomen principis militiæ ejus Abner filius Ner, patruelis Saul.

His wife’s name was Achinoam, daughter to Achimaas. And he put his army under the command of his cousin Abner, son of Ner;

For Cis was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner, was son of Abiel.

Porro Cis fuit pater Saul, et Ner pater Abner, filius Abiel.

like Cis, Saul’s father, Ner was son of Abiel.

And there was a great war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. For whomsoever Saul saw to be a valiant man, and fit for war, he took him to himself.

Erat autem bellum potens adversum Philisthæos omnibus diebus Saul. Nam quemcumque viderat Saul virum fortem, et aptum ad prælium, sociabat eum sibi.

As long as Saul lived, there was bitter war against the Philistines, and wherever he found a brave man or a skilful fighter, Saul would attach him to his own person.