Liber I Samuelis, 13

1. Filius annorum Saul, cum regnare coepisset; duobus au tem annis regnavit super Israel.

1. Saul was . . . years old when he began to reign; and he reigned . . . and two years over Israel.

2. Et elegit sibi Saul tria milia de Israel: et erant cum Saul duo milia in Machmas et in monte Bethel, mille autem cum Ionathan in Gabaa Beniamin. Porro ceterum populum remisit unumquemque in tabernacula sua.

2. Saul chose three thousand men of Israel; two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gib'e-ah of Benjamin; the rest of the people he sent home, every man to his tent.

3. Et percussit Ionathan stationem Philisthinorum, quae erat in Gabaa. Quod audierunt Philisthim; Saul autem cecinit bucina in omni terra dicens: “Audiant Hebraei!”.

3. Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines which was at Geba; and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear."

4. Et universus Israel audivit huiuscemodi famam: “Percussit Saul stationem Philisthinorum; et factus est Israel odiosus Philisthim”. Ergo populus congregatus est post Saul in Galgala.

4. And all Israel heard it said that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become odious to the Philistines. And the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

5. Et Philisthim congregati sunt ad proeliandum contra Israel: tria milia curruum et sex milia equitum et reliquum vulgus plurimum sicut arena, quae est in litore maris. Et ascendentes castrametati sunt in Machmas ad orientem Bethaven.

5. And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude; they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-a'ven.

6. Quod cum vidissent viri Israel se in arto sitos — afflictus est enim populus — absconderunt se in speluncis et in abditis, in petris quoque et in antris et in cisternis.

6. When the men of Israel saw that they were in straits (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns,

7. Hebraei autem transierunt Iordanem in terram Gad et Galaad. Cumque adhuc esset Saul in Galgalis, universus populus perterritus est, qui sequebatur eum.

7. or crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

8. Et exspectavit septem diebus iuxta placitum Samuel, et non venit Samuel in Galgala; dilapsusque est populus ab eo.

8. He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him.

9. Ait ergo Saul: “Afferte mihi holocaustum et pacifica”. Et obtulit holocaustum.

9. So Saul said, "Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings." And he offered the burnt offering.

10. Cumque complesset offerens holocaustum, ecce Samuel veniebat; et egressus est Saul obviam ei, ut salutaret eum.

10. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him and salute him.

11. Locutusque est ad eum Samuel: “Quid fecisti?”. Respondit Saul: “Quia vidi quod dilaberetur populus a me, et tu non veneras iuxta placitos dies, porro Philisthim congregati fuerant in Machmas,

11. Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash,

12. dixi: Nunc descendent Philisthim ad me in Galgala, et faciem Domini non placavi. Necessitate compulsus obtuli holocaustum”.

12. I said, `Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of the LORD'; so I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering."

13. Dixitque Samuel ad Saul: “Stulte egisti. Utinam custodisses mandata Domini Dei tui, quae praecepit tibi! Profecto nunc confirmasset Dominus regnum tuum super Israel in sempiternum;

13. 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 for ever.

14. sed nequaquam regnum tuum ultra consurget. Quaesivit sibi Dominus virum iuxta cor suum; et constituit eum Dominus ducem super populum suum, eo quod non servaveris, quae praecepit Dominus”.

14. But now your kingdom shall not continue; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart; and the LORD has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you."

15. Surrexit autem Samuel et ascendit de Galgalis et abiit per viam suam. Et reliquus populus ascendit post Saul obviam exercitui bellatorum. Et venerunt de Galgalis in Gabaa Beniamin. Et recensuit Saul populum, qui inventi fuerant cum eo, quasi sescentos viros.

15. And Samuel arose, and went up from Gilgal to Gib'e-ah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

16. Et Saul et Ionathan filius eius populusque, qui erat cum eis, erat in Gabaa Beniamin; porro Philisthim consederant in Machmas.

16. And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

17. Et egressi sunt ad praedandum de castris Philisthinorum tres cunei: unus cuneus pergebat contra viam Ophra ad terram Sual,

17. And raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies; one company turned toward Ophrah, to the land of Shu'al,

18. porro alius ingrediebatur per viam Bethoron, tertius autem verterat se ad iter termini imminentis valli Seboim contra desertum.

18. another company turned toward Beth-hor'on, and another company turned toward the border that looks down upon the valley of Zebo'im toward the wilderness.

19. Porro faber ferrarius non inveniebatur in omni terra Israel; caverant enim Philisthim, ne forte facerent Hebraei gladium aut lanceam.

19. Now there was no smith to be found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears";

20. Descendebat ergo omnis Israel ad Philisthim, ut exacueret unusquisque vomerem suum et ligonem et securim et falcem.

20. but every one of the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his axe, or his sickle;

21. Pretium autem exacutionis erat: pro vomeribus et ligonibus duae partes sicli, et tertia pars sicli ad acuendas secures et ad stimulum corrigendum.

21. and the charge was a pim for the plowshares and for the mattocks, and a third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads.

22. Cumque venisset dies proelii Machmas, non est inventus ensis et lancea in manu totius populi, qui erat cum Saul et cum Ionathan, excepto Saul et Ionathan filio eius.

22. So on the day of the battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.

23. Egressa est autem statio Philisthim ad fauces Machmas.

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