1Saul reigned a year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,
1掃羅率領人民抵抗非利士人掃羅登基的時候年三十歲，作了以色列王四十二年（原文缺完整的年數，這裡是按《七十士譯本》加上的）。
2Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.
2他從以色列人中為自己揀選了三千人；兩千人和掃羅一同駐在密抹和伯特利山，一千人與約拿單一同駐在便雅憫的基比亞。其餘的人，掃羅都遣散他們各回自己的家去了。
3Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba: and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
3約拿單攻打非利士人在迦巴的駐軍，非利士人聽見了；掃羅就在全地吹角，說：“讓希伯來人都聽見。”
4All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.
4以色列眾人聽說掃羅攻打了非利士人的駐軍，又聽說非利士人憎恨以色列人，就應召在吉甲跟隨掃羅。
5The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven.
5非利士人聚集起來，要與以色列人交戰，他們有戰車三千（“三千”原文作“三萬”，這裡參考一些《七十士譯本》的抄本及敘利亞譯本翻譯）輛、騎兵六千人、步兵像海邊的沙那麼多。他們上來，在伯．亞文東邊的密抹安營。
6When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits.
6以色列人看見自己情況危急，處境窘迫，眾人就藏在山洞、巖穴、地洞裡和地坑之中。
7Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
7有些希伯來人渡過了約旦河，逃到迦得和基列地。但是掃羅仍然留在吉甲，跟隨他的眾人都恐懼戰兢。
8He stayed seven days, according to the time set by Samuel: but Samuel didn’t come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
8掃羅獻祭受責備掃羅照著撒母耳所定的日期等了七天，但撒母耳還沒有來到吉甲，眾人就離開掃羅散去了。
9Saul said, “Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings.” He offered the burnt offering.
9掃羅說：“你們把燔祭和平安祭帶到我這裡來。”他就獻上燔祭。
10It 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 greet him.
10他剛剛獻完了燔祭，撒母耳就來到了；掃羅出去迎接他，向他問安。
11Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn’t come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash;
11撒母耳說：“你作了甚麼事？”掃羅回答：“因為我看見眾民都離開我散去了，你又沒有照所定的日子來到，而非利士人正在密抹聚集起來。
12therefore I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven’t entreated the favor of Yahweh.’ I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering.”
12我心裡想：‘非利士人現在就要下到吉甲來攻打我，我卻還沒有向耶和華求恩。’所以我就勉強自己把燔祭獻上了。”
13Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you; for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.
13撒母耳對掃羅說：“你作了糊塗事了！你沒有謹守耶和華你的 神吩咐你的命令。如果你謹守，耶和華就必在以色列中堅立你的王位，直到永遠。
14But now your kingdom shall not continue. Yahweh has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which Yahweh commanded you.”
14但現在你的王位必不長久，耶和華已經為自己找到一個合他心意的人，立他作自己子民的領袖，因為你沒有謹守耶和華所吩咐你的。”
15Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.
15於是撒母耳動身，從吉甲上便雅憫的基比亞去；掃羅數點跟隨他的人，約有六百人。
16Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.
16備戰掃羅和他的兒子約拿單，以及跟隨他們的人都停留在便雅憫的迦巴，非利士人卻在密抹安營。
17The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;
17有突擊隊從非利士人的營裡出來，分成三隊，一隊往俄弗拉向書亞地去，
18and another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
18一隊往伯．和崙去，一隊往洗波音谷對面的境界向曠野去。
19Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears”;
19以色列人缺乏兵器那時，以色列全地找不到一個鐵匠，因為非利士人說：“恐怕希伯來人製造刀劍或槍矛。”
20but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle;
20以色列眾人要磨鋤頭、犁頭、斧頭和鏟子，就各自下到非利士人那裡去磨。
21yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the plowshares, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads.
21磨鋤頭或犁頭的價錢是七克銀子，磨三齒叉、斧頭或刺棒的價錢是四克銀子。
22So 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 who were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.
22所以，到了爭戰的時候，跟隨掃羅和約拿單的眾民，沒有一個手裡有刀或槍的，只有掃羅和他的兒子約拿單有刀槍。
23The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.
23有一隊非利士人的駐軍出到密抹的隘口去。