1 Samuel 14

14 ¹One day, Jonathan, Saul im pikin, tell di young man wey dey carry im war-things, “Come make we cross go di Philistine post wey dey for our front,” but e no tell im papa. ²Saul stay for di edge of Gibeah, under di pomegranate tree for Migron, wit about 600 men. ³Ahijah, Ahitub im pikin, wey be Ichabod im broda, Phinehas im pikin, Eli im pikin, our Papa im priest for Shiloh, na im wear di ephod. Di soldiers no know sey Jonathan don comot. ^a a v3 Ephod na special priest cloth wey dem dey wear wen dem wan ask God for direction.

⁴For inside di narrow pass wey Jonathan wan cross go reach di Philistine outpost, one rocky mountain-head dey for one side and anoda rocky mountain-head dey for di oda side—one dem call am Bozez, di oda one na Seneh. ⁵One mountain-head dey stand for north, dey face Michmash, and di oda one dey for south, dey face Geba. ⁶Jonathan tell di young man wey dey carry im war-things, “Come make we cross go dis uncircumcised outpost. Maybe our Papa go do sometin for us; notin fit stop am to save wit plenty people or wit small people.”

⁷Di young man wey dey carry im war-things answer, “Do everytin wey dey your heart. Go—I dey wit you, wit my whole heart and soul.”

⁸Den Jonathan talk, “We go cross go meet dose men and make dem see us. ⁹If dem talk sey, ‘Wait make we reach una,’ we go stay for our place and we no go climb go meet dem. ¹⁰But if dem talk sey, ‘Come up meet us,’ we go climb go, because our Papa don give dem into our hand—na dat one be our sign.”

¹¹Di two of dem show demself to di Philistine outpost. Di Philistine dem talk, “Look am, di Hebrew dem dey comot from di holes wey dem hide.” ¹²Di men for di outpost call Jonathan and di young man wey dey carry im war-things, “Come up meet us make we teach una lesson.” Jonathan tell im war-things carrier, “Climb come my back, because our Papa don give dem into Israel im hand.”

¹³Jonathan use im hand and foot climb up, di young man wey dey carry im war-things dey im back; di Philistine dem fall for Jonathan im front, and di war-things carrier dey kill dem for im back. ¹⁴For dat first attack, Jonathan and di young man wey dey carry im war-things kill about twenty men for inside about half acre of land.

¹⁵Fear catch di whole camp, di field, and all di soldiers; di outpost and di raiders too dey shake, and di ground quake—fear wey come from our Papa. ¹⁶Saul im watchmen for Gibeah of Benjamin look out—di Philistine crowd dey melt away, dey scatter go everywhere. ¹⁷Saul tell im soldiers, “Count make una see who no dey here.” Wen dem count finish, na Jonathan and di young man wey dey carry im war-things no dey.

¹⁸Saul tell Ahijah, “Bring di ark of our Papa come here,” because for dat time di ark of our Papa dey wit di Israel people. ¹⁹As Saul dey still talk to di priest, di noise for di Philistine camp dey grow louder and louder. Saul tell di priest, “Pull back your hand.”

²⁰Saul and im soldiers gada demself, reach di battle, and dem find sey di Philistine dem don turn dia own sword face demself for total confusion. ²¹Di Hebrew dem wey bin dey for di Philistine side before and climb go inside dia camp wit dem, dem too turn come join di Israel people wey dey wit Saul and Jonathan. ²²Wen all di Israel men wey hide for Ephraim hill country hear sey di Philistine dem don run, dem too chase dem well-well for di battle. ²³So our Papa save Israel dat day, and di fight move go pass Beth-aven.

Saul Rash Oath Weaken Israel

²⁴Di Israel soldiers suffer well-well dat day, because Saul make dem swear, “Curse dey on anybody wey chop food before evening, before I revenge myself on my enemies.” So none of di soldiers taste food.

²⁵All di soldiers enter di forest, and honey dey on di ground. ²⁶As dem enter di forest, honey dey flow, but nobody raise im hand put for im mouth, because di soldiers dey fear di oath. ²⁷But Jonathan no hear wen im papa put di soldiers under oath, so e stretch di point of im staff, dip am inside di honeycomb, put im hand to im mouth, and im eye brighten. ²⁸One soldier talk, “Your papa make di soldiers swear big oath, ‘Curse dey on anybody wey chop food today’—na why di men don tire finish.”

²⁹Jonathan talk, “My papa don bring trouble give di land. See how my eye brighten because I taste small of dis honey. ³⁰How e for better pass if di soldiers bin chop free-free today from di plunder wey dem take from dia enemies! Di way dem beat di Philistine dem no big reach how e for be.” ³¹Dat day dem strike di Philistine dem from Michmash reach Aijalon, and di soldiers tire finish completely. ³²Di soldiers rush di loot, grab sheep, cattle, and calf, kill dem for di ground, and chop di meat wit di blood still inside. ³³Somebody tell Saul, “Di soldiers dey sin against our Papa, dey chop meat wit di blood still inside.” Saul talk, “Una don break faith. Roll one big stone come meet me here.”

³⁴Den e talk, “Scatter go among di soldiers and tell dem: make each person bring im ox or sheep come meet me, kill am here, and chop—make una no sin against our Papa by chopping meat wit di blood.” So dat night everybody bring im ox come kill am for dia.

³⁵Saul build one altar for our Papa—na im first altar wey e build for am. ³⁶Saul talk, “Make we go down go after di Philistine dem for dis night, plunder dem till morning, and no leave anyone alive.” Dem answer, “Do wetin good for your eye.” But di priest talk, “Make we come near to our Papa here first.”

³⁷So Saul ask our Papa, “Make I go down go after di Philistine dem? You go hand dem give Israel?” But e no give am any answer dat day. ³⁸Saul talk, “Come here, all una leaders of di soldiers, make we find out how dis sin take happen today. ³⁹As our Papa wey dey save Israel dey alive—even if di guilt dey wit my pikin Jonathan, e must die.” But nobody among di people answer. ⁴⁰E tell all Israel, “Make una stand for one side; me and Jonathan my pikin go stand for di oda side.” Di people tell Saul, “Do wetin good for your eye.”

⁴¹Saul pray, “Our Papa, God of Israel, wetin make you no answer your servant today? If dis guilt dey inside me or my pikin Jonathan, our Papa, God of Israel, answer wit Urim; but if e dey inside your people Israel, answer wit Thummim.” Di lot fall on Jonathan and Saul; and dem clear di soldiers. ^b b v41 Urim and Thummim na sacred things wey dem dey keep inside di priest im ephod, wey dem dey use take find God im answer by casting lot.

⁴²Saul talk, “Cast di lot between me and my pikin Jonathan.” Di lot fall on Jonathan.

⁴³Saul tell Jonathan, “Tell me wetin you do.” E answer, “Na small honey I take di point of my staff taste. Now I must die.”

⁴⁴Saul talk, “Make our Papa deal wit me, and even more, if you no die for sure, Jonathan.”

⁴⁵Di soldiers tell Saul, “Jonathan go die?—di one wey win dis big victory for Israel? E no go ever happen! As our Papa dey alive, no be even one hair of im head go fall for ground, because na wit our Papa im help e take do wetin e do today.” So dem save Jonathan, and e no die. ⁴⁶Den Saul stop to dey pursue di Philistine dem, and di Philistine dem go back to dia own land.

Saul Fight-Fight and Im House-People

⁴⁷Wen Saul don take di reign over Israel, e fight all im enemies for every side: Moab, Ammon, Edom, di kings of Zobah, and di Philistine dem. Anywhere e turn go, e beat dem. ⁴⁸E fight wit courage, strike di Amalekite dem, and save Israel from di people wey dey raid dem. ⁴⁹Saul im sons: Jonathan, Ishvi, Malchishua. Im two daughters: Merab di firstborn, and Michal di younger one. ⁵⁰Im wife: Ahinoam, Ahimaaz im daughter. Im army commander: Abner, Ner im pikin, wey be Saul im uncle, ⁵¹because Kish, Saul im papa, and Ner, Abner im papa, na di sons of Abiel.

⁵²War against di Philistine dem dey strong throughout all Saul im days; anytime e see strong man or brave man, e go recruit am come join im own side.