1 Tsiku lina Yonatani mwana wa Sauli anawuza mnyamata wake womunyamulira zida zake za nkhondo kuti, “Tiye tiwoloke tipite ku kaboma ka Afilisti tsidya ilo.” Koma iye sanawuze abambo ake.

2 Sauli ankakhala mʼmalire a Gibeya pa tsinde pa mtengo wamakangadza ku Migironi. Anthu amene anali naye analipo 600. 3 Pakati pawo panalinso Ahiya amene ankavala efodi. Iye anali mwana wa Ahitubi, mʼbale wake wa Ikabodi mwana wa Finehasi, mwana wa Eli, wansembe wa Yehova wa ku Silo. Koma palibe amene anadziwa kuti Yonatani wachoka.

4 Pa mpata pamene Yonatani ankafuna kudutsa kukafika ku kaboma ka nkhondo ka Afilisti kunali thanthwe lotsetsereka mbali ina ndi lina lotsetsereka mbali inayo. Thanthwe limodzi linkatchedwa Bozezi ndipo linalo linkatchedwa Seni. 5 Thanthwe limodzi linali chakumpoto kuyangʼanana ndi Mikimasi, ndipo thanthwe linalo linali chakummwera kuyangʼanana ndi Geba.

6 Yonatani anawuza mnyamata wake womunyamulira zida uja kuti, “Tiye tiwoloke tipite ku kaboma ka anthu osachita mdulidwewo. Mwina Yehova adzatigwirira ntchito. Palibe chomuletsa Yehova kutipulumutsa, ngakhale tikhale ambiri kapena ochepa.”

7 Mnyamata uja anati, “Chitani chilichonse chimene mtima wanu ukhumba. Ine ndili nanu pamodzi. Chimene mtima wanu ukhumba ndi chomwenso ine ndikhumba.”

8 Yonatani anati, “Tiye tsono tiwoloke kupita kumene kuli anthuwo ndi kukadzionetsa kwa iwo. 9 Akatiwuza kuti, ‘Imani pomwepo mpaka tikupezeni,’ ife tikangoyima pomwepo osapita kumene kuli iwoko. 10 Koma akadzati, ‘Bwerani kuno,’ ndiye ife tikapitedi, chifukwa ichi chidzakhala chizindikiro chakuti Yehova wapereka mʼmanja mwathu.”

11 Choncho awiriwa anadzionetsa ku kaboma ka nkhondo ka Afilisti. Tsono Afilistiwo anati, “Taonani! Aheberi akutuluka mʼmaenje mʼmene anabisala.” 12 Anthu a ku kaboma kaja anafuwula kwa Yonatani ndi mnyamata wake uja kuti, “Bwerani kuno ndipo tikuphunzitsani phunziro.”

Ndipo Yonatani anati kwa mnyamata wake. “Nditsate pakuti Yehova wapereka Afilistiwa mʼmanja mwa Aisraeli.”

13 Choncho Yonatani anakwera mokwawa, ndipo mnyamata wake uja ankamutsata. Tsono Yonatani anathira nkhondo Afilisti aja namawagwetsa, ndipo mnyamata wake uja ankawapha pambuyo pa iyeyo. 14 Nthawi yoyambayo Yonatani ndi mnyamata wake uja anapha anthu makumi awiri ndipo anawaphera pa malo ochepa okwanira ngati theka la ekala.

15 Tsono gulu lonse la ankhondo, ndiye kuti iwo amene anali mʼmisasa ndi mʼminda ndiponso iwo amene anali ku kaboma ka ankhondo kaja, onse anagwidwa ndi mantha aakulu. Dzikonso linagwedezeka, choncho anthu anachita mantha koopsa.

16 Alonda a Sauli a ku Gibeya dziko la Benjamini atangomwaza maso anangoona chigulu cha asilikali chikumwazikana uku ndi uku. 17 Kenaka Sauli anawawuza anthu amene anali naye kuti, “Awerengeni asilikali kuti muona amene wachoka.” Atawawerenga anapeza kuti Yonatani ndi mnyamata wake womunyamulira zida zake za nkhondo palibe.

18 Tsono Sauli anawuza Ahiya kuti, “Bwera nalo Bokosi la Mulungulo.” (Nthawi imeneyo nʼkuti efodiyo ili ndi Ahiya pamaso pa Aisraeli). 19 Pamene Sauli amayankhula ndi wansembe, phokoso limanka likulirakulira mu msasa wa Afilisti, Kotero Sauli anati kwa wansembe, “Leka kuwombeza.”

20 Ndipo Sauli ndi asilikali onse amene anali naye anasonkhana kupita kukamenya nkhondo, ndipo anangoona chisokonezo chachikulu kwambiri. Afilisti akuphana okhaokha. 21 Aheberi ena amene kale anali ndi Afilisti mpaka kukakhala ku misasa yawo, iwonso anatembenuka nakhala pamodzi ndi Aisraeli amene ankatsata Sauli ndi Yonatani. 22 Ngakhale Aisraeli amene ankabisala ku dziko lamapiri la Efereimu atamva kuti Afilisti akuthawa, nawonso anawathamangitsa Afilistiwo nawathira nkhondo. 23 Nkhondo inapitirira mpaka kufika ku Beti-Aveni. Choncho Yehova anapulumutsa Aisraeli tsiku limenelo.

24 Koma asilikali a Israeli anavutika tsiku limenelo, chifukwa Sauli anawalumbirira Aisraeli kuti, “Wotembereredwa munthu aliyense amene adzadya kusanade, ine ndisanalipsire adani anga!” Kotero palibe wankhondo aliyense amene analawa chakudya.

25 Gulu lonse la ankhondo linalowa mʼnkhalango mmene munali uchi. 26 Atalowa mʼnkhalango, anaona uchi ukukha, koma palibe amene anadya, pakuti ankaopa lumbiro lija. 27 Koma Yonatani sanamve kuti abambo ake anawalumbirira anthu aja choncho anatenga ndodo yake imene inali mʼdzanja lake ndipo anayipisa mu chisa cha njuchi. Choncho iye anadya uchiwo ndipo mʼmaso mwake munayera. 28 Kenaka mmodzi mwa Asilikali anamuwuza kuti, “Abambo ako alumbirira anthu nati, ‘Wotembereredwa munthu aliyense amene adye chakudya lero.’ Nʼchifukwa chake anthu alefuka.”

29 Yonatani anati, “Abambo anga achita chinthu choyipira dziko. Taonani mʼmaso mwanga mwayera chifukwa ndalawa uchiwu pangʼono. 30 Zikanakhala zabwino kwambiri anthuwa akanadya lero zofunkha za adani awo. Zikanatero tikanapha Afilisti ochuluka.”

31 Tsiku limenelo Aisraeli anapha Afilisti kuchokera ku Mikimasi mpaka ku Ayaloni. Koma Aisraeliwo analefuka kwambiri ndi njala. 32 Choncho iwo anathamangira pa zofunkha ndipo anatenga nkhosa, ngʼombe ndi ana angʼombe. Iwo anazipha zonsezi nazidya pamodzi ndi magazi omwe. 33 Koma anthu ena anawuza Sauli kuti, “Taona anthu akuchimwira Yehova pakudya nyama yomwe ili ndi magazi.”

Ndipo Sauli anati, “Mwaonetsa kusakhulupirika. Tsopano gubuduzirani mwala waukulu pano.” 34 Kenaka Sauli anati, “Mwazikanani pakati pa anthu ndi kukawawuza kuti aliyense abwere ndi ngʼombe yake kapena nkhosa yake, ndipo adzayiphe pomwe pano ndi kuyidya. Musachimwire Yehova pakudya nyama imene ili ndi magazi.”

Kotero aliyense anabwera ndi ngʼombe yake usiku womwewo ndi kuyipha pomwepo. 35 Ndipo Sauli anamangira Yehova guwa. Ili linali guwa loyamba limene Sauli anamangira Yehova.

36 Sauli anati, “Tiyeni titsatire Afilisti usikuwu ndi kulanda zinthu zawo mpaka mmawa. Tisasiyepo wamoyo ndi mmodzi yemwe.”

Ankhondowo anayankha kuti, “Chitani chilichonse chimene chikukomerani.”

Koma wansembe anati, “Tipemphe uphungu kwa Mulungu poyamba.”

37 Choncho Sauli anafunsa Mulungu kuti, “Kodi ndiwatsatire Afilisti? Kodi mukawapereka mʼmanja mwathu?” Koma Mulungu sanamuyankhe tsiku limenelo.

38 Choncho Sauli anati, “Bwerani kuno nonse atsogoleri a anthu, ndipo tiyeni tione kuti kodi tchimo limeneli lachitika bwanji lero? 39 Pali Yehova amene amapulumutsa Israeli, ngakhale tchimolo litapezeka ndi mwana wanga Yonatani, iye afe ndithu.” Koma palibe ndi mmodzi yemwe mwa anthuwo amene anamuyankha.

40 Tsono Sauli anawuza Aisraeli onse kuti, “Inu mukhale mbali imodzi. Ine ndi mwana wanga Yonatani tikhala mbali inayo.”

“Chitani chilichonse chimene chikukomerani.”

41 Ndipo Sauli anapemphera kwa Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli kuti, “Chifukwa chiyani simunandiyankhe ine mtumiki wanu lero lino? Ngati tchimoli lipezeka ndi ine kapena ndi Yonatani mwana wanga, Inu Mulungu wa Israeli, aoneke ndi Urimu. Koma ngati wochimwa ndi anthu anu, Aisraeli aoneke Tamimu.” Maere anagwera Sauli ndi Yonatani ndipo anthu anapezeka osalakwa. 42 Sauli anati, “Chitani maere pakati pa ine ndi Yonatani mwana wanga.” Ndipo maere anagwera Yonatani.

43 Kenaka Sauli anati kwa Yonatani, “Ndiwuze chimene wachita.”

Ndipo Yonatani anamuwuza kuti, “Ine ndinangolawa uchi pangʼono ndi ndodo yangayi. Ndiye ine ndili wokonzeka kufa.”

44 Sauli anati, “Mulungu andilange ngakhale kufa kumene, ngati sufa iwe Yonatani.”

45 Koma anthuwo anafunsa Saulo kuti, “Kodi Yonatani afe, iye amene wagwira ntchito iyi yayikulu yopulumutsa Aisraeli? Osatheka! Pali Yehova ngakhale tsitsi ndi limodzi lomwe lapamutu pake silidzathothoka, pakuti wachita zimenezi lero ndi thandizo la Mulungu.” Choncho anthuwo anamupulumutsa Yonatani, ndipo sanaphedwe.

46 Pambuyo pake Sauli analeka kulondola Afilisti, kenaka anabwerera ku dziko lawo.

47 Sauli ali mtsogoleri wa Israeli, anachita nkhondo ndi adani awa omuzungulira: Mowabu, Amoni, Edomu mafumu a ku Zoba ndi Afilisti. Kulikonse kumene ankapita ankawagonjetsa. 48 Anachita nkhondo mwamphamvu ndi kugonjetsa Aamaleki. Choncho anapulumutsa Aisraeli mʼmanja mwa anthu amene ankawalanda zinthu zawo.

49 Ana aamuna a Sauli anali Yonatani, Isivi ndi Maliki-Suwa. Analinso ndi ana aakazi awiri, dzina la mwana wake wamkulu wamkazi linali Merabi ndipo la mwana wake wamngʼono wamkazi linali Mikala. 50 Dzina la mkazi wake linali Ahinoamu. Iyeyu anali mwana wa Ahimaazi. Dzina la mkulu wa ankhondo a Sauli linali Abineri mwana wa Neri, mʼbale wa abambo a Sauli. 51 Kisi abambo a Sauli ndi Neri abambo a Abineri anali ana a Abieli.

52 Pa moyo wake wonse, Sauli ankakhalira kuchita nkhondo pakati pa Israeli ndi Afilisti. Ndipo Sauli ankati akaona munthu aliyense wamphamvu kapena wolimba mtima ankamulemba ntchito mu gulu lake lankhondo.