12. Abantu basekhandeni bamphendula uJonathani nodibi lwakhe, bathi: “Khuphukelani kithi, siyakunifundisa indaba.”UJonathani wayesethi odibini oluphethe izikhali zakhe: “Khuphuka emva kwami, ngokuba uJehova ubanikele esandleni sakwa-Israyeli.”
13. UJonathani wakhuphuka ngezandla zakhe nangezinyawo zakhe, nodibi lwakhe emva kwakhe; bawa phambi kukaJonathani, nodibi lwezikhali zakhe lwababulala emva kwakhe.
14. Lokho kuceka kokuqala abakwenzayo uJonathani nodibi lwezikhali zakhe kwakungabantu kungathi amashumi amabili ebangeni elingathi inxenye ye-eka* lensimu.
15. Kwaba khona ukuthuthumela ekamu,* nasendle, naphakathi kwabantu bonke; ikhanda nabaphangi bathuthumela nabo, nomhlaba wazamazama, kwaze kwaba ngukuthuthumela okukhulu.
16. Abalindi bakaSawule eGibeya lakwaBenjamini babona, bheka, isixuku sahlakazeka, saya ngalapha nangalapha.
17. USawule wayesethi kubantu ababe naye: “Balani manje, nibone ukuthi ngubani omukile kithi.” Babala, bheka, uJonathani nodibi lwezikhali zakhe babengekho.
18. USawule wathi ku-Ahiya: “Letha umphongolo kaNkulunkulu.” Ngokuba umphongolo kaNkulunkulu wawukhona ngaleso sikhathi kwabakwa-Israyeli.
19. Kwathi uSawule esakhuluma kumpristi, umsindo owawusekamu* lamaFilisti waqhubeka, wanda; uSawule wathi kumpristi: “Susa isandla sakho.”
20. USawule nabo bonke abantu ababe naye babuthana, baya ekulweni; bheka, yilowo nalowo washaya omunye ngenkemba, kwaba khona ukungquzuka okukhulu kakhulu.
21. AmaHeberu ayenamaFilisti kuqala nawo akhuphukela ekamu* nxazonke, aphendukela kwabakwa-Israyeli ababe noSawule noJonathani.
22. Abantu bonke bakwa-Israyeli ababecashile ezintabeni zakwa-Efrayimi sebezwile ukuthi amaFilisti abaleka, nabo bawaxosha ekulweni.
23. UJehova wasindisa u-Israyeli ngalolo suku; ukulwa kwadlulela eBeti Aveni.
24. Abantu bakwa-Israyeli babecindezelwa ngalolo suku, kepha uSawule wafungisa abantu, wathi: “Makaqalekiswe umuntu odla ukudla kungakahlwi, ngingakaziphindiseli ezitheni zami.” Akwabakho muntu owezwa ukudla.
25. Abantu bonke beza ehlathini; kwakukhona izinyosi phansi.
26. Abantu sebengenile ehlathini, bheka, izinyosi zaconsa, kepha akwabakho muntu obeka isandla emlonyeni, ngokuba abantu besaba isifungo.
27. Kepha uJonathani akezwanga lapho uyise efungisa abantu; ngalokho welula isihloko senduku esesandleni sakhe, wasicwilisa ezinyosini, wabeka isandla emlonyeni; ayeseqabuka amehlo akhe.
28. Kwase kuthatha omunye wabantu, wathi: “Uyihlo wabafungisa nokubafungisa abantu, ethi: ‘Makaqalekiswe umuntu odla ukudla namuhla.’ Abantu babephelile amandla.”
29. Wayesethi uJonathani: “Ubaba uhluphile izwe; ake nibone ukuthi amehlo ami aseqabukile, ngokuba ngizwe ingcosana yalezi zinyosi.
30. Kakhulu kangakanani, uma abantu bebedlile impela impango yezitha zabo abayifumanayo, ngokuba nga engabulawanga kakhulu amaFilisti na?”
31. Babulala amaFilisti ngalolo suku kusukela eMikimashi kuze kube se-Ajaloni; abantu baphela amandla kakhulu.
32. Abantu batheleka empangweni, bathatha izimvu, nezinkabi, namankonyane, bakubulalela phansi; abantu bakudla kanye negazi.