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.”