17. Kweso sithuba uSawule ubhekise kumadoda esithi: “Khanibale amadoda akhoyo, nikhangele ukuba ngawaphi na angekhoyo.” Kwakwenziwa njalo kwacaca ukuba nguJonatan nomfana omphathela izikrweqe abangekhoyo.
18. USawule ubize umbingeleli uAbhiya, esithi: “Yiza netyesi kaThixo.” (Ngelo xesha yayikho kunye namaSirayeli.)
19. Lo gama uSawule esathetha nombingeleli, saya sikhula sona isiphithi-phithi phaya kwikampu yamaFilistiya. Waselesithi ke uSawule kumbingeleli: “Khawuyeke!”
20. Waza uSawule wawuhlanganisa umkhosi wakhe, bawahlasela amaFilistiya. Kwakusisiphithi-phithi, amaFilistiya ethe thwanga, esilwa odwa.
21. Amanye amaHebhere awayengakwicala lamaFilistiya, awayefudula ehlala nawo ekampini yawo, ajika angenela ngakuSawule noJonatan.
22. Amanye awayebhacele kweleentaba lakwaEfrayim, athi akuva ukuba amaFilistiya ayaswantsuliswa, abuya angenela, asukelisa.
23. Idabi laya kutsho ngaphaya kweBhetaven. UNdikhoyo wayemhlangula uSirayeli ngaloo mini.
24. Ngaloo mini amaSirayeli ayesengxakini. Kaloku uSawule wenza isifungo esibophelela abantu, wathi: “Inene, ndithi nabani na namhlanje okhe wasa nantoni na phantsi kwempumlo ndingeka-ziphindezeli kwiintshaba zam uqalekisiwe.” Ngoko ke akuzange kubekho mntu utyayo ngaloo mini.
25. Umkhosi wonke waya kufika kwindawo enehlathi. Apho ehlathini babubuninzi ubusi.
26. Bakungena ehlathini babona ubusi butsitsa, kodwa akubangakho bani ukhongozelayo atye; kaloku bonke babesoyika isiqalekiso sikaSawule.
27. UJonatan yena wayengasivanga isifungo sikayise esibophelela abantu. Wahlaba ngentonga awayeyiphethe enqatheni lobusi, yabuya imanzi, wafaka emlonyeni, kwatsho kwee qabu kwangoko.
28. Elinye ijoni lathi: “Uyihlo uwubophelele wonke umkhosi ngesifungo esingqongqo, esithi: ‘Uqalekisiwe nabani na oya kuthi atye namhlanje.’ Yiloo nto amadoda ephelelwe ngamandla nje.”
29. UJonatan akuyiva loo nto, wathi: “Ubawo ulifake enkathazweni ilizwe! Ndiziva ndidlamkile ngoku, ndakuba ndikhe ndangcamla intwana yobusi.