¹ 耶和華的話臨到我說：

² 人子啊，你要向以色列家出謎語，設比喻，

³ 說主耶和華如此說：有一大鷹，翅膀大，翎毛長，羽毛豐滿，彩色俱備，來到利巴嫩，將香柏樹梢擰去，

⁴ 就是折去香柏樹儘尖的嫩枝，叼到貿易之地，放在買賣城中；

⁵ 又將以色列地的枝子栽於肥田裡，插在大水旁，如插柳樹，

⁶ 就漸漸生長，成為蔓延矮小的葡萄樹。其枝轉向那鷹，其根在鷹以下，於是成了葡萄樹，生出枝子，發出小枝。

⁷ 又有一大鷹，翅膀大，羽毛多。這葡萄樹從栽種的畦中向這鷹彎過根來，發出枝子，好得他的澆灌。

⁸ 這樹栽於肥田多水的旁邊，好生枝子，結果子，成為佳美的葡萄樹。

⁹ 你要說，主耶和華如此說：這葡萄樹豈能發旺呢？鷹豈不拔出他的根來，芟除他的果子，使他枯乾，使他發的嫩葉都枯乾了麼？也不用大力和多民，就拔出他的根來。

¹⁰ 葡萄樹雖然栽種，豈能發旺呢？一經東風，豈不全然枯乾麼？必在生長的畦中枯乾了。

¹¹ 耶和華的話臨到我說：

¹² 你對那悖逆之家說：你們不知道這些事是甚麼意思麼？你要告訴他們說，巴比倫王曾到耶路撒冷，將其中的君王和首領帶到巴比倫自己那裡去。

¹³ 從以色列的宗室中取一人與他立約，使他發誓，並將國中有勢力的人擄去，

¹⁴ 使國低微不能自強，惟因守盟約得以存立。

¹⁵ 他卻背叛巴比倫王，打發使者往埃及去，要他們給他馬匹和多民。他豈能亨通呢？行這樣事的人豈能逃脫呢？他背約豈能逃脫呢？

¹⁶ 他輕看向王所起的誓，背棄王與他所立的約。主耶和華說：我指著我的永生起誓，他定要死在立他作王、巴比倫王的京都。

¹⁷ 敵人築壘造臺，與他打仗的時候，為要剪除多人，法老雖領大軍隊和大群眾，還是不能幫助他。

¹⁸ 他輕看誓言，背棄盟約，已經投降，卻又做這一切的事，他必不能逃脫。

¹⁹ 所以主耶和華如此說：我指著我的永生起誓，他既輕看指我所起的誓，背棄指我所立的約，我必要使這罪歸在他頭上。

²⁰ 我必將我的網撒在他身上，他必在我的網羅中纏住。我必帶他到巴比倫，並要在那裡因他干犯我的罪刑罰他。

²¹ 他的一切軍隊，凡逃跑的，都必倒在刀下；所剩下的，也必分散四方（方：原文是風）。你們就知道說這話的是我─耶和華。

²² 主耶和華如此說：我要將香柏樹梢擰去栽上，就是從儘尖的嫩枝中折一嫩枝，栽於極高的山上；

²³ 在以色列高處的山栽上。他就生枝子，結果子，成為佳美的香柏樹，各類飛鳥都必宿在其下，就是宿在枝子的蔭下。

²⁴ 田野的樹木都必知道我─耶和華使高樹矮小，矮樹高大；青樹枯乾，枯樹發旺。我─耶和華如此說，也如此行了。

¹ 以色列年幼的時候，我愛他，就從埃及召出我的兒子來。

¹ Saul was [forty] years old when he began to reign; and when he had reigned two years over Israel,

² Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel, of which two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the Mount of Bethel, and one thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the people he sent every man to his tent.

³ Jonathan struck the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba: and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!"

⁴ All Israel heard that Saul had struck the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel was had in abomination with the Philistines. The people were gathered together after Saul to Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines assembled themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude: and they came up, and encamped in Michmash, eastward of Beth Aven.

⁶ When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed), then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in coverts, and in pits.

⁷ Now some of the Hebrews had gone over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead; but as for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

⁸ He stayed seven days, according to the set time that Samuel [had appointed]: but Samuel didn't come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.

⁹ Saul said, "Bring here the burnt offering to me, and the peace offerings." He offered the burnt offering.

¹⁰ It came to pass that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.

¹¹ Samuel said, "What have you done?" Saul said, "Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you didn't come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines assembled themselves together at Michmash;

¹² therefore I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down on me to Gilgal, and I haven't entreated the favor of Yahweh.' I forced myself therefore, and offered the burnt offering."

¹³ Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you; for now Yahweh would have established your kingdom on Israel forever.

¹⁴ But now your kingdom shall not continue. Yahweh has sought for himself a man after his own heart, and Yahweh has appointed him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept that which Yahweh commanded you."

¹⁵ Samuel arose, and went from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. Saul numbered the people who were present with him, about six hundred men.

¹⁶ Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people who were present with them, stayed in Geba of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.

¹⁷ The spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies: one company turned to the way that leads to Ophrah, to the land of Shual;

¹⁸ and another company turned the way to Beth Horon; and another company turned the way of the border that looks down on the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

¹⁹ Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears;"

²⁰ but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle;

²¹ yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the plowshares, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads.

²² So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there found.

²³ The garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash.