1Sam 14
1
Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bare
his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines` garrison, that is on yonder
side. But he told not his father.
2
And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate-tree which is
in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;
3
and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod`s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of
Eli, the priest of YHWH in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that
Jonathan was gone.
4
And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines` garrison,
there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the
name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5
The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south
in front of Geba.
6
And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over to
the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that YHWH will work for us; for there
is no restraint to YHWH to save by many or by few.
7
And his armorbearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart: turn you, behold, I
am with you according to your heart.
8
Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will disclose ourselves
to them.
9
If they say thus to us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our
place, and will not go up to them.
10
But if they say thus, Come up to us; then we will go up; for YHWH has delivered them
into our hand: and this shall be the sign to us.
11
And both of them disclosed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the
Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid
themselves.
12
And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come
up to us, and we will show you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armorbearer, Come
up after me; for YHWH has delivered them into the hand of Israel.
13
And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armorbearer after
him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armorbearer slew them after him.
14
And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty
men, within as it were half a furrow`s length in an acre of land.
15
And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the
garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was
an exceeding great trembling.
16
And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude
melted away, and they went [here] and there.
17
Then said Saul to the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from
us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.
18
And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring here the ark of God. For the ark of God was [there]
at that time with the children of Israel.
19
And it came to pass, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult that was in
the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw
your hand.
20
And Saul and all the people that were with him were gathered together, and came to
the battle: and, behold, every man`s sword was against his fellow, [and there was]
a very great discomfiture.
21
Now the Hebrews that were with the Philistines as beforetime, and that went up with
them into the camp, [from the country] round about, even they also [turned] to be
with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.
22
Likewise all the men of Israel that had hid themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim,
when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them
in the battle.
23
So YHWH saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth-aven.
24
And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying,
Cursed be the man that eats any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on mine
enemies. So none of the people tasted food.
25
And all the people came into the forest; and there was honey upon the ground.
26
And when the people were come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man
put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.
27
But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore
he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb,
and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
28
Then answered one of the people, and said, Your father straitly charged the people
with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eats food this day. And the people were
faint.
29
Then said Jonathan, My father has troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes
have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
30
How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to-day of the spoil of their enemies
which they found? for now has there been no great slaughter among the Philistines.
31
And they smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people
were very faint;
32
and the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew
them on the ground; and the people did eat them with the blood.
33
Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against YHWH, in that they eat
with the blood. And he said, you have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone to me
this day.
34
And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, Bring me here
every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not
against YHWH in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox
with him whom night, and slew them there.
35
And Saul built an altar to YHWH: the same was the first altar that he built to YHWH.
36
And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among
them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do
whatever seems good to you. Then said the priest, Let us draw near here to God.
37
And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? will you deliver
them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.
38
And Saul said, Draw nigh here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see wherein
this sin has been this day.
39
For, as YHWH lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely
die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.
40
Then said he to all Israel, Be you on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be
on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what seems good to you.
41
Therefore Saul said to YHWH, the God of Israel, Show the right. And Jonathan and Saul
were taken [by lot]; but the people escaped.
42
And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
43
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him, and
said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my
hand; and, behold, I must die.
44
And Saul said, God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.
45
And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation
in Israel? Far from it: as YHWH lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to
the ground; for he has wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan,
that he died not.
46
Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their
own place.
47
Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies
on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom,
and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and wherever he turned
himself, he put [them] to the worse.
48
And he did valiantly, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands
of them that despoiled them.
49
Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his
two daughters were these: the name of the first-born Merab, and the name of the younger
Michal:
50
and the name of Saul`s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the
captain of his host was Abner the son of Ner, Saul`s uncle.
51
And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52
And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul
saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.