1 Samuel 14

1One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistine garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.

2Saul was staying at the outskirts of Gibeah, under the pomegranate tree that is at Migron, and the people who were with him were about six hundred men.

3Ahijah son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, priest of Yahweh at Shiloh, was carrying an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.

4Between the passes by which Jonathan sought to cross over to the Philistine garrison, there was a crag of rock on one side and a crag of rock on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

5One crag stood on the north, opposite Michmash, and the other on the south, opposite Geba.

6Then Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps Yahweh will act for us, for nothing can hinder Yahweh from saving by many or by few.”

7His armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go on; here I am with you, according to your heart.”

8Jonathan said, “Look, we are crossing over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them.”

9If they say to us like this, ‘Stay there until we come to you,’ then we will stand where we are and will not go up to them.

10But if they say this, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for Yahweh has given them into our hand, and this will be the sign for us.

11When the two of them revealed themselves to the Philistine garrison, the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves.”

12And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor-bearer and said, “Come up to us, and we will tell you something.” Then Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come up after me, for Yahweh has given them into the hand of Israel.”

13Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. They fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed them after him.

14That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of a field.

15And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and the raiding party also trembled. And the earth quaked, so that it became a trembling from God.

16And Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude was melting away, and it went here and there.

17Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Please take a count and see who has gone from among us.” So they took a count, and behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there.

18Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here,” for the ark of God was that day with the sons of Israel.

19And it happened, while Saul was speaking to the priest, that the tumult in the camp of the Philistines kept increasing more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

20Then Saul and all the people who were with him were summoned, and they came to the battle. And behold, every man's sword was against his companion, with very great confusion.

21The Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines, who had gone up with them into the camp all around—even they also came to be with Israel, who were with Saul and Jonathan.

22And every man of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, and they too joined the pursuit in the battle.

23So Yahweh saved Israel that day, and the battle passed beyond Beth-aven.

24The men of Israel were hard-pressed that day, and Saul put the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats food before evening, before I have avenged myself on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.

25And all the people of the land entered the forest, and there was honey on the surface of the ground.

26When the people came into the forest, behold, there was a flow of honey, but no one put his hand to his mouth, because the people feared the oath.

27But Jonathan had not heard when his father put the people under oath, so he stretched out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb, and he brought his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.

28Then one of the people answered and said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ So the people were faint.”

29Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See, please, how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.”

30How much more if the people had eaten today from the spoil of their enemies that they found! For then the slaughter among the Philistines would have been much greater.

31That day they struck down the Philistines from Mikmash to Aijalon, and the people were very weary.

32Then the people rushed upon the spoil and took sheep and cattle and calves, and they slaughtered them on the ground, and the people ate with the blood.

33Then they told Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against Yahweh by eating over the blood.” And he said, “You have acted treacherously. Roll a large stone to me today.”

34And Saul said, “Spread out among the people and tell them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox and each man his sheep, and you must slaughter them here and eat, so that you may not sin against Yahweh by eating with the blood.’” So all the people brought, each man his ox in his hand that night, and they slaughtered them there.

35And Saul built an altar to Yahweh; this was the first altar he built to Yahweh.

36Then Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the light of the morning, and let us not leave a man among them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good in your eyes.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near here to God.”

37Then Saul inquired of God, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day.

38Then Saul said, “Come here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see by what this sin has happened today.”

39For as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, even if it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not one of all the people answered him.

40Then he said to all Israel, “You be 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 in your eyes.”

41Then Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Give a perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.

42Then Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

43Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him and said, “I indeed tasted a little honey on the tip of the staff that was in my hand, and here I am, about to die.”

44And Saul said, “May God do so and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

45But the people said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die, who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people redeemed Jonathan, and he did not die.

46Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

47Saul had secured the kingship over Israel, and he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment.

48He fought valiantly and struck Amalek, and he delivered Israel from the hand of those who plundered it.

49Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger was Michal.

50The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz, and the name of the commander of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.

51Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner was the father of Abner, the son of Abiel.

52And the war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul. Whenever Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he gathered him to himself.