1 Samuel 14

1 Now it fell upon a day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on yonder side. But he did not tell his father.

2 And Saul abode in the outermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron. And the people who 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 Jehovah in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people did not know 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 who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Jehovah will work for us, for there is no limitation to Jehovah to save by many or by few.

7 And his armor bearer said to him, Do all that is in thy heart. Turn thee, behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

8 Then Jonathan said, 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 Jehovah 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 armor bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armor bearer, Come up after me, for Jehovah has delivered them into the hand of Israel.

13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor bearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer killed them after him.

14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer 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 exceedingly 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 Saul said to the people who were with him, Number now, and see who has gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer 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 sons 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 thy hand.

20 And Saul and all the people who 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 who were with the Philistines as formerly, and who went up with them into the camp, from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed close after them in the battle.

23 So Jehovah 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 who eats any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on my 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 came 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, therefore 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 one of the people answered, and said, Thy father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day, and the people were faint.

29 Then Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land. See, I pray you, how my eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey.

30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For now there has 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 killed them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood.

33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, ye 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 kill them here, and eat. And sin not against Jehovah in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.

35 And Saul built an altar to Jehovah; the same was the first altar that he built to Jehovah.

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 thee. Then the priest said, Let us draw near here to God.

37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he did not answer him that day.

38 And Saul said, Draw near here, all ye chiefs of the people, and know and see how this sin has been this day.

39 For, as Jehovah 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 who answered him.

40 Then he said to all Israel, Be ye 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 thee.

41 Therefore Saul said to Jehovah, 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 thou 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, lo, I must die.

44 And Saul said, God do so and more also, for thou 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 Jehovah 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 did not die.

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 sons 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 those who 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 firstborn 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 army 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 great 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.