1 Samuel 14

1 Now it came to pass one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armour: Come, and let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines, which is on the other side of yonder place. But he told not this to his father.

And it came about, on a certain day, that Jonathan son of Saul said unto the young man bearing his armour: Come! and let us pass over unto the garrison of the Philistines, that is on the other side, yonder! but, to his father, he told it not.

2 And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gabaa under the pomegranate tree, which was in Magron: and the people with him were about six hundred men.

Now, Saul, was tarrying in the uttermost part of Gibeah, under the pomegranate tree that is in Migron, —and, the people that were with him, were about six hundred men;

3 And Achias the son of Achitob brother to Ichabod the son of Phinees, the son of Heli the priest of the Lord in Silo, wore the ephod. And the people knew not whither Jonathan was gone.

and, Ahijah, son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, was priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod, —and, the people, knew not that Jonathan had departed.

4 Now there were between the ascents, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the garrison of the Philistines, rocks standing up on both sides, and steep cliffs like teeth on the one side, and on the other, the name of the one was Boses, and the name of the other was Sene:

And, between the passes by which Jonathan sought to cross over up to the garrison of the Philistines, there was a crag of rock on the 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.

5 One rock stood out towards the north over against Machmas, and the other to the south over against Gabaa.

The one crag, was a pillar on the north, over against Michmash, —and, the other, on the south, over against Geba.

6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour: Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised, it may be the Lord will do for us, because it is easy for the Lord to save either by many, or by few.

So Jonathan said unto the young man bearing his armour—Come! and let us cross over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised, peradventure, Yahweh may work by us, —for there is no restraint with Yahweh, to save by many, or by few.

7 And his armourbearer said to him: Do all that pleaseth thy mind: go whither thou wilt, and I will be with thee wheresoever thou hast a mind.

And his armour-bearer said to him, Do all that is in thy heart, —decide for thyself (lo! I am with thee!), according to thine own heart.

8 And Jonathan said: Behold we will go over to these men. And when we shall be seen by them,

Then said Jonathan, Lo! we, are crossing over unto the men, —and will discover ourselves unto them.

9 If they shall speak thus to us: Stay till we come to you: let us stand still in our place, and not go up to them.

If, thus, they say unto us, Keep quiet until we get to you, then will we stand still where we are, and will not go up unto them;

10 But if they shall say: Come up to us: let us go up, because the Lord hath delivered them into our hands, this shall be a sign unto us.

but, if thus, they say, Come up unto us, then will we go up; for Yahweh hath delivered them into our hand, —This, then, is our sign.

11 So both of them discovered themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said: Behold the Hebrews come forth out of the holes wherein they were hid.

So they two discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines, —and the Philistines said—Lo! Hebrews, coming forth out of the holes, wherein they had hidden themselves.

12 And the men of the garrison spoke to Jonathan, and to his armourbearer, and said: Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armourbearer: Let us go up, follow me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hands of Israel.

And the men of the garrison responded to Jonathan and his armour-bearer, and said—Come up unto us, and we will let you know a thing. Then said Jonathan unto his armour-bearer—Come up after me, for Yahweh hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

13 And Jonathan went up creeping on his hands and feet, and his armourbearer after him. And some fell before Jonathan, others his armourbearer slew as he followed him.

So Jonathan went up on his hands and on his feet, and, his armour-bearer, followed him, —and they fell before Jonathan, and, his armour-bearer, was slaying after him.

14 And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was of about twenty men, within half an acre of land, which a yoke of oxen is wont to plough in a day.

And the first smiting wherewith Jonathan and his armour-bearer smote, was about twenty men, —within, as it were, half a furrow’s length of a yoke of land.

15 And there was a miracle in the camp, through the fields: yea and all the people of their garrison, who had gone out to plunder, were amazed, and the earth trembled: and it happened as a miracle from God.

And there came to be a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people, the outposts and the spoilers, they too, trembled, —and the earth quaked, so it became a preternatural trembling.

16 And the watchmen of Saul, who were in Gabaa of Benjamin looked, and behold a multitude overthrown, and fleeing this way and that.

And the scouts of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and lo! the camp, melted away, hither and thither.

17 And Saul said to the people that were with him: Look, and see who is gone from us. And when they had sought, it was found that Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.

Then said Saul unto the people who were with him: Number, I pray you, and see who hath departed from us. So they numbered; and lo! Jonathan and his armour-bearer were missing.

18 And Saul said to Achias: Bring the ark of the Lord. (For the ark of God was there that day with the children of Israel.)

Then said Saul unto Ahijah, Bring near the ark of God; for the ark of God was, on that day, in the midst of the sons of Israel.

19 And while Saul spoke to the priest, there arose a great uproar in the camp of the Philistines: and it increased by degrees, and was heard more clearly. And Saul said to the priest: Draw in thy hand.

And it came to pass, as soon as Saul had spoken unto the priest, that, the tumultuous noise that was in the camp of the Philistines, went on and on, increasing. Then said Saul unto the priest, —Withdraw thy hand.

20 Then Saul and all the people that were with him, shouted together, and they came to the place of the fight: and behold every man’s sword was turned upon his neighbour, and there was a very great slaughter.

And Saul and all the people that were with him gathered themselves together, and came as far as the host, —and lo! the sword of every man was against his fellow, an exceeding great confusion.

21 Moreover the Hebrews that had been with the Philistines yesterday and the day before, and went up with them into the camp, returned to be with the Israelites, who were with Saul and Jonathan.

And, the Hebrews who had aforetime belonged to the Philistines, who had come up with them in the host, even they, turned round so as to be with Israel who were with Saul and Jonathan.

22 And all the Israelites that had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, hearing that the Philistines fled, joined themselves with their countrymen in the fight. And there were with Saul about ten thousand men.

And, all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves throughout the hill country of Ephraim, heard that the Philistines had fled, and, they also, followed hard after them in the battle.

23 And the Lord saved Israel that day. And the fight went on as far as Bethaven.

Thus did Yahweh, on that day, save Israel, —and, the battle, passed over by Beth-aven.

24 And the men of Israel were joined together that day; and Saul adjured the people, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat food till evening, till I be revenged of my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food:

Now, the men of Israel, were tired out on that day, —yet had Saul bound the people by an oath, saying—Cursed, be the man that eateth food until the evening, and I be avenged upon mine enemies. So none of the people had tasted food.

25 And all the common people came into a forest, in which there was honey upon the ground.

And, all the land, had entered into the forest, —and there was honey upon the face of the ground.

26 And when the people came into the forest, behold the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth. For the people feared the oath.

So the people came into the forest, and lo! there were streams of honey, —but no man reached his hand to his mouth, because the people revered the oath.

27 But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people: and he put forth the end of the rod, which he had in his hand, and dipt it in a honeycomb: and he carried his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened.

But, Jonathan, heard not his father putting the people on oath, so he reached forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honey-copse, —and brought back his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were brightened.

28 And one of the people answering, said: Thy father hath bound the people with an oath, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat any food this day. (And the people were faint.)

Then responded one from among the people, and said—With an oath, did thy father charge the people, saying—Cursed, be the man that eateth food to-day! And so the people were faint.

29 And Jonathan said: My father hath troubled the land: you have seen yourselves that my eyes are enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey:

Then said Jonathan: My father hath afflicted the land, —See, I pray you, how my own eyes have been brightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

30 How much more if the people had eaten of the prey of their enemies, which they found? had there not been made a greater slaughter among the Philistines?

How much more if haply the people had, eaten freely, to-day of the spoil of their enemies, which they found? for, now, would not the smiting of the Philistines have been, mighty?

31 So they smote that day the Philistines from Machmas to Ailon. And the people were wearied exceedingly.

Howbeit they smote the Philistines on that day from Michmash to Aijalon, —but the people became exceeding faint.

32 And falling upon the spoils, they took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people ate them with the blood.

And the people darted greedily upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and felled them to the ground, —and the people did eat, with the blood.

33 And they told Saul that the people had sinned against the Lord, eating with the blood. And he said: You have transgressed: roll here to me now a great stone.

And they told Saul, saying, Lo! the people, are sinning against Yahweh, by eating with the blood. And he said—Ye have dealt treacherously, roll unto me, here, a great stone.

34 And Saul said: Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them to bring me every man his ox and his ram, and slay them upon this stone, and eat, and you shall not sin against the Lord in eating with the blood. So all the people brought every man his ox with him till the night: and slew them there.

And Saul said—Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them—Bring near unto me every man his ox, and every man his lamb, and slay them here, and then eat, so shall ye not sin against Yahweh, by eating with the blood. And all the people brought near—every man that which was in his hand, that night, and they slew them there.

35 And Saul built an altar to the Lord and he then first began to build an altar to the Lord.

And Saul built an altar unto Yahweh, —the same, was the first altar that he built unto Yahweh.

36 And Saul said: Let us fall upon the Philistines by night, and destroy them till the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And the people said: Do all that seemeth good in thy eyes. And the priest said: Let us draw near hither unto God.

Then said Saul—Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and make of them a prey until the morning light, and let us not leave of them, a man. And they said, All that is good in thine eyes, do! Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.

37 And Saul consulted the Lord: Shall I pursue after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hands of Israel? And he answered him not that day.

So Saul asked of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not, that day.

38 And Saul said: Bring hither all the corners of the people: and know, and see by whom this sin hath happened today.

Then said Saul, Come near hither, all ye chiefs of the people, —and get to know and see, wherein, hath been this sin, to-day.

39 As the Lord liveth who is the saviour of Israel, if it was done by Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. In this none of the people gainsaid him.

For, by the life of Yahweh, who saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, yet shall he, die. But there was none ready to answer him, of all the people.

40 And he said to all Israel: Be you on one side, and I with Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people answered Saul: Do what seemeth good in thy eyes.

Then said he unto all Israel—Ye, shall be on one side, and, I and Jonathan my son, will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, What is good in thine eyes, do!

41 And Saul said to the Lord: O Lord God of Israel, give a sign, by which we may know, what the meaning is, that thou answerest not thy servant today. If this iniquity be in me, or in my son Jonathan, give a proof: or if this iniquity be in thy people, give holiness. And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people escaped.

And Saul said unto Yahweh—O God of Israel! now set forth the truth. Then were, Jonathan and Saul, taken, and, the people, escaped.

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

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

43 And Saul said to Jonathan: Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said: I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod, which was in my hand, and behold I must die.

And Saul said unto Jonathan, Come tell me, what thou hast done. So Jonathan told him, and said, I, just tasted, with the end of the staff that was in my hand, a little honey, here I am—I must die!

44 And Saul said: May God do so and so to me, and add still more: for dying thou shalt die, O Jonathan.

Then said Saul: So, may God do, and, so, may he add, surely thou must, die, Jonathan!

45 And the people said to Saul: Shall Jonathan then die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? This must not be. As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people delivered Jonathan, that he should not die.

But the people said unto Saul—Shall, Jonathan, die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! By the life of Yahweh, there shall not fall a hair of his head to the ground, for, with God, hath he wrought this day. So the people delivered Jonathan, that he died not.

46 And Saul went back, and did not pursue after the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own places.

Then Saul went up from following the Philistines, —and, the Philistines, departed unto their own place.

47 And Saul having his kingdom established over Israel, fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and Edom, and the kings of Soba, and the Philistines; and whithersoever he turned himself, he overcame.

And, Saul, took possession of the kingdom over Israel, —and made war round about against all his enemies—against Moab, and against the sons of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and, whomsoever he turned against, he was victorious.

48 And gathering together an army, he defeated Amalec, and delivered Israel from the hand of them that spoiled them.

Then made he ready a force, and smote the Amalekites, —and delivered Israel out of the hand of such as plundered them.

49 And the sons of Saul, were Jonathan, and Jessui, and Melchisua: and the names of his two daughters, the name of the firstborn was Merob, and the name of the younger Michol.

And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua, —and, the names of his two daughters, were, the name of the firstborn, Merab, and, the name of the younger, Michal, —

50 And the name of Saul’s wife, was Achinoam the daughter of Achimaas; and the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, the cousin german of Saul.

and, the name of Saul’s wife, was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz, —and the name of the prince of his host, Abner, son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.

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

And, Kish, was Saul’s father, and, Ner, Abner’s father, was son of Abiel.

52 And there was a great war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. For whomsoever Saul saw to be a valiant man, and fit for war, he took him to himself.

And the war was severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul, —and, whensoever Saul saw any mighty man, or any son of valour, he drew him unto himself.