Kings I 14
1 And when a certain day arrived, Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to Messab of the Philistines that is on the other side yonder; but he told not his father.
Now it came to pass on a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.
2 And Saul sat on the top of the hill under the pomegranate tree that is in Magdon, and there were with him about six hundred men.
And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;
3 And Achia son of Achitob, the brother of Jochabed the son of Phinees, the son of Heli, [was] the priest of God in Selom wearing an ephod: and the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.
And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD’s priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.
4 And in the midst of the passage whereby Jonathan sought to pass over to the encampment of the Philistines, there was both a sharp rock on this side, and a sharp rock on the other side: the name of the one [was] Bases, and the name of the other Senna.
And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The one way [was] northward to one coming to Machmas, and the other way [was] southward to one coming to Gabae.
The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.
6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armor, Come, let us go over to Messab of these uncircumcised, if [perhaps] the Lord may do something for us; for the Lord is not straitened to save by many or by few.
And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
7 And his armor-bearer said to him, Do all that your heart inclines toward: behold, I [am] with you, my heart [is] as your heart.
And his armor bearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart: turn you; behold, I am with you according to your heart.
8 And Jonathan said, Behold, we will go over to the men, and will come down suddenly upon them.
Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over to these men, and we will discover ourselves to them.
9 If they should say thus to us, Stand aloof there until we shall send you word; then we will stand still by ourselves, and will not go up against them.
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 should say thus to us, Come up to us; then will we go up, for the Lord has delivered them into our hands; this [shall be] a sign to us.
But if they say thus, Come up to us; then we will go up: for the LORD has delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign to us.
11 And they both went in to Messab of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of their Caves, where they had hidden themselves.
And both of them discovered 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 Messab 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 the Lord has delivered them into the hands of Israel.
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 the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.
13 And Jonathan went up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer with him; and they looked on the face of Jonathan, and he struck them, and his armor-bearer did strike [them] after him.
And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer slew after him.
14 And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor-bearer effected was twenty men, with darts and slings, and pebbles of the field.
And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.
15 And there was dismay in the camp, and in the field; and all the people in Messab, and the spoilers were amazed; and they would not act, and the land was terror-struck, and there was dismay from the lord.
And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.
16 And the watchmen of Saul saw in Gabaa of Benjamin, and, behold, the army was thrown into confusion on every side.
And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.
17 And Saul said to the people with him, Number yourselves now, and see who has gone out from you: and they numbered themselves, and behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not found.
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 armor bearer were not there.
18 And Saul said to Achia, Bring the ephod; for he wore the ephod in that day before Israel.
And Saul said to Ahiah, Bring here the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.
19 And it came to pass while Saul was speaking to the priest, that the sound in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase greatly; and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hands.
And it came to pass, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand.
20 And Saul went up and all the people that were with him, and they come to the battle: and, behold, [every] man's sword was against his neighbor, a very great confusion.
And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.
21 And the servants who had been before with the Philistines, who had gone up to the army, turned themselves also to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which 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 And all the Israelites who were hidden in mount Ephraim heard also that the Philistines fled; and they also gather themselves after them to battle: and the Lord saved Israel in that day; and the war passed through Bamoth; and all the people with Saul were about ten thousand men.
Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.
23 And the battle extended itself to every city in the mount Ephraim.
So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over to Bethaven.
24 And Saul committed a great trespass of ignorance in that day, and he lays a curse on the people, saying, Cursed [is] the man who shall eat bread before the evening; so I will avenge myself on my enemy: and none of the people tasted bread, though all the land was dining.
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 evening, that I may be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
25 And Jaal was a wood abounding in swarms of bees on the face of the ground.
And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey on the ground.
26 And the people went into the place of the bees, and, behold, they continued speaking; and, behold, there was none that put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath of the Lord.
And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.
27 And Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people; and he reached forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, an dipped it into the honeycomb, and returned his hand to his mouth, and his eyes recovered their sight.
But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: why he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
28 And one of the people answered and said, Your father solemnly adjured the people, saying, Cursed [is] the man who shall eat bread today. And the people were very faint,
Then answered one of the people, and said, Your father straightly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eats any food this day. And the people were faint.
29 and Jonathan knew it, and said, My father has destroyed the land: see how my eyes have received sight [now] that I have tasted a little of this honey.
Then said Jonathan, 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 Surely if the people had this day eaten freely of the spoils of their enemies which they found, the slaughter among the Philistines would have been greater.
How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
31 And on that day he struck some of the Philistines in Machmas; and the people were very weary.
And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.
32 And the people turned to the spoil; and the people took flocks, and herds, and calves, and killed them on the ground, and the people ate with the blood.
And the people flew on 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 And it was reported to Saul, saying, The people have sinned against the Lord, eating with the blood: and Saul said, Out of Getthaim roll a great stone to me hither.
Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, You have transgressed: roll a great stone to me this day.
34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them to bring hither every one his calf, and every one his sheep: and let them kill it on this [stone] and sin not against the Lord in eating with the blood: and the people brought each one that which was in his hand, and they killed [them] there.
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 the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.
35 And Saul built an altar there to the Lord: this was the first altar that Saul built to the Lord.
And Saul built an altar to the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built to the LORD.
36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines this night, and let us plunder among them till the day break, and let us not leave a man among them. And they said, Do all that is good in your sight: and the priest said, let us draw near hither to God.
And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil 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 enquired of God, If I go down after the Philistines, will you deliver them into the hands of Israel? And he answered him not in that day.
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, Bring hither all the chiefs of Israel, and know and see by whom this sin has been committed this day.
And Saul said, Draw you near here, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin has been this day.
39 For as the Lord lives who has saved Israel, if answer should be against my son Jonathan, he shall surely die. And there was no one that answered out of all the people.
For, as the LORD lives, which 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 And he said to all the men of Israel, You shall be under subjection, and I an Jonathan my son will be under subjection: and the people said to Saul, Do that which is good in your sight.
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 And Saul said, O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? [is] the iniquity in me, or in Jonathan my son? Lord God of Israel, give clear [manifestations]; and if [the lot] should declare this, give, I pray you, to your people of Israel, give, I pray, holiness. And Jonathan and Saul are taken, and the people escaped.
Therefore Saul said to the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.
42 And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and my son Jonathan: whoever the Lord shall cause to be taken by lot, let him die: and the people said to Saul, This thing is not [to be done]: and Saul prevailed against the people, and they cast [lots] between him and Jonathan his son, and Jonathan is taken by lot.
And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
43 And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done: and Jonathan told him, and said, I did indeed taste a little honey, with the end of my staff that was in my hand, and, behold! I [am to] die.
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand, and, see, I must die.
44 And Saul said to him, God do so to me, and more also, you shall surely die today.
And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for you shall surely die, Jonathan.
45 And the people said to Saul, Shall he that has wrought this great salvation in Israel be put to death this day? [As] the Lord lives, there shall not fall to the ground one of the hairs of his head; for the people of God have wrought successfully this day. And the people prayed for Jonathan in that day, and he died not.
And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.
46 And Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines departed to their place.
Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.
47 And Saul received the kingdom, by lot he inherits the office [of ruling] over Israel: and he fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against the children of Edom, and against Baethaeor, and against the king of Suba, and against the Philistines: wherever he turned, he was victorious.
So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and 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 vexed them.
48 And he wrought valiantly, and struck Amalec, and rescued Israel out of the hand of them that trampled on him.
And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.
49 And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Jessiu, and Melchisa: and [these were] the names of his two daughters, the name of the firstborn Merob, and the name of the second Melchol.
Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: 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 his wife was Achinoom, the daughter of Achimaa: and the name of his captain of the host was Abenner, the son of Ner, son of a kinsman of Saul.
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 Kis [was] the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abenezer, [was] son of Jamin, son of Abiel.
And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52 And the war was vehement against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man, and any valiant man, then he took them to himself.
And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.
