1 Samuel 14

1 And the day comes that Jonathan son of Saul says to the young man carrying his weapons, “Come, and we pass over to the station of the Philistines, which [is] on the other side of this”; and he has not declared [it] to his father.

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.

2 And Saul is abiding at the extremity of Gibeah, under the pomegranate which [is] in Migron, and the people who [are] with him [are] about six hundred men,

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.

3 and Ahiah, son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas son of Eli priest of YHWH in Shiloh, [was] bearing an ephod; and the people did not know that Jonathan has gone.

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.

4 And between the passages where Jonathan sought to pass over to the station of the Philistines [is] the edge of a rock on one side, and the edge of a rock on the other side, and the name of one is Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

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:

5 One edge [is] fixed on the north in front of Michmash, and the one on the south in front of Gibeah.

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

6 And Jonathan says to the young man carrying his weapons, “Come, and we pass over to the station of these uncircumcised; it may be YHWH works for us, for there is no restraint to YHWH to save by many or by few.”

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.

7 And the bearer of his weapons says to him, “Do all that [is] in your heart; turn for yourself; behold, I [am] with you, as your own heart.”

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.

8 And Jonathan says, “Behold, we are passing over to the men, and are revealed to them;

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

9 if they thus say to us, Stand still until we have come to you, then we have stood in our place, and do not go up to them;

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.

10 and if they thus say, Come up against us, then we have gone up, for YHWH has given them into our hand, and this [is] the sign to us.”

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.

11 And both of them are revealed to the station of the Philistines, and the Philistines say, “Behold, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hid themselves.”

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.

12 And the men of the station answer Jonathan, and the bearer of his weapons, and say, “Come up to us, and we cause you to know something.” And Jonathan says to the bearer of his weapons, “Come up after me, for YHWH has given them into the hand of Israel.”

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.

13 And Jonathan goes up on his hands, and on his feet, and the bearer of his weapons after him; and they fall before Jonathan, and the bearer of his weapons is putting [them] to death after him.

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.

14 And the first striking which Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons have struck is of about twenty men, in about half a furrow of a yoke of a field,

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.

15 and there is a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people, the station and the destroyers have trembled—even they, and the earth shakes, and it becomes a trembling of God.

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.

16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin see, and behold, the multitude has melted away, and it goes on, and is beaten down.

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

17 And Saul says to the people who [are] with him, “Now inspect and see; who has gone from us?” And they inspect, and behold, Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons are not.

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.

18 And Saul says to Ahiah, “Bring the Ark of God near”; for the Ark of God has been with the sons of Israel on that day.

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.)

19 And it comes to pass, while Saul spoke to the priest, that the noise which [is] in the camp of the Philistines goes on, going on and becoming great, and Saul says to the priest, “Remove your hand.”

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.

20 And Saul is called, and all the people who [are] with him, and they come to the battle, and behold, the sword of each has been against his neighbor—a very great destruction.

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.

21 And the Hebrews [who] have been with the Philistines before the day prior, who had gone up with them into the camp, have turned around, even they, to be with Israel who [are] with Saul and Jonathan,

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.

22 and all the men of Israel, who are hiding themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, have heard that the Philistines have fled, and they pursue—even they—after them in battle.

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.

23 And YHWH saves Israel on that day, and the battle has passed over to Beth-Aven.

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

24 And the men of Israel have been distressed on that day, and Saul adjures the people, saying, “Cursed [is] the man who eats food until the evening, and I have been avenged of my enemies”; and none of the people have tasted food.

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:

25 And all [those of] the land have come into a forest, and there is honey on the face of the field;

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

26 and the people come into the forest, and behold, the honey dropped, and none is moving his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

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.

27 And Jonathan has not heard of his father’s adjuring the people, and puts forth the end of the rod, which [is] in his hand, and dips it in the honeycomb, and brings back his hand to his mouth—and his eyes see!

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.

28 And a man of the people answers and says, “Your father certainly adjured the people, saying, Cursed [is] the man who eats food today; and the people are weary.”

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.)

29 And Jonathan says, “My father has troubled the land; now see that my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey.

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:

30 How much more if the people had well eaten today of the spoil of its enemies which it has found, for now the striking has not been great among the Philistines.”

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?

31 And they strike on that day among the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people are very weary,

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

32 and the people make toward the spoil, and take sheep, and oxen, and sons of the herd, and slaughter on the earth, and the people eat with the blood.

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.

33 And they declare to Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are sinning against YHWH, to eat with the blood.” And he says, “You have dealt treacherously, roll a great stone to me today.”

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.

34 And Saul says, “Be scattered among the people, and you have said to them: Each bring his ox to me, and each his sheep; and you have slain [them] in this place, and eaten, and you do not sin against YHWH to eat with the blood.” And all the people bring [them]—each one [with] his ox in his hand, that night—and slaughter [them] there.

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.

35 And Saul builds an altar to YHWH; with it he has begun to build altars to YHWH.

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

36 And Saul says, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and we prey on them until the morning light, and do not leave a man of them.” And they say, “Do all that is good in your eyes.” And the priest says, “Let us draw near to God here.”

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.

37 And Saul asks of God, “Do I go down after the Philistines? Do You give them into the hand of Israel?” And He has not answered him on that day.

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.

38 And Saul says, “Everyone draw near here, the chiefs of the people, and know and see in what this sin has been today;

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

39 for YHWH lives, who is saving Israel: surely if it is in my son Jonathan, surely he certainly dies”; and none is answering him out of all the people.

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.

40 And he says to all Israel, “You are on one side, and I and my son Jonathan are on another side”; and the people say to Saul, “Do that which is good in your eyes.”

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.

41 And Saul says to YHWH, God of Israel, “Give perfection”; and Jonathan and Saul are captured, and the people went out.

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.

42 And Saul says, “Cast between me and my son Jonathan”; and Jonathan is captured.

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

43 And Saul says to Jonathan, “Declare to me, what have you done?” And Jonathan declares to him and says, “I certainly tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that [is] in my hand; behold, I die!”

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.

44 And Saul says, “Thus God does, and thus does He add, for you certainly die, Jonathan.”

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

45 And the people say to Saul, “Does Jonathan die who worked this great salvation in Israel? Certainly not! YHWH lives, if there falls to the earth [even one] hair from his head, for with God he has worked this day”; and the people rescue Jonathan, and he has not died.

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.

46 And Saul goes up from after the Philistines, and the Philistines have gone to their place;

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

47 and Saul captured the kingdom over Israel, and he fights all around 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 wherever he turns he distresses [them].

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.

48 And he makes a force, and strikes Amalek, and delivers Israel out of the hand of its spoiler.

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

49 And the sons of Saul are Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchi-Shua; as for the name of his two daughters, the name of the firstborn [is] Merab, and the name of the younger Michal;

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.

50 and the name of the wife of Saul [is] Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the head of his host [is] Abner son of Ner, uncle of Saul;

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.

51 and Kish [is] the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, [is] the son of Ahiel.

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

52 And the war is severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul; when Saul has seen any mighty man, and any son of valor, then he gathers him to himself.

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.