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.
One day Jonathan, son of Saul, said to the young armor-bearer, “Come on, let's cross over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.” But he didn't let his father know his plans.
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,
Saul was staying near Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. He had about six hundred men with him,
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.
including Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod's brother Ahitub, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, priest of the Lord in Shiloh. No one realized Jonathan had left.
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.
Cliffs stood on both sides of the pass that Jonathan planned to cross to reach the Philistine garrison, one called Bozez and the other Seneh.
5 One edge [is] fixed on the north in front of Michmash, and the one on the south in front of Gibeah.
The cliff to the north was on the Michmash side, the one to the south on the Geba side.
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.”
Jonathan said to the young armor-bearer, “Come on, let's cross over to the garrison of these heathen men. Maybe the Lord will help us out. It's not a problem for the Lord to win, whether 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.”
“You choose what you want to do,” the armor-bearer replied. “I'm with you whatever you decide!”
8 And Jonathan says, “Behold, we are passing over to the men, and are revealed to them;
“Let's go then!” Jonathan said. “We'll cross over in their direction so they can see us.
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 tell us, ‘Wait there until we come down to you,’ we will wait where we are and we won't 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 say, ‘Come on up to us,’ we'll climb up, for that will be the sign that the Lord has handed them over to 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 let themselves be seen by Philistine garrison. “Hey, look!” shouted the Philistines. “The Hebrews are coming out of the holes they were hiding in.”
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.”
The men from the garrison called down to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up here, and we'll teach you a thing or two!” “Follow me up,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the Lord has handed them over to 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.
So Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. Jonathan attacked and killed them, and his armor-bearer followed doing the same.
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,
In this first attack, Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed about twenty men over an area of half an acre.
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.
Then Philistines went into a panic, in the camp, in the field, and throughout their army. Even those in the outposts and the groups of raiders became terrified. The earth shook—this was a panic 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.
Saul's lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the Philistine army melting away, scattering in all directions.
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.
Saul told the soldiers with him, “Do a roll-call and find out who isn't here with us.” When they did the roll-call, they discovered that Jonathan and his armor-bearer weren't 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.
Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the Ark of God here.” (At the time the Ark of God traveled with the Israelites.)
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.”
But as Saul was speaking to the priest, the commotion coming from the Philistine camp grew louder and louder. So Saul told the priest, “Forget it!”
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 his army assembled and went into battle. They discovered the Philistines were in total disarray, attacking each other with swords.
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,
The Hebrews who had previously sided with the Philistines, and who were with them in their camp, switched sides and joined 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.
When all the Israelites who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were running away, they also joined in chasing after the Philistines to attack them.
23 And YHWH saves Israel on that day, and the battle has passed over to Beth-Aven.
On that day the Lord saved Israel, and the battle extended past Beth-aven.
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.
It was difficult for the men of Israel that day because Saul had ordered the army to take an oath, saying, “Cursed is anyone who eats anything before evening, before I have avenged myself on my enemies.” So no one in the army had eaten anything.
25 And all [those of] the land have come into a forest, and there is honey on the face of the field;
When they all entered the forest they found honeycomb on 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.
While they were in the forest they saw the honey running out, but no one picked it up to eat it because they were all afraid of the oath they had taken.
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 hadn't heard that his father had ordered the army to take this oath. So he stuck the end of his stick into the honeycomb, picked up a piece to eat, and he felt much better.
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.”
But one of the soldiers told him, “Your father made the army take a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is anyone who eats anything today!’ That is why the men are exhausted.”
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.
“My father has caused a whole lot of trouble for everyone,” Jonathan replied. “See how well I am because I've eaten 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.”
It would have been so much better if only the army had eaten plenty today from the plunder taken from their enemies! How many more Philistines would have been killed?”
31 And they strike on that day among the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people are very weary,
After defeating the Philistines that day, killing them from Michmash to Aijalon, the Israelites were totally exhausted.
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.
They grabbed the plunder, taking sheep, cattle, and calves, and slaughtered them right there on the ground. But they 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.”
Saul was told, “Look, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood.” “Law-breakers!” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here right now!”
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.
Then he said, “Go around the soldiers and tell them, ‘Every man must bring me his cattle or his sheep and slaughter them here, and then eat. Don't sin against the Lord by eating meat with the blood.’” Everyone in the army brought what he had and slaughtered it there that night.
35 And Saul builds an altar to YHWH; with it he has begun to build altars to YHWH.
So Saul built an altar to the Lord. This was the first altar he had built 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.”
Saul said, “Let's go and chase down the Philistines during night and plunder them till dawn, leaving no survivors.” “Do what you think best,” they replied. But the priest said, “Let's ask God first.”
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.
Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and chase down the Philistines? Will you hand them over to Israel?” But that day God didn't answer him.
38 And Saul says, “Everyone draw near here, the chiefs of the people, and know and see in what this sin has been today;
So Saul gave the order, “All you army commanders, come here so we can investigate what sin has 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.
I swear on the life of the Lord who saves Israel, that even if it's my son Jonathan, he will have to die!” But no one of the whole army said anything.
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.”
Saul told them all, “You stand over to one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the opposite side.” “Do what you think best,” the army replied.
41 And Saul says to YHWH, God of Israel, “Give perfection”; and Jonathan and Saul are captured, and the people went out.
Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Let the Thummin show.” Jonathan and Saul were identified, while everyone else was cleared.
42 And Saul says, “Cast between me and my son Jonathan”; and Jonathan is captured.
Then Saul said, “Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan.” Jonathan was selected.
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!”
“Tell me what you have done,” Saul asked Jonathan. “I just tasted a little honey with the end of my stick,” Jonathan told him. “Here I am, and I have to die.”
44 And Saul says, “Thus God does, and thus does He add, for you certainly die, Jonathan.”
Saul said, “May God punish me very severely if you do not die, 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.
But the people told Saul, “Does Jonathan have to die, the one who achieved this great victory in Israel? Absolutely not! We swear on the life of the Lord, not a single hair of his head will fall to the ground, for it was with God's help that he achieved this today.” The people saved Jonathan, and he didn't die.
46 And Saul goes up from after the Philistines, and the Philistines have gone to their place;
Saul stopped chasing down the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own country.
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].
After Saul had made his hold over Israel secure, he fought against all his enemies all around: Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Whatever direction he went he defeated them all.
48 And he makes a force, and strikes Amalek, and delivers Israel out of the hand of its spoiler.
He fought bravely, conquering the Amalekites, saving Israel from those who plundered 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;
Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. The names of his two daughters were Merab, (the firstborn), and Michal, (the younger one).
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;
The name of his wife was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of Saul's army commander was Abner, son of Ner, and Ner was Saul's uncle.
51 and Kish [is] the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, [is] the son of Ahiel.
Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons 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.
Throughout Saul's lifetime there was constant war with the Philistines. Saul recruited into his army every strong warrior and every brave fighter that he met.
