1 Samuel 14

1 One day, Jonathan said to the young man who carried his weapons, “Come with me; we will go over to where the Philistia soldiers have put up their tents.” [So they went], but Jonathan did not tell his father [what they were going to do].

Now it happened one day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' outpost, that is on the other side yonder. But unto his father he told nothing.

2 On that day, Saul and the 600 soldiers who were with him were sitting around a pomegranate tree at a place where the people threshed grain, near Gibeah.

And Saul tarried in the lower part of Gib'ah under the pomegranate tree which is by Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men.

3 Ahijah the priest was also there. He was wearing the sacred vest. Ahijah was the son of Ahitub, who was a brother of Ichabod. Ichabod and Ahitub were the sons of Phinehas, who was the son of Eli, who had been Yahweh’s priest at Shiloh. No one knew that Jonathan had left [the Israeli camp].

And Achiyah, the son of Achitub, the brother of I-chabod, the son of Phinehas, the son of 'Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, wore the ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

4 Jonathan planned that he and the young man would go through a narrow (pass/place between two cliffs) to get to where the Philistia army was. The cliff on one side of the pass was named Bozez, and the other cliff was named Seneh.

And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the outpost of the Philistines, there was a sharp point of rock on the one side, and a sharp point of rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

5 One cliff faced north toward Micmash, and the cliff on the other side faced south toward Geba [town].

The one point rose up abruptly northward opposite Michmash, and the other southward opposite Geba'.

6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his weapons, “Come with me. We will go to where those (pagans/people who do not believe in Yahweh) [MTY] have set up their tents. Perhaps Yahweh will help us. It does not matter whether we are only two men or many people; nothing can hinder Yahweh from enabling us to defeat them.”

And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the outpost of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us; for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by means of many or by means of few.

7 The young man who was carrying Jonathan’s weapons said, “Do what you think is the best thing for us to do. I will help you.”

And his armor-bearer said unto him, Do all that is in thy heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

8 Then Jonathan said, “Okay, come with me. We will cross the valley to where the Philistia army is, and allow them to see us.

Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will show ourselves unto them.

9 If they then say to us, ‘You two stay there until we come down to you,’ we will stay there and not go up to them.

If they say thus unto us, Stand still until we come to you: then will we remain standing in our places, and will not go up unto them.

10 But if they say to us, ‘Come up here [and fight against] us,’ that will show us that Yahweh will enable us to defeat them. Then we will go up and fight them.”

But if they say thus, Come up unto us: then will we go up; for the Lord hath delivered them into our hand; and this shall be unto us the sign.

11 When the two of them crossed the valley, the Philistia soldiers saw them coming. They said, “Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes in which they have been hiding!”

And when both of them showed themselves unto the outpost of the Philistines, the Philistines said, Behold, Hebrews are coming forth out of the holes wherein they have hidden themselves.

12 Then the Philistia soldiers who were closest to Jonathan and the young man who carried his weapons said, “Come up here, and we will teach you something [about how to fight] [IDM]!” Jonathan said to the young man who was with him, “Come behind me and climb up, because Yahweh is going to help us to defeat them!”

And the men of the outpost addressed Jonathan and his armor-bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will let you know something. Then said Jonathan unto his armor-bearer, Come up after me; for the Lord hath given them up into the hand of Israel.

13 So Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and his feet [because it was very steep]. The young man climbed up following him. As Jonathan climbed, he struck and killed many Philistia soldiers, and the young man who was with him killed many more as he followed behind Jonathan.

And Jonathan then ascended upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor-bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer was killing after him.

14 In that first battle the two of them killed about 20 Philistia soldiers in an area that was about half an acre.

And that first defeat, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer caused, was about twenty men, within about the half of a field, which a yoke of oxen might plough.

15 Then all the other Philistia soldiers, the ones in the camp and the ones who had been attacking the Israeli towns, ones who were out in the field much closer, panicked. Then God caused the ground to shake, and they all became terrified/very afraid.

And there arose a terror in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the outposts, and the free-booters, they also were terrified, and the earth quaked; and it became a very great terror.

16 Saul’s (lookouts/men who were watching to see if enemies were coming) were in Gibeah [town] in the land of the tribe of Benjamin. They saw that the soldiers of the Philistia army were running away in all directions.

And the watchers of Saul in Gib'ah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude became scattered, and ran hither and thither.

17 Saul [realized that some of his soldiers must have attacked the Philistia army. So he] said to the soldiers who were with him, “Check to see if any of our men are not here.” So they checked, and they found out that Jonathan and the man who carried his weapons were gone.

Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Muster now, and see who is gone away from us. And they mustered, and, behold, there was neither Jonathan nor his armor-bearer.

18 So Saul said to Ahijah [the Supreme Priest], “Bring the sacred vest here [and find out what we should do].” On that day Ahijah was wearing the sacred vest, going in front of the Israelis.

And Saul said unto Achiyah, Bring hither the ark of God; for the ark of God was on that day with the children of Israel.

19 But while Saul was talking to the priest, [he saw that] the Philistia soldiers were becoming more panicked/confused. So Saul said to Ahijah, “Take your hand down [from the sacred vest. Do not waste any more time using the marked stones in the vest to find out what Yahweh wants us to do.”]

And it happened, while Saul was speaking unto the priest, that the confusion which was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased more and more: And Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thy hand.

20 Then Saul gathered his men and they went toward the battle. They found that the Philistia soldiers were so confused that they were striking each other with their swords.

And Saul and all the people that were with him were called together, and they came to the battle; and, behold, the sword of every man was against his fellow, the disorder being very great.

21 Before that, some of the Hebrew men had deserted their army and gone to join with the Philistia army. But now those men [revolted and] joined with Saul and Jonathan and the other Israeli soldiers.

And the Hebrews that were with the Philistines as before that time, those namely who had gone up with them, were in the camp round about; but these also resolved to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

22 Some of the Israeli soldiers had previously run away and hidden in the mountains where the tribe of Ephraim lived. But when they heard that the Philistia soldiers were running away, they [came down and] joined the other Israeli soldiers and pursued the Philistia soldiers.

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

23 So Yahweh rescued the Israelis on that day. The Israeli soldiers continued to pursue their enemies beyond Beth-Aven [town].

So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Beth-aven.

24 Before Saul’s soldiers went to the battle, Saul declared to them solemnly, “I do not want any of you to eat any food before this evening, before we have defeated all our enemies. If anyone eats anything, [Yahweh] will curse/punish him.” So none of the Israeli soldiers ate any food, and they became faint/weak because they were very hungry.

And the men of Israel were hard urged that day; and Saul adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that will eat food until the evening, until I have been avenged on my enemies. And the whole people tasted thus no food.

25 The Israeli army went into the forest, and they found honeycombs on the ground, but they did not eat any honey.

And [the men of] all the land came to a forest; and there was honey upon the surface of the field.

26 They were afraid to eat any, because they had solemnly promised that they would not eat any food.

And when the people were come into the forest, behold, there was a stream of honey; but no one put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.

27 But Jonathan did not hear what his father commanded [because he had left the camp very early in the morning]. So [when he saw] a honeycomb, he dipped the end of his walking stick into it and ate some honey. After he ate the honey, he felt stronger.

But Jonathan had not heard his father charging the people with the oath; he therefore put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and dipped it in a honey-comb, and carried his hand again to his mouth; and his eyes became clear.

28 But one of the Israeli soldiers saw him and said to him, “Your father solemnly declared to us that [Yahweh] would curse/punish anyone who ate any food today. So now we are [very tired and] weak from being hungry [because we obeyed him].”

Then commenced one of the people, and said, Thy father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that will eat food this day; though the people were faint.

29 Jonathan exclaimed, “My father has caused trouble for all of us! See how refreshed/strong I am after eating a little honey!

Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how my eyes become clear, because I have tasted a little of this honey.

30 If he had permitted all of us to eat from the food we took from our enemies while we were pursuing them, we would have been able to kill many more of their soldiers!”

How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely this day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for would there not have been now a greater defeat among the Philistines?

31 The Israelis pursued and killed Philistia soldiers all that day, from Micmash [town west] to Aijalon. But they continued to become weaker from being hungry.

And they smote on that day among the Philistines from Michmash to Ayalon; and the people were very faint.

32 They had taken [many] sheep and cattle that the Philistia soldiers had abandoned. Now, because they were extremely hungry, they butchered some of those animals and ate the meat without draining the blood from the animals.

And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and young steers, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat upon the blood.

33 One of the soldiers told Saul, “Look! The men are sinning against Yahweh by eating meat that still has blood in it!” Saul replied [to the men who were near him], “They have disobeyed Yahweh! Roll a large stone over here!”

And they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people are sinning against the Lord, in eating upon the blood. And he [then] said, Ye have acted treacherously: roll [hither] unto me this day a great stone.

34 After they did that, he said to those men, “Go and tell all the soldiers that each of them must bring an ox or a sheep to me, and kill it here on this stone, [and drain the blood] before he eats any of the meat. They should not sin against Yahweh by eating meat [from some animal] without draining its blood.” So that night all the soldiers brought animals and slaughtered them there. Then Saul built an altar to [worship] Yahweh.

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 slaughter here, and eat; and sin not against the Lord in eating by the blood. And all the people brought near every man his ox by his hand that night, and slaughtered [them] there.

35 That was the first [time that he built an] altar for Yahweh.

And Saul built an altar unto the Lord: the same was the first altar that he built unto the Lord.

36 Then Saul said [to the Israeli soldiers], “Let’s pursue the Philistia soldiers tonight. We can attack them all night. We will not allow any of them to escape alive.” The Israeli soldiers answered, “We will do whatever you think is the best thing for us to do.” But the priest said, “We should ask Yahweh [what he thinks we should do].”

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 whatsoever seemeth good in thy eyes. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.

37 So Saul asked God, “Should we pursue the Philistine soldiers? Will you enable us to defeat them?” But God did not answer Saul that day.

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

38 Then Saul summoned all the leaders of his army. He said to them, “[I am sure that God has not answered me because] someone has sinned. We must find out what sin someone has committed.

And Saul said, Draw ye near hither all the chief of the people: and know and see through what this sin hath happened this day.

39 Yahweh has rescued us [from the Philistia army]. Just as certain as Yahweh lives, whoever has sinned must be executed. Even if it is my son Jonathan who has sinned, he must be executed.” [His men knew who was guilty], but none of them said anything [to Saul].

For, as the Lord liveth, who saveth Israel, that if it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But no one answered him among all the people.

40 Then Saul said to all the Israeli soldiers, “You stand on one side. My son Jonathan and I will stand on the other side.” His men replied, “Do whatever you think is best.”

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, Do what seemeth good in thy eyes.

41 Then Saul prayed to Yahweh, the Israelis’ God, “Tell me who is guilty and who is not guilty.” Then the priest (cast lots/threw the stones that were marked), and they indicated that it was [either] Jonathan or Saul who was the guilty one, and that the other men were not guilty.

And Saul said unto the Lord, God of Israel, O, show forth the perfect truth. And Jonathan and Saul were seized; but the people came forth [free].

42 Then Saul said to the priest, “Throw the stones again to indicate which of us two is guilty.” So he did, and the stones indicated that Jonathan was the guilty one.

And Saul said, Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was seized.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done [that was wrong].” Jonathan replied, “I ate a little bit of honey. It was only a little bit that was on the end of my stick. Do I [deserve to be] executed [because of doing that]?”

Then said Saul to Jonathan, Do tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste with the end of the staff that was in my hand a little honey: lo, I am willing to die.

44 Saul replied, “Yes, you must be executed! I hope/wish that God will strike me and kill me if you are not executed for having done that!”

And Saul said, May God do thus now, and in future also; for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.

45 But the Israeli soldiers said to Saul, “Jonathan has won a great victory for all us Israelis. Should he be executed for eating some honey [RHQ]? Certainly not! Just as surely as Yahweh lives, we will not allow you to injure him in any manner [IDM], [because] today God helped Jonathan [to kill many soldiers of the Philistia army]!” So [by saying that] the Israeli soldiers rescued Jonathan, and he was not executed.

And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? This shall not be: as the Lord liveth, there shall not fall one hair of his head to the ground; for with God hath he wrought this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, and he died not.

46 Then Saul ordered his soldiers to stop pursuing the Philistia army, so the Philistia soldiers returned to their homes.

Then went Saul up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

47 After Saul became the ruler/king of the Israeli people, his army fought against their enemies in many areas. They fought against armies of the Moab people-group, the Ammon people-group, the Edom people-group, the kings of Zobah [city/area], and the Philistia people-group. Wherever the Israeli army fought, they defeated their enemies.

So Saul strengthened himself in the government over Israel; and he fought on every side against all his enemies, against Moab, and against the children of 'Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he caused terror.

48 Saul’s army fought bravely and defeated the [very tall] descendants of Amalek. His army rescued the Israelis from those who had (plundered/forcefully taken things from) them.

And he gathered an army, and he smote the 'Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those that spoiled them.

49 Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishbosheth, and Malchishua. He also had two daughters, Merab and her younger sister Michal.

Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Yishvi, and Malkishua': and the names of his two daughters—the name of the first-born was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.

50 Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The commander of Saul’s army was Abner, who was the son of Saul’s uncle Ner.

And the name of Saul's wife was Achino'am, the daughter of Achima'az: and the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

51 Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were both sons of Abiel.

And Kish the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner, were each the son of Abiel.

52 All the time that Saul was alive, his army fought against the Philistia army. And whenever Saul saw a young man who was (brave/not afraid to fight) and strong, he forced him to join his army.

And the war against the Philistines was violent all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto himself.