1Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who 14:1 carriedbore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.

2And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men.

3Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.

4Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on one side and a sharp rock on the other side. And the name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

5The front of one faced northward opposite Michmash, and the other southward opposite Gibeah.

6Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.”

7So his armorbearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.”

8Then Jonathan said, “Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them.

9If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them.

10But if they say thus, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up. For the Lord has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us.”

11So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.”

12Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will 14:12 teachshow you something.”

13And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armorbearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armorbearer killed them.

14That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within about 14:14 Lit. half the area plowed by a yoke of oxen in a dayhalf an acre of land.

15And there was 14:15 terrortrembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling.

16Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they went here and there.

17Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Now call the roll and see who has gone from us.” And when they had called the roll, surprisingly, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.

18And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the 14:18 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX ephodark of God here” (for at that time the ark of God was with the children of Israel).

19Now it happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

20Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed every man’s sword was against his neighbor, and there was very great confusion.

21Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the surrounding country, they also joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

22Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden in the mountains of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle.

23So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven.

24And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.

25Now all the people of the land came to a forest; and there was honey on the ground.

26And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

27But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his 14:27 Lit. eyescountenance brightened.

28Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’ ” And the people were faint.

29But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.

30How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”

31Now they had 14:31 Lit. struckdriven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint.

32And the people rushed on the 14:32 plunderspoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.

33Then they told Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood!”

34Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, ‘Bring me here every man’s ox and every man’s sheep, slaughter them here, and eat; and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’ ” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night, and slaughtered it there.

35Then Saul built an altar to the Lord. This was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

36Now Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light; and let us not leave a man of them.”

37So Saul asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But He did not answer him that day.

38And Saul said, “Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today.

39For as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not a man among all the people answered him.

40Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side.”

41Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, “Give14:41 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. Why do You not answer Your servant today? If the injustice is with me or Jonathan my son, O Lord God of Israel, give proof; and if You say it is with Your people Israel, give holiness. a perfect lot.” So Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped.

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

43Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”

44Saul answered, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

45But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.

46Then Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

47So Saul established his sovereignty over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the people of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he 14:47 LXX, Vg. prosperedharassed them.

48And he gathered an army and attacked14:48 Lit. struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them.

49The sons of Saul were Jonathan, 14:49 Abinadab, 1 Chr. 8:33; 9:39Jishui, and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.

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

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

52Now there was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself.