Chapter 14

Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said⁴ unto the young man that bare⁶ his armour, Come,³ and let us go over⁴ to the Philistines' garrison, that [is] on the other side. ¹⁹⁷⁵ But he told⁵² not his father.

And Saul tarried⁶ 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;

And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, wearing⁶ an ephod. And the people knew¹ not that Jonathan was gone.¹

And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought¹⁴ to go over² unto 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.

The forefront of the one [was] situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.

And Jonathan said⁴ to the young man that bare⁶ his armour, Come,³ and let us go over⁴ unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work⁴ for us: for [there is] no restraint to the LORD to save⁵³ by many or by few.

And his armourbearer^{6 3627} said⁴ unto him, Do³ all that [is] in thine heart: turn³ thee; behold, I [am] with thee according to thy heart.

Then said⁴ Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over⁶ unto [these] men, and we will discover⁸ ourselves unto them.

If they say⁴ thus unto us, Tarry³ until we come⁵³ to you; then we will stand still¹ in our place, and will not go up⁴ unto them.

But if they say⁴ thus, Come up³ unto us; then we will go up:¹ for the LORD hath delivered¹ them into our hand: and this [shall be] a sign unto us.

And both of them discovered¹¹ themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said,⁴ Behold, the Hebrews come forth⁶ out of the holes where they had hid⁹⁸ themselves.

And the men of the garrison answered⁴ Jonathan and his armourbearer,^{6 3627} and said,⁴ Come up³ to us, and we will shew⁵⁵ you a thing. And Jonathan said⁴ unto his armourbearer,^{6 3627} Come up³ after me: for the LORD hath delivered¹ them into the hand of Israel.

And Jonathan climbed up⁴ upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer^{6 3627} after him: and they fell⁴ before Jonathan; and his armourbearer^{6 3627} slew³⁵ after him.

And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer^{6 3627} made,⁵² was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, [which] a yoke [of oxen might plow].

And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers,⁵⁶ they also trembled,¹ and the earth quaked:⁴ so it was a very great trembling.

And the watchmen⁶ of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked;⁴ and, behold, the multitude melted away,⁸ and they went⁴ on beating down² [one another].

Then said⁴ Saul unto the people that [were] with him, Number³ now, and see³ who is gone¹ from us. And when they had numbered,⁴ behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer^{6 3627} [were] not [there].

And Saul said⁴ unto Ahiah, Bring hither⁵⁴ the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.

And it came to pass, while Saul talked¹⁴ unto the priest, that the noise that [was] in the host of the Philistines went⁴ on² and increased: and Saul said⁴ unto the priest, Withdraw³ thine hand.

And Saul and all the people that [were] with him assembled¹¹ themselves, and they came⁴ to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, [and there was] a very great discomfiture.

Moreover the Hebrews [that] were with the Philistines before that time, which went up¹ 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.

Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid¹⁰² themselves in mount Ephraim, [when] they heard¹ that the Philistines fled,¹ even they also followed hard⁵⁵ after them in the battle.

So the LORD saved⁵⁵ Israel that day: and the battle passed over¹ unto Bethaven.

And the men of Israel were distressed⁸ that day: for Saul had adjured⁵⁵ the people, saying,² Cursed⁷ [be] the man that eateth⁴ [any] food until evening, that I may be avenged⁸ on mine enemies.⁶ So none of the people tasted¹ [any] food.

And all [they of] the land came¹ to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.

And when the people were come⁴ into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put⁵⁶ his hand to his mouth: for the people feared¹ the oath.

But Jonathan heard¹ not when his father charged the people with the oath:⁵³ wherefore he put forth⁴ the end of the rod that [was] in his hand, and dipped⁴ it in an honeycomb, ¹⁷⁰⁶ and put⁵⁵ his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.⁴

Then answered⁴ one of the people, and said,⁴ Thy father straitly⁵³ charged the people with an oath,⁵² saying,² Cursed⁷ [be] the man that eateth⁴ [any] food this day. And the people were faint.⁴

Then said⁴ Jonathan, My father hath troubled¹ the land: see,³ I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened,¹ because I tasted¹ a little of this honey.

How much more, if haply the people had eaten¹ freely² to day of the spoil of their enemies⁶ which they found?¹ for had there not been now a much greater¹ slaughter among the Philistines?

And they smote⁵⁵ the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.⁴

And the people flew^{4 6213 4} upon the spoil, and took⁴ sheep, and oxen, and calves, ¹²⁴¹ and slew⁴ [them] on the ground: and the people did eat⁴ [them] with the blood.

Then they told⁵⁵ Saul, saying,² Behold, the people sin⁶ against the LORD, in that they eat² with the blood. And he said,⁴ Ye have transgressed:¹ roll³ a great stone unto me this day.

And Saul said,⁴ Disperse³ yourselves among the people, and say¹ unto them, Bring me hither⁵⁴ every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay¹ [them] here, and eat;¹ and sin⁴ not against the LORD in eating² with the blood. And all the people brought⁵⁵ every man his ox with him that night, and slew⁴ [them] there.

And Saul built⁴ an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first⁵² altar that he built² unto the LORD.

And Saul said,⁴ Let us go down⁴ after the Philistines by night, and spoil⁴ them until the morning light, and let us not leave⁵⁵ a man of them. And they said,⁴ Do³ whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said⁴ the priest, Let us draw near⁴ hither unto God.

And Saul asked⁴ counsel of God, Shall I go down⁴ after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver⁴ them into the hand of Israel? But he answered¹ him not that day.

And Saul said,⁴ Draw ye near³ hither, all the chief of the people: and know³ and see³ wherein this sin hath been this day.

For, [as] the LORD liveth, which saveth⁵⁶ Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely² die.⁴ But [there was] not a man among all the people [that] answered⁶ him.

Then said⁴ he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said⁴ unto Saul, Do³ what seemeth good unto thee.

Therefore Saul said⁴ unto the LORD God of Israel, Give³ a perfect [lot]. And Saul and Jonathan were taken:¹¹ but the people escaped.¹

And Saul said,⁴ Cast⁵⁴ [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.¹¹

Then Saul said⁴ to Jonathan, Tell⁵⁴ me what thou hast done.¹ And Jonathan told⁵⁵ him, and said,⁴ I did but² taste¹ a little honey with the end of the rod that [was] in mine hand, [and], lo, I must die.⁴

And Saul answered,⁴ God do⁴ so and more⁵⁵ also: for thou shalt surely² die,⁴ Jonathan.

And the people said⁴ unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die,⁴ who hath wrought¹ this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: [as] the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall⁴ to the ground; for he hath wrought¹ with God this day. So the people rescued⁴ Jonathan, that he died¹ not.

Then Saul went up⁴ from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went¹ to their own place.

So Saul took¹ the kingdom over Israel, and fought¹¹ against all his enemies⁶ 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 whithersoever he turned⁴ himself, he vexed⁵⁵ [them].

And he gathered⁴ an host, and smote⁵⁵ the Amalekites, and delivered⁵⁵ Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled⁶ them.

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:

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.

And Kish [was] the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner [was] the son of Abiel.

And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw¹ any strong man, or any valiant man, he took⁴ him unto him.