1 Samuel 14
14
1One day Jonathan, the son of Saul, spoke to the young man carrying his armor. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go over to the Philistine army camp on the other side of the pass.” But he didn’t tell his father about it.
2Saul was staying just outside Gibeah. He was under a pomegranate tree in Migron. He had about 600 men with him. 3Ahijah was one of them. He was wearing a sacred linen apron. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub. Ahitub was the son of Eli’s son Phinehas. Eli had been the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.
4Jonathan planned to go across the pass to reach the Philistine camp. But there was a cliff on each side of the pass. One cliff was called Bozez. The other was called Seneh. 5One cliff stood on the north side of the pass toward Mikmash. The other stood on the south side toward Geba.
6Jonathan spoke to the young man carrying his armor. He said, “Come on. Let’s go over to the camp of those fellows who aren’t circumcised. Perhaps the Lord will help us. If he does, it won’t matter how many or how few of us there are. That won’t keep the Lord from saving us.”
7“Go ahead,” the young man said. “Do everything you have in mind. I’m with you all the way.”
8Jonathan said, “Come on, then. We’ll go across the pass toward the Philistines and let them see us. 9Suppose they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you.’ Then we’ll stay where we are. We won’t go up to them. 10But suppose they say, ‘Come up to us.’ Then we’ll climb up. That will show us that the Lord has handed them over to us.”
11So Jonathan and the young man let the soldiers in the Philistine camp see them. “Look!” said the Philistines. “Some of the Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12The men in the Philistine camp shouted to Jonathan and the young man carrying his armor. They said, “Come on up here. We’ll teach you a thing or two.”
So Jonathan said to the young man, “Climb up after me. The Lord has handed them over to Israel.”
13Using his hands and feet, Jonathan climbed up. The young man was right behind him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines. The young man followed him and killed those who were still alive. 14In that first attack, Jonathan and the young man killed about 20 men. They did it in an area of about half an acre.
Israel Chases the Philistines Away
15Then panic struck the whole Philistine army. It struck those who were in the camp and those in the field. It struck those who were at the edge of the camp. It also struck those who were in the groups that had been sent out to attack Israel. The ground shook. It was a panic that God had sent.
16Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah in the land of Benjamin saw what was happening. They saw the Philistine army melting away in all directions. 17Then Saul spoke to the men with him. He said, “Bring the troops together. See who has left our camp.” When they did, they discovered that Jonathan and the young man carrying his armor weren’t there.
18Saul said to Ahijah the priest, “Bring the ark of God.” At that time it was with the Israelites. 19While Saul was talking to the priest, the noise in the Philistine camp got louder and louder. So Saul said to the priest, “Stop what you are doing.”
20Then Saul and all his men gathered together. They went to the battle. They saw that the Philistines were in total disorder. They were striking one another with their swords. 21At an earlier time some of the Hebrews had been on the side of the Philistines. They had gone up with them to their camp. But now they changed sides. They joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22Some of the Israelites had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim. They heard that the Philistines were running away. They quickly joined the battle and chased after them. 23So on that day the Lord saved Israel. And the fighting continued on past Beth Aven.
Jonathan Eats Honey
24The Israelites became very hungry that day. That’s because Saul had forced the army to make a promise. He had said, “None of you must eat any food before evening comes. You must not eat until I’ve paid my enemies back for what they did. If you do, may you be under a curse!” So none of the troops ate any food at all.
25The whole army entered the woods. There was honey on the ground. 26When they went into the woods, they saw the honey dripping out of a honeycomb. No one put any of the honey in his mouth. They were afraid of the curse that would come if they broke their promise. 27But Jonathan hadn’t heard that his father had forced the army to make a promise. Jonathan had a long stick in his hand. He reached out and dipped the end of it into the honeycomb. He put some honey in his mouth. It gave him new life. 28Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father forced the army to make a promise that everyone must obey. He said, ‘None of you must eat any food today. If you do, may you be under a curse!’ That’s why the men are weak and ready to faint.”
29Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble for the country. See how I gained new life after I tasted a little of this honey. 30Our soldiers took food from their enemies today. Suppose they had eaten some of it. How much better off they would have been! Even more Philistines would have been killed.”
31That day the Israelites struck down the Philistines. They killed them from Mikmash to Aijalon. By that time they were tired and worn out. 32They grabbed what they had taken from their enemies. They killed some of the sheep, cattle and calves right there on the ground. They ate the meat while the blood was still in it. 33Then someone said to Saul, “Look! The men are sinning against the Lord. They’re eating meat that still has blood in it.”
Saul said to them, “You have broken your promise. Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34He continued, “Go out among the men. Tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep. Kill them here and eat them. Don’t sin against the Lord by eating meat that still has blood in it.’ ”
So that night everyone brought the ox he had taken and killed it there. 35Then Saul built an altar to honor the Lord. It was the first time he had done that.
36Saul said, “Let’s go down and chase after the Philistines tonight. Let’s not leave even one of them alive. Let’s take everything they have before morning.”
“Do what you think is best,” they replied.
But the priest said, “Let’s ask God for advice first.”
37So Saul asked God, “Should I go down and chase after the Philistines? Will you hand them over to Israel?” But God didn’t answer him that day.
38Saul said to the leaders of the army, “Come here. Let’s find out what sin has been committed today. 39The Lord is the one who rescues Israel. You can be sure that the Lord lives. And you can be just as sure that the sinner must die. He must die even if he’s my son Jonathan.” But no one said anything.
40Then Saul said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there. I and my son Jonathan will stand over here.”
“Do what you think is best,” they replied.
41Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel. He said, “Why haven’t you answered your servant today? If I or my son Jonathan is to blame, answer with Urim. But if the Israelites are to blame, answer with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen by casting lots. The other men were cleared of blame. 42Saul said, “Cast the lot to find out whether I or my son Jonathan is to blame.” And Jonathan was chosen.
43Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”
So Jonathan told him, “I used the end of my stick to get a little honey and taste it. And now do I have to die?”
44Saul said, “Jonathan, I must certainly put you to death. If I don’t, may God punish me greatly.”
45But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan be put to death? Never! He has saved Israel in a wonderful way. He did it today with God’s help. You can be sure that the Lord lives. And you can be just as sure that not even one hair on Jonathan’s head will fall to the ground.” So the men rescued Jonathan. He wasn’t put to death.
46Then Saul stopped chasing the Philistines. They went back to their own land.
47After Saul became the king of Israel, he fought against Israel’s enemies who were all around them. He went to war against Moab, Ammon and Edom. He fought against the kings of Zobah and the Philistines. No matter where he went, he punished his enemies. 48He fought bravely. He won the battle over the Amalekites. He saved Israel from the power of those who had carried off what belonged to Israel.
Saul’s Family
49Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. Saul’s older daughter was named Merab. His younger daughter was named Michal. 50Saul’s wife was named Ahinoam. She was the daughter of Ahimaaz. The commander of Saul’s army was named Abner. He was the son of Ner. Ner was Saul’s uncle. 51Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.
52As long as Saul was king, he had to fight hard against the Philistines. So every time Saul saw a strong or brave man, he took him into his army.
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1 Samuel 14: NIrV
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1 Samuel 14
14
Jonathan Leads the Counterattack
1One day#Literally “And it happened the day” Jonathan the son of Saul said to his armor bearer,#Literally “the young man carrying his weapons” “Come and let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines which is over there.” But he did not tell his father. 2Now Saul was staying at the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that was in Migron, and the troops that were with him were about six hundred men. 3Now Ahijah, the son of Ahitub (the brother of Ichabod), the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of Yahweh at Shiloh, was carrying an ephod. The troops did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4Now between the passes where Jonathan sought to go over to the garrison of the Philistines there was a crag of rock on one side#Literally “from the beyond from this” and a crag of rock on the other.#Literally “from the beyond from this” The name of the one was Bozez and the name of the other was Seneh. 5The one crag on the north was opposite Micmash and the other on the south was opposite Geba. 6So Jonathan said to his armor bearer,#Literally “the young man carrying his weapons” “Come, let us go over to the garrisons of these uncircumcised; perhaps Yahweh will act for us, for there is no hindrance for Yahweh to save by many or by few.” 7And his armor bearer#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” said, “Do all that is in your heart that you are inclined to do.#Literally “turn/incline for yourself” I am with you all of the way!#Literally “Behold, I am with you according to your heart” 8Then Jonathan said, “Look, we are about to go over to the men; and we will show ourselves to them. 9If they say to us: ‘Wait until we reach you,’ then we will stand as we are#Literally “and we will stand under us” and not go up to them. 10But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for Yahweh has given them into our hand, and this will be the sign for us.” 11So the two of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, and the Philistines said, “The Hebrews are coming out from the holes in which they have hidden themselves.” 12Then the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer,#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” “Come up to us and we will show you something!” Then Jonathan said to his armor bearer,#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” “Come up after me, for Yahweh has given them into the hand of Israel!” 13So Jonathan went up on his hands and his feet, with his armor bearer#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” after him. They fell before Jonathan and then his armor bearer#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” would kill them after him. 14So was the first attack in which Jonathan and his armor bearer#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” killed about twenty men within about half of a furrow in an acre of an open field. 15Then there was terror#Or “panic” in the camp, in the open field, and among all the army of the garrison. Even the raiders#Literally “destroyers” trembled. The earth shook, and it became a very great panic.#Literally “like the panic/terror of God”; some interpreters understand this to be a panic caused by God, while others understand the expression merely as a superlative (“a very great panic”)
16And the lookouts of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin saw that#Literally “and look” the multitude surged back and forth.#Literally “waved, going here and there” 17Saul said to the troops that were with him, “Please call the roll and see who has gone from us.” So they called the roll and found that#Literally “and look” Jonathan and his armor bearer#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” were not present. 18Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring near the ark of God”#LXX reads “bring near the ephod” (for the ark of God was at that time#Literally “on that day” with the Israelites).#Literally “sons/children of Israel” 19While#Hebrew “And” Saul was still speaking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more,#Literally “and it went, going and increasing” so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand!” 20Then Saul and all the troops who were with him were assembled on command and came up to the battle, and look! Each Philistine’s sword was against his friend; and there was a very great confusion. 21The Hebrews who had been for the Philistines previously,#Literally “as yesterday three days ago” who had gone up with them into the camp all around, even they joined the Israelites#Literally “were with Israel” who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22All the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, so even they pursued them closely in the battle. 23So on that day Yahweh delivered Israel, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven.
Saul’s Oath Leads to Trouble
24Now the men of Israel were hard pressed on that day, because Saul had made the army take an oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats any food until evening, when I will have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the army tasted any food. 25(Now all the people of the land used to go into the forest, for there was honey on the surface of the ground.) 26When the army came to the forest, look! There was honey flowing, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the army was afraid of the solemn oath.
27However, Jonathan had not heard about the oath of his father with the army, so he extended the end of the staff which was in his hand, and he dipped it into the honeycomb.#Hebrew “the honeycomb of the honey” Then he put his hand to his mouth and his eyes gleamed.#The Masoretic Hebrew text (Kethib) reads “saw”; the reading tradition (Qere) reads “gleamed” 28Then a man from the army informed him and said, “Your father made the army swear a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today,’ ” so the army is exhausted. 29Then Jonathan said, “My father has brought trouble on the land! See now that my eyes have brightened because I have tasted a little of this honey. 30How much more could have been done#Literally “even that if” if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder of their enemies that they had found! For now the loss among the Philistines is not great.” 31They defeated the Philistines that day from Micmash to Aijalon, and the troops were very weary.
32Then the troops took the plunder: they took sheep and cattle and calves#Literally “the children of cattle” and slaughtered them on the ground and the troops ate them all with the blood. 33So they reported it to Saul, saying, “Look! The troops are sinning against Yahweh by eating the animals with the blood!” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously! Roll to me a large stone today!”#Literally “the day” 34Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the troops and say to them, ‘Bring to me each one his ox and each his sheep and slaughter them in this place and eat, but do not sin against Yahweh by eating the animals with the blood.’ ” So all the troops brought them, each leading his ox in his hand that night, and slaughtered it there.
Jonathan Rescued from His Father Saul
35Then Saul built an altar to Yahweh; it was the first altar he built#Literally “with it he began to build an altar” to Yahweh. 36Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and let us plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave alive a man among them.” So they said, “Do all that is good in your eyes.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37So Saul inquired of God, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him on that day. 38Then Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, so that we find out#Literally “and know and see” what the sin was this day. 39For as Yahweh lives, who delivers Israel, I swear that even if it is in Jonathan my son, he will certainly die!”#Literally “surely dying he will die” But nobody from all the army answered him. 40Then he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side,#Literally “opposite one” and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other.”#Literally “opposite one” And the army said to Saul, “Do what is good in your eyes.” 41Then Saul said to Yahweh the God of Israel, “Render a decision perfectly.”#Literally “give what is perfect”; the LXX includes additional words not found in the Masoretic Hebrew text but included in a number of modern English versions: “If this guilt is on me or in my son Jonathan, give Urim, but if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim” Jonathan and Saul were chosen by lot and the people went out. 42Then Saul said, “Let them cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan,” and Jonathan was chosen. 43So Saul said, “Tell me what you have done.” So Jonathan told him and said, “I merely tasted#Literally “tasted I tasted” a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die.” 44Then Saul said, “So may God do to me and more,#Literally “so may he add” you will certainly die today, Jonathan!” 45But the army said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, who accomplished this great victory in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, not a hair from his head will fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the army ransomed Jonathan and he did not die.
46Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their place. 47So Saul took the kingship over Israel, and he fought all around against his enemies, against Moab, against the Ammonites,#Literally “sons/children of Ammon” against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. He inflicted punishment against all who rebelled. 48He acted bravely and defeated the Amalekites and rescued Israel from the hand of those who plundered it.
49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua; the names of his two daughters were as follows: the name of the firstborn was Merab and the younger was 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. 51Now Kish was the father of Saul, but Ner, the father of Abner, was the son of Abiel.
52Warfare was severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul. Whenever Saul saw anyone who was a mighty warrior#Literally “each man who was a mighty warrior” or any brave man,#Literally “each son of ability” he conscripted him into his service.#Literally “he gathered him to himself”
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