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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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
I Samuel 14
14
Jonathan Defeats the Philistines
1Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore 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 #1 Sam. 14:1, 4Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men. 3#1 Sam. 13:15, 16Ahijah the son of Ahitub, #1 Sam. 22:9, 11, 20Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, was #1 Sam. 4:21wearing an ephod. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.
4Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over #1 Sam. 2:28to 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 #1 Sam. 13:23uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord #1 Sam. 17:26, 36; Jer. 9:25, 26from 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 #Judg. 7:4, 7; 1 Sam. 17:46, 47; 2 Chr. 14:11; (Ps. 115:3; 135:6; Zech. 4:6; Matt. 19:26; Rom. 8:31)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 #Gen. 24:14; Judg. 6:36–40hidden.” 12Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something.”
Jonathan said to his armorbearer, “Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel.” 13And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armorbearer after him; and they #1 Sam. 13:6; 14:22fell 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 half an acre of land.
15And #Lev. 26:8; Josh. 23:10there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and #Deut. 28:7; 2 Kin. 7:6, 7; Job 18:11the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was #1 Sam. 13:17a very great trembling. 16Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they #Gen. 35:5went 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 ark of God here” (for at that time the ark of God was with the children of Israel). 19Now it happened, while Saul #1 Sam. 14:20talked 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 #Num. 27:21every 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 #Judg. 7:22; 2 Chr. 20:23had hidden in the mountains of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23#1 Sam. 13:6So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted #Ex. 14:30; 2 Chr. 32:22; Hos. 1:7to Beth Aven.
Saul’s Rash Oath
24And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had #1 Sam. 13:5placed 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. 25#Josh. 6:26Now all the people of the land came to a forest; and there was #Deut. 9:28; Matt. 3:5honey 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 countenance 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 driven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint. 32And the people rushed on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them #Ex. 3:8; Num. 13:27; Matt. 3:4with the blood. 33Then they told Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood!”
So he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone to me this day.” 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 #Gen. 9:4; Lev. 3:17; 17:10–14; 19:26; Deut. 12:16, 23, 24; Acts 15:20built 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.”
And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.”
Then the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.”
37So Saul #1 Sam. 7:12, 17; 2 Sam. 24:25asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But #Judg. 20:18He did not answer him that day. 38And Saul said, #1 Sam. 28:6“Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today. 39For #Josh. 7:14; 1 Sam. 10:19as 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.”
And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”
41Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, #1 Sam. 14:24, 44; 2 Sam. 12:5“Give a perfect lot.” #Prov. 16:33; Acts 1:24–26So 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, #Josh. 7:16; 1 Sam. 10:20, 21“Tell me what you have done.”
And Jonathan told him, and said, #Josh. 7:19“I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!”
44Saul answered, #1 Sam. 14:27“God do so and more also; #Ruth 1:17; 1 Sam. 25:22for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”
45But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! #1 Sam. 14:39As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked #2 Sam. 14:11; 1 Kin. 1:52; Luke 21:18; Acts 27:34with 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.
Saul’s Continuing Wars
47So Saul established his sovereignty over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the people of #(2 Cor. 6:1; Phil. 2:12, 13)Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of #1 Sam. 11:1–13Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he harassed them. 48And he gathered an army and #2 Sam. 10:6attacked the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them.
49#Ex. 17:16; 1 Sam. 15:3–7The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Jishui, and Malchishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger #1 Sam. 31:2; 1 Chr. 8:33Michal. 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 #1 Sam. 18:17–20, 27; 19:12uncle. 51#1 Sam. 10:14Kish 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, #1 Sam. 9:1, 21he took him for himself.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.