1 Samuel 14
14
Jonathan Defeats the Philistines
1A day came that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, and let us cross over to the Philistine garrison which is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.
2Now Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron. And the people that were with him were about six hundred men. # 1Sa 13:15–16 3And Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s # 1Sa 4:21 brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, was wearing the ephod. # 1Sa 2:28 But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.
4Between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, # 1Sa 13:23 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. 5The crag of the one rose north opposite Mikmash, and the other faced southward opposite Geba.
6Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. # 1Sa 17:26, 36 Perhaps the Lord will work for us, for the Lord is not limited to save by many or by few.”
7His armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Turn yourself, and behold, I will be with you according to your heart.”
8Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will cross over to these men, and we will reveal ourselves to them. # Jdg 7:9–14 9If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. 10But if they say, ‘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.” # Ge 24:14
11So the two of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the caves where they have hidden themselves.” # 1Sa 13:6; 14:22 12The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, # 1Sa 17:43–44 and we will teach you something.”
So Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel.” # 2Sa 5:24
13Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet with his armor bearer behind him. And they fell before Jonathan. And his armor bearer was dealing death blows after him. 14That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men within about a half-acre field.
15There was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders # 1Sa 13:17 also trembled, and the ground quaked. It was the fear of God. # Ge 35:5
16The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went even here and there. 17Then Saul said to the people that were with him, “Call the roll and see who has gone from us.” And when they had called the roll, behold, neither Jonathan nor his armor bearer were there.
18Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring here the ark of God.” For the ark of God was at that time with the Israelites. 19While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, # Nu 27:21 “Withdraw your hand.”
20Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle. And behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow, # Jdg 7:22; 2Ch 20:23 so that there was very great confusion. 21Even the Hebrews who were with the Philistines the days before, who went up with them # 1Sa 29:4 into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. 22Also all of Israel’s fighting men, who had hidden themselves in mountains of Ephraim, # 1Sa 13:6 heard that the Philistines fled, and even they followed hard after them in the battle. 23So the Lord saved Israel that day, # Ex 14:30 and the battle passed beyond Beth-aven. # 1Sa 13:5
Saul’s Rash Oath
24Now Israel’s fighting men were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under a curse, # Jos 6:26 saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before it is evening, and I have been avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted any food.
25All the people of the land came to the forest, and behold, there was honey on the ground. 26When the people came into the forest, behold, there was flowing honey. But no man put his hand to his mouth, because the people feared the oath. 27But Jonathan had not heard when his father made the people swear. Therefore he put forward the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb. Then he put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were brightened. # 1Sa 14:43; 30:12 28Then one of the people answered, and said, “Your father surely made the people swear, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats any food this day.’ ” And the people were weary.
29Then said Jonathan, “My father has troubled the land. # 1Ki 18:18 See how my eyes have brightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30How much more, if the people had surely eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? But now the defeat of the Philistines has not been great.”
31And they struck the Philistines that day from Mikmash to Aijalon, # Jos 10:12 and the people were very weary. 32The people rushed upon the spoil; they took sheep, oxen, and calves and slew them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood. # Lev 3:17; 1Sa 15:19 33Then they reported to Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating the blood.”
And he said, “You have dealt faithlessly. Roll a great stone to me this day.” 34Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, ‘Bring to me here every man his ox or sheep. And slaughter them here, and eat. But you shall not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’ ”
And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there. 35And Saul built an altar to the Lord. # 1Sa 7:17 It was the first altar that he built to the Lord.
36Saul 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 here to God.”
37Saul asked 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. # 1Sa 28:6
38Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, and observe and see how this sin has come about this day. # 1Sa 10:19–20 39For, as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, even if it is in Jonathan my son, he will surely die.” # 1Sa 14:44; 2Sa 12:5 But there was not one who answered him from among all the people.
40Then he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.”
And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”
41Therefore Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Give a perfect lot.” # Ac 1:24 And Saul and Jonathan were taken, # Jos 7:16–18 but the people escaped. 42Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.
43Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” # Jos 7:19
And Jonathan told him, and said, “I indeed tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. # 1Sa 14:27 Here I am. I must die.”
44Saul said, “May God do so to me and more also, # Ru 1:17 for you will surely die, Jonathan.” # 1Sa 14:39
45The people said to Saul, “Will Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? God forbid. As the Lord lives, there will not one hair of his head fall to the ground. # 2Sa 14:11; 1Ki 1:52 For he has worked with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
46Then Saul went up from following the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
47So Saul took the kingdom over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the Ammonites, # 2Sa 10:6 against Edom and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Whatever place he turned himself, he defeated them. 48He gathered an army, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hand of its plunderers.
Saul’s Family
49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua. # 1Sa 31:2; 1Ch 8:33 And the names of his two daughters were Merab, the firstborn, and Michal, the youngest. 50And the name of the wife of Saul was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, # 2Sa 2:8 the uncle of Saul. 51Kish was the father of Saul, # 1Sa 9:1, 21 and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52There was strong war against the Philistines all the days of Saul, and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him into his service. # 1Sa 8:11
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1 Samuel 14: MEV
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The Holy Bible, Modern English Version
Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.
Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 14
14
1And it came to be one day that Yonathan son of Sha’ul said to the young man who bore his armour, “Come, and let us go over to the outpost of the Philistines which is on the other side.” But he did not inform his father.
2And Sha’ul remained at the outskirts of Giḇ‛ah under a pomegranate tree at Miḡron, and the people who were with him were about six hundred men.
3And Aḥiyah son of Aḥituḇ, Iḵaḇoḏ’s brother, son of Pineḥas, son of Ěli, the priest of יהוה in Shiloh, was wearing a shoulder garment. And the people did not know that Yonathan had gone.
4And between the passes, by which Yonathan sought to go over to the outpost of the Philistines, there was an edge of a rock on one side and an edge of a rock on the other side. And the name of one was Botsĕts, and the name of the other Seneh.
5The one edge was on the north opposite Miḵmash, and the other on the south opposite Giḇ‛ah.
6And Yehonathan said to the young man who bore his armour, “Come, and let us go over to the outpost of these uncircumcised. If so be, יהוה does work for us. For there is no hindrance for יהוה to save by many or by few.”
7And his armour-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart, incline yourself. See, I am with you, according to your heart.”
8And Yehonathan said, “See, we are passing over to the men – and show ourselves to them.
9“If they say this to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we shall stand still in our place and not go up to them.
10“But if they say this, ‘Come up to us,’ then we shall go up. For יהוה has given them into our hand, and this is the sign to us.”
11And both of them disclosed themselves to the outpost of the Philistines, and the Philistines said, “See, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.”
12And the men of the outpost called to Yonathan and his armour-bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and let us teach you a lesson.” Then Yonathan said to his armour-bearer, “Come up after me, for יהוה has given them into the hand of Yisra’ĕl.”
13And Yonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armour-bearer after him. And they fell before Yonathan, and his armour-bearer was putting them to death behind him.
14And that first smiting which Yonathan and his armour-bearer struck was about twenty men, in about half an acre of land.
15And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The outpost and the raiders also trembled, and the ground shook. And it became a trembling of Elohim.
16And the watchmen of Sha’ul in Giḇ‛ah of Binyamin looked and saw the crowd melting away, and they went here and there.
17And Sha’ul said to the people who were with him, “Please inspect and see who has gone from us.” So they inspected and saw that Yonathan and his armour-bearer were missing.
18And Sha’ul said to Aḥiyah, “Bring the ark of Elohim here.” For the ark of Elohim was with the children of Yisra’ĕl on that day.
19And it came to be, while Sha’ul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines went on, and became great, so Sha’ul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”
20And Sha’ul was called, and all the people who were with him, and they went to the battle. And see, every man’s sword was against his neighbour – a very great confusion.
21And the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp, turned round, they too, to be with Yisra’ĕl, who were with Sha’ul and Yonathan.
22And all the men of Yisra’ĕl who had hidden in the mountains of Ephrayim, heard that the Philistines fled, and they also pursued them in the battle.
23Thus יהוה saved Yisra’ĕl that day, and the battle passed over to Bĕyth Awen.
24And the men of Yisra’ĕl were distressed that day, for Sha’ul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until evening, and I have taken revenge on my enemies.” Therefore none of the people tasted food.
25And all they of the land came into the woods, and there was honey on the ground.
26And the people came into the woods and saw the honey, dripping. But no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
27But Yonathan had not heard that his father had taken an oath of the people, and 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 eyes lit up.
28Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly took an oath of the people, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’ ” And the people were weary.
29And Yonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Now see how my eyes lit up when I tasted a little of this honey.
30“How much better if the people had well eaten today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For then, would not the slaughter among the Philistines have been greater?”
31And they struck the Philistines that day from Miḵmash to Ayalon. So the people were very weary,
32and the people pounced on the spoil, and took sheep, and cattle, and calves, and slew them on the ground. And the people ate with the blood.
33And they told Sha’ul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against יהוה by eating with the blood!” And he said, “You have acted treacherously. Roll a large stone to me today.”
34And Sha’ul said, “Scatter among the people, and say to them, ‘Each one bring his ox near to me, and each one his sheep, and you shall slay them here, and eat. And do not sin against יהוה by eating with the blood.’ ” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night, and slew it there.
35And Sha’ul built a slaughter-place to יהוה. It was the first slaughter-place he built to יהוה.
36And Sha’ul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light, and not leave a man of them.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near to Elohim here.”
37And Sha’ul asked of Elohim, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Do You give them into the hand of Yisra’ĕl?” But He did not answer him that day.
38And Sha’ul said, “Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today.
39“For as יהוה lives, who saves Yisra’ĕl, though it be in Yonathan my son, he shall certainly die.” But not one among all the people answered him.
40And he said to all Yisra’ĕl, “You be on one side, and my son Yonathan and I be on the other side.” And the people said to Sha’ul, “Do what seems good to you.”
41Then Sha’ul said to יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, “Give a perfect lot.” And Sha’ul and Yonathan were taken, but the people escaped.
42And Sha’ul said, “Cast lots between my son Yonathan and me.” And Yonathan was taken.
43Sha’ul then said to Yonathan, “Explain to me what you have done.” And Yonathan explained to him, and said, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. See, let me die!”
44And Sha’ul answered, “Elohim do so and more also, for you shall certainly die, Yonathan.”
45But the people said to Sha’ul, “Should Yonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Yisra’ĕl? Far be it! As יהוה lives, let not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has wrought with Elohim this day.” Thus the people ransomed Yonathan, and he did not die.
46And Sha’ul returned from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
47And Sha’ul took the reign over Yisra’ĕl, and fought against all his enemies round about, against Mo’aḇ, and against the children of Ammon, and against Eḏom, and against the sovereigns of Tsoḇah, and against the Philistines. And wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment.
48And he gathered an army and struck the Amalĕqites, and delivered Yisra’ĕl from the hands of those who plundered them.
49And the sons of Sha’ul were Yonathan and Yishwi and Malkishua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the first-born Mĕraḇ, and the name of the younger Miḵal.
50And the name of Sha’ul’s wife was Aḥino‛am the daughter of Aḥima‛ats. And the name of the commander of his army was Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr, uncle of Sha’ul.’
51And Qish was the father of Sha’ul, and Nĕr the father of Aḇnĕr was the son of Aḇi’ĕl.
52And there was tough#Lit. strong. fighting against the Philistines all the days of Sha’ul. And when Sha’ul saw any mighty man or any brave man, he took him for himself.
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