1 Samuel 14
14
1-3and Saul was in Geba#14.1-3 Geba: Or “Gibeah”. In 13.16 and 14.5 the name “Geba” is used, while 14.2, 16 have “Gibeah”. In ancient Hebrew writing there is only one letter different between the two words. with his six hundred men. Saul's own tent was set up under a fruit tree#14.1-3 fruit tree: Hebrew “pomegranate tree”. A pomegranate is a bright red fruit that looks like an apple. by the threshing place#14.1-3 threshing place: Or “in Migron”. at the edge of town. Ahijah was serving as priest, and one of his jobs was to get answers from the LORD for Saul. Ahijah's father was Ahitub, and his father's brother was Ichabod. Ahijah's grandfather was Phinehas, and his great-grandfather Eli had been the LORD's priest at Shiloh.
One day, Jonathan told the soldier who carried his weapons that he wanted to attack the Philistine camp on the other side of the valley. So they slipped out of the Israelite camp without anyone knowing it. Jonathan didn't even tell his father he was leaving.
4-5Jonathan decided to get to the Philistine camp by going through the pass that led between Shiny Cliff and Michmash to the north and Thorn Bush Cliff#14.4,5 Shiny Cliff…Thorn Bush Cliff: Or “Bozez Cliff…Seneh Cliff”. and Geba to the south.
6Jonathan and the soldier who carried his weapons talked as they went towards the Philistine camp. “It's just the two of us against all those godless men,” Jonathan said. “But the LORD can help a few soldiers win a battle just as easily as he can help a whole army. Perhaps the LORD will help us win this battle.”
7“Do whatever you want,” the soldier answered. “I'll be with you.”
8“This is what we will do,” Jonathan said. “We will go across and let them see us. 9If they agree to come down the hill and fight where we are, then we won't climb up to their camp. 10But we will go if they tell us to come up the hill and fight. That will mean the LORD is going to help us win.”
11-12Jonathan and the soldier stood at the bottom of the hill where the Philistines could see them. The Philistines said, “Look! Those worthless Israelites have crawled out of the holes where they've been hiding.” Then they yelled down to Jonathan and the soldier, “Come up here, and we will teach you a thing or two!”
Jonathan turned to the soldier and said, “Follow me! The LORD is going to let us win.”
13Jonathan crawled up the hillside with the soldier following him. When they got to the top, Jonathan killed the Philistines who attacked from the front, and the soldier killed those who attacked from behind.#14.13 Jonathan killed…from behind: Or “Jonathan attacked the Philistines with his sword, and the soldier killed those who fell to the ground wounded.” 14Before they had gone thirty metres,#14.14 thirty metres: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. they had killed about twenty Philistines.
15The whole Philistine army panicked—those in camp, those on guard duty, those in the fields, and those on raiding patrols. All of them were afraid and confused. Then God sent an earthquake, and the ground began to tremble.#14.15 Then…tremble: Or “Then the ground began to tremble, and everyone was in a terrible panic.” Or “Then the ground began to tremble, and God made them all panic.”
Israel defeats the Philistines
16Saul's lookouts at Geba#14.16 Geba: See the note at 14.1-3. saw that the Philistine army was running in every direction, like melted wax. 17Saul told his officers, “Call the roll and find out who left our camp.” When they had finished, they found out that Jonathan and the soldier who carried his weapons were missing.
18At that time, Ahijah was serving as priest for the army of Israel, and Saul told him, “Come over here! Let's ask God what we should do.”#14.18 At that time…should do: One ancient translation; Hebrew “Saul told Ahijah, ‘Bring the sacred chest,’ because at that time it was with the army of Israel.” 19Just as Saul finished saying this, he could see that the Philistine army camp was getting more and more confused, and he said, “Ahijah, never mind!”
20Saul quickly called his army together, then led them to the Philistine camp. By this time the Philistines were so confused that they were killing each other.
21There were also some hired soldiers#14.21 hired soldiers: See the note at 13.7. in the Philistine camp, who now switched to Israel's side and fought for Saul and Jonathan.
22Many Israelites had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim. And when they heard that the Philistines were running away, they came out of hiding and joined in chasing the Philistines.
23-24So the LORD helped Israel win the battle that day.
Saul's curse on anyone who eats
Saul had earlier told his soldiers, “I want to get even with those Philistines by sunset. If any of you eat before then, you will be under a curse!” So he made them swear not to eat.
By the time the fighting moved past Beth-Aven,#14.23,24 Beth-Aven: See the note at 13.5. the Israelite troops were weak from hunger. 25-26The army and the people who lived nearby had gone into a forest, and they came to a place where honey was dripping on the ground.#14.25,26 The army…ground: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. But no one ate any of it, because they were afraid of being put under the curse.
27Jonathan did not know about Saul's warning to the soldiers. So he dipped the end of his walking stick in the honey and ate some with his fingers. He felt stronger and more alert. 28Then a soldier told him, “Your father swore that anyone who ate food today would be put under a curse, and we agreed not to eat. That's why we're so weak.”
29Jonathan said, “My father has caused you a lot of trouble. Look at me! I had only a little of this honey, but already I feel strong and alert. 30I wish you had eaten some of the food the Philistines left behind. We would have been able to kill a lot more of them.”
31By evening the Israelite army was exhausted from killing Philistines all the way from Michmash to Aijalon.#14.31 Aijalon: About 30 kilometres west of Michmash. 32They grabbed the food they had captured from the Philistines and started eating. They even killed sheep and cows and calves right on the ground and ate the meat without draining the blood.#14.32 blood: The Israelites were supposed to drain the blood from a butchered animal before the meat was cooked and eaten (see Genesis 9.4; Leviticus 17.11; Deuteronomy 12.23). 33Someone told Saul, “Look! The army is disobeying the LORD by eating meat before the blood drains out.”#Gn 9.4; Lv 7.26,27; 17.10-14; 19.26; Dt 12.16,23; 15.23.
“You're right,” Saul answered. “They are being unfaithful to the LORD! Hurry! Roll a big rock over here.#14.33 over here: One ancient translation; Hebrew “today”. 34Then tell everyone in camp to bring their cattle and lambs to me. They can kill the animals on this rock,#14.34 kill…rock: That is, up off the ground so the blood could drain out. then eat the meat. That way no one will disobey the LORD by eating meat with blood still in it.”
That night the soldiers brought their cattle over to the big rock and killed them there. 35It was the first altar Saul had built for offering sacrifices to the LORD.#14.35 offering sacrifices to the LORD: Even when animals were killed for food, it was often done as a sacrifice to the LORD.
The army rescues Jonathan
36Saul said, “Let's attack the Philistines again while it's still dark. We can fight them all night. Let's kill them and take everything they own!”
The people answered, “We will do whatever you want.”
“Wait!” Ahijah the priest said. “Let's ask God what we should do.”
37Saul asked God, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you help us win?”
This time God did not answer. 38Saul called his army officers together and said, “We have to find out what sin has kept God from answering. 39I swear by the living LORD that whoever sinned must die, even if it turns out to be my own son Jonathan.”
No one said a word.
40Saul told his army, “You stand on that side of the priest, and Jonathan and I will stand on the other side.”
Everyone agreed.
41Then Saul prayed, “Our LORD, God of Israel, why haven't you answered me today? Please show us who sinned. Was it my son Jonathan and I, or was it your people Israel?”#14.41 why…Israel: One ancient translation; Hebrew “give me an answer.”#Nu 27.21; 1 S 28.6.
The answer came back that Jonathan or Saul had sinned, not the army. 42Saul told Ahijah, “Now ask the LORD to decide between Jonathan and me.”
The answer came back that Jonathan had sinned. 43“Jonathan,” Saul exclaimed, “tell me what you did!”
“I dipped the end of my walking stick in some honey and ate a little. Now you say I have to die!”
44“Yes, Jonathan. I swear to God that you must die.”
45“No!” the soldiers shouted. “God helped Jonathan win the battle for us. We won't let you kill him. We swear to the LORD that we won't let you kill him or even lay a hand on him!” So the army kept Saul from killing Jonathan.
46Saul stopped hunting down the Philistines, and they went home.
Saul fights his enemies
47-48When Saul became king, the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, the Philistines, and the Amalekites had all been robbing the Israelites. Saul fought back against these enemies and stopped them from robbing Israel. He was a brave commander and always won his battles.#14.47,48 won his battles: One ancient translation; Hebrew “hurt them”.
Saul's family
49-51Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. They had three sons: Jonathan, Ishvi,#14.49-51 Ishvi: Also known as Eshbaal (see 1 Chronicles 8.33; 9.39) and Ishbosheth (see 2 Samuel 2.8-13; 3.8-15; 4.5-12). and Malchishua. They also had two daughters: the elder one was Merab, and the younger one was Michal.
Abner, Saul's cousin, was the commander of the army. Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel.
War with the Philistines
52Saul was at war with the Philistines for as long as he lived. Whenever he found a good warrior or a brave man, Saul made him join his army.
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1 Samuel 14: CEVUK
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
1 Samuel 14
14
1 And it happened that, on a certain day, Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the youth who bore his armor, "Come, and let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines, which is across from that place." But he did not reveal this to his father.
2 Moreover, Saul was staying in the furthermost part of Gibeah, below the pomegranate tree that was at Migron. And the people with him were about six hundred men.
3 And Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod, the son of Phinehas, who had been born of Eli, the priest of the Lord at Shiloh, wore the ephod. But the people did not know where Jonathan had gone.
4 Now there were, between the ascents along which Jonathan strove to cross to the garrison of the Philistines, rocks projecting from both sides, and, in the manner of teeth, boulders breaking out from one side and the other. The name of one was Shining, and the name of the other was Thorny.
5 One boulder projected toward the north, opposite Michmash, and the other toward the south, opposite Gibeah.
6 Then Jonathan said to the youth who bore his armor: "Come, let us go across to the garrison of these uncircumcised. And perhaps the Lord may act on our behalf. For it is not difficult for the Lord to save, either by many, or by few."
7 And his armor bearer said to him: "Do all that is pleasing to your soul. Go wherever you wish, and I will be with you, wherever you will choose."
8 And Jonathan said: "Behold, we will cross over to these men. And when we will be seen by them,
9 if they have spoken to us in this way, 'Stay until we come to you,' let us stand still in our place, and not ascend to them.
10 But if they will say, 'Ascend to us,' let us ascend. For the Lord has delivered them into our hands. This will be the sign to us."
11 And so, both of them appeared before the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, "See, the Hebrews have come out from the holes in which they had been hiding."
12 And the men of the garrison spoke to Jonathan and to his armor bearer, and they said, "Ascend to us, and we will show you something." And Jonathan said to his armor bearer: "Let us ascend. Follow me. For the Lord has delivered them into the hands of Israel."
13 Then Jonathan ascended, crawling on his hands and feet, and his armor bearer after him. And then, some fell before Jonathan, others his armor bearer killed as he was following him.
14 And the first slaughter was made when Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty of the men, in the midst of an area of land that a yoke of oxen would usually plow in a day.
15 And a miracle occurred in the camp, out in the fields. And all of the people of their garrison, who had gone out in order to plunder, were stupefied. And the earth trembled. And it happened as a miracle from God.
16 And the watchmen of Saul, who were at Gibeah of Benjamin, looked out, and behold, a multitude was thrown down and dispersed, this way and that.
17 And Saul said to the people who were with him, "Inquire and see who has gone out from us." And when they had inquired, it was found that Jonathan and his armor bearer were not present.
18 And Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of the God." (For the ark of God was, in that day, with the sons of Israel in that place.)
19 And while Saul spoke to the priest, there arose a great tumult in the camp of the Philistines. And it was increasing, little by little, and it was being heard more clearly. And Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."
20 Then Saul, and all the people who were with him, cried out together, and they went to the place of the conflict. And behold, each one's sword had been turned against his neighbor, and there was a very great slaughter.
21 Moreover, the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines yesterday and the day before, and who had ascended with them into the camp, turned back so that they might be with those of Israel who were with Saul and Jonathan.
22 Likewise, all the Israelites who had hidden themselves on mount Ephraim, hearing that the Philistines had fled, joined themselves with their own in the battle. And there were with Saul about ten thousand men.
23 And the Lord saved Israel on that day. But the fight continued as far as Bethaven.
24 And the men of Israel were joined together on that day. And Saul made the people swear, saying, "Cursed be the man who will eat bread, until evening, until I am avenged of my enemies." And the entire people did not consume bread.
25 And all the common people went into a forest, in which there was honey on the surface of the field.
26 And so the people entered the forest, and there appeared flowing honey, but no one drew his hand near his mouth. For the people were afraid of the oath.
27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people to an oath. And so he extended the top of the staff that he was holding in his hand, and he dipped it in a honeycomb. And he turned his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were brightened.
28 And in response, one of the people said, "Your father has bound the people by an oath, saying: 'Cursed be the man who will eat any bread this day.' " (For the people were faint.)
29 And Jonathan said: "My father has troubled the land. You have seen for yourselves that my eyes were brightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
30 How much more so, if the people had eaten from the plunder that they find with their enemies? Would not a greater slaughter have been accomplished among the Philistines?"
31 Therefore, on that day, they struck down the Philistines, from Michmash as far as Aijalon. But the people were exceedingly wearied.
32 And turning to the spoils, they took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and they slew them on the ground. And the people ate with blood.
33 Then they reported to Saul, saying that the people had sinned against the Lord, eating with blood. And he said: "You have transgressed. Roll a great stone to me, here and now."
34 And Saul said: "Disperse yourselves among the common people, and tell each one of them to bring to me his ox and his ram, and to slay them upon this stone, and to eat, so that you will not sin against the Lord, in eating with blood." And so, each one, out of all the people, brought his ox, by his own hand, throughout the night. And they slew them there.
35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord. And so, it was then that he first began to build an altar to the Lord.
36 And Saul said: "Let us fall upon the Philistines by night, and lay waste to them even until the morning light. And let us not leave behind a man among them." And the people said, "Do all that seems good in your eyes." And the priest said, "Let us draw near to God in this place."
37 And Saul consulted the Lord: "Shall I pursue the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hands of Israel?" And he did not respond to him on that day.
38 And Saul said: "Bring here every single leader of the people. And we shall know and see by whom this sin was committed this day.
39 As the Lord lives, who is the Saviour of Israel, even if it were done by my son Jonathan, without retraction he shall die." In this, no one among all the people contradicted him.
40 And he said to all of Israel, "Separate yourselves on one side, and I, with my son Jonathan, will be on the other side." And the people responded to Saul, "Do what seems good in your eyes."
41 And Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel: "O Lord, God of Israel, grant a sign: Why is it that you will not respond to your servant this day? If this iniquity is in me, or in my son Jonathan, grant an indication. Or if this iniquity is in your people, grant a sanctification." And Jonathan and Saul were discovered, but the people were released.
42 And Saul said, "Cast lots between myself and Jonathan, my son." And Jonathan was caught.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." And Jonathan revealed to him, and said: "Truly, I tasted a little honey with the top of the staff that was in my hand. And behold, I shall die."
44 And Saul said, "May God do these things to me, and may he add these other things, for you shall surely die, Jonathan!"
45 And the people said to Saul: "Why should Jonathan have to die, who has accomplished this great salvation in Israel? This is wrong. As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head should fall to the ground. For he has wrought with God this day." Therefore, the people freed Jonathan, so that he would not die.
46 And Saul withdrew, and he did not pursue the Philistines. And the Philistines went away to their own places.
47 And Saul, his kingdom having been confirmed over Israel, was fighting against all his enemies on all sides: against Moab, and the sons of Ammon, and Edom, and the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. And wherever he turned himself, he was successful.
48 And gathering together an army, he struck Amalek. And he rescued Israel from the hand of those who would lay waste to them.
49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua. And as for the names of his two daughters: the name of the firstborn daughter was Merab, and the name of the younger one was Michal.
50 And the name of the wife of Saul was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the first ruler of his military was Abner, the son of Ner, the first cousin of Saul.
51 For Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner was the father of Abner, and the son of Abiel.
52 Now there was a powerful war against the Philistines during all the days of Saul. And so, whomever Saul had seen to be a strong man, and fit for battle, he joined him to himself.
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