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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Shemu’ĕl Aleph (1 Samuel) 14: TS2009
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1 Samuel 14
14
1One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.
2Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, 3among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left.
4On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. 5One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba.
6Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”
7“Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”
8Jonathan said, “Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. 9If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you,’ we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the Lord has given them into our hands.”
11So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.” 12The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us and we’ll teach you a lesson.”
So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Climb up after me; the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.”
13Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. 14In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre.
Israel Routs the Philistines
15Then panic struck the whole army—those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties—and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God.#14:15 Or a terrible panic
16Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. 17Then Saul said to the men who were with him, “Muster the forces and see who has left us.” When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there.
18Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (At that time it was with the Israelites.)#14:18 Hebrew; Septuagint “Bring the ephod.” (At that time he wore the ephod before the Israelites.) 19While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”
20Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. 21Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. 23So on that day the Lord saved Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.
Jonathan Eats Honey
24Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.
25The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. 27But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.#14:27 Or his strength was renewed; similarly in verse 29 28Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.”
29Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. 30How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”
31That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Mikmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted. 32They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood. 33Then someone said to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating meat that has blood in it.”
“You have broken faith,” he said. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34Then he said, “Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood still in it.’ ”
So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had done this.
36Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.”
“Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied.
But the priest said, “Let us inquire of God here.”
37So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer him that day.
38Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. 39As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of them said a word.
40Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.”
“Do what seems best to you,” they replied.
41Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault,#14:41 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have “Why… at fault. respond with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. 42Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.
43Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”
So Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the end of my staff. And now I must die!”
44Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan.”
45But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.
46Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.
47After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings#14:47 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint king of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them.#14:47 Hebrew; Septuagint he was victorious 48He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.
Saul’s Family
49Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal. 50His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul’s army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul’s uncle. 51Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.
52All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service.
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