1 Kings 14
14
1Now it came to pass one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armour: Come, and let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines, which is on the other side of yonder place. But he told not this to his father.
2And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gabaa under the pomegranate tree, which was in Magron: and the people with him were about six hundred men.
3And Achias the son of Achitob brother to Ichabod the son of Phinees, the son of Heli the priest of the Lord in Silo, wore the ephod. And the people knew not whither Jonathan was gone.
4Now there were between the ascents, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the garrison of the Philistines, rocks standing up on both sides, and steep cliffs like teeth on the one side, and on the other. The name of the one was Boses, and the name of the other was Sene.
5One rock stood out towards the north over against Machmas; and the other to the south over against Gabaa.
6And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour: Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be the Lord will do for us, because it is easy for the Lord to save either by many, or by few.
7And his armourbearer said to him: Do all that pleaseth thy mind. Go whither thou wilt, and I will be with thee wheresoever thou hast a mind.
8And Jonathan said: Behold, we will go over to these men. And when we shall be seen by them,
9If they shall speak thus to us: Stay till we come to you; Let us stand still in our place, and not go up to them.
10But if they shall say: Come up to us; Let us go up, because the Lord hath delivered them into our hands. This shall be a sign unto us.
11So both of them discovered themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said: Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes wherein they were hid.
12And the men of the garrison spoke to Jonathan, and to his armourbearer, and said: Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armourbearer: Let us go up. Follow me; for the Lord hath delivered them into the hands of Israel.
13And Jonathan went up creeping on his hands and feet. And his armourbearer after him. And some fell before Jonathan, others his armourbearer slew as he followed him.
14And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armourbearer made was of about twenty men, within half an acre of land, which a yoke of oxen is wont to plough in a day.
15And there was a miracle in the camp, through the fields: yea and all the people of their garrison, who had gone out to plunder, were amazed. And the earth trembled: and it happened as a miracle from God.
16And the watchmen of Saul, who were in Gabaa of Benjamin looked. And behold a multitude overthrown, and fleeing this way and that.
17And Saul said to the people that were with him: Look, and see who is gone from us. And when they had sought, it was found that Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.
18And Saul said to Achias: Bring the ark of the Lord. (For the ark of God was there that day with the children of Israel.)
19And while Saul spoke to the priest, there arose a great uproar in the camp of the Philistines: and it increased by degrees, and was heard more clearly. And Saul said to the priest: Draw in thy hand.
20Then Saul and all the people that were with him, shouted together, and they came to the place of the fight. And behold every man's sword was turned upon his neighbour; and there was a very great slaughter.
21Moreover the Hebrews that had been with the Philistines yesterday and the day before, and went up with them into the camp, returned to be with the Israelites, who were with Saul and Jonathan.
22And all the Israelites that had hid themselves in Mount Ephraim, hearing that the Philistines fled, joined themselves with their countrymen in the fight. And there were with Saul about ten thousand men.
23And the Lord saved Israel that day. And the fight went on as far as Bethaven.
24And the men of Israel were joined together that day; and Saul adjured the people, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat food till evening, till I be revenged of my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
25And all the common people came into a forest, in which there was honey upon the ground.
26And when the people came into the forest, behold, the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth. For the people feared the oath.
27But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people: and he put forth the end of the rod, which he had in his hand, and dipt it in a honeycomb. And he carried his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
28And one of the people answering said: Thy father hath bound the people with an oath, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat any food this day. (And the people were faint.)
29And Jonathan said: My father hath troubled the land. You have seen yourselves that my eyes are enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey:
30How much more if the people had eaten of the prey of their enemies, which they found? Had there not been made a greater slaughter among the Philistines?
31So they smote that day the Philistines from Machmas to Ailon. And the people were wearied exceedingly.
32And falling upon the spoils, they took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground. And the people ate them with the blood.
33And they told Saul that the people had sinned against the Lord, eating with the blood. And he said: You have transgressed. Roll here to me now a great stone.
34And Saul said: Disperse yourselves among the people; and tell them to bring me every man his ox and his ram, and slay them upon this stone, and eat. And you shall not sin against the Lord in eating with the blood. So all the people brought every man his ox with him till the night; and slew them there.
35And Saul built an altar to the Lord; and he then first began to build an altar to the Lord.
36And Saul said: Let us fall upon the Philistines by night, and destroy them till the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And the people said: Do all that seemeth good in thy eyes. And the priest said: Let us draw near hither unto God.
37And Saul consulted the Lord: Shall I pursue after the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into the hands of Israel? And he answered him not that day.
38And Saul said: Bring hither all the corners of the people; and know, and see by whom this sin hath happened to-day.
39As the Lord liveth who is the saviour of Israel, if it was done by Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. In this none of the people gainsaid him.
40And he said to all Israel: Be you on one side, and I with Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people answered Saul: Do what seemeth good in thy eyes.
41And Saul said to the Lord: O Lord God of Israel, give a sign, by which we may know, what the meaning is, that thou answerest not thy servant to-day. If this iniquity be in me, or in my son Jonathan, give a proof: or if this iniquity be in thy people, give holiness. And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people escaped.
42And Saul said: Cast lots between me, and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
43And Saul said to Jonathan: Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said: I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod, which was in my hand; and behold, I must die.
44And Saul said: May God do so and so to me, and add still more: for dying thou shalt die, O Jonathan.
45And the people said to Saul: Shall Jonathan then die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? This must not be. As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground: for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people delivered Jonathan, that he should not die.
46And Saul went back, and did not pursue after the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own places.
47And Saul, having his kingdom established over Israel, fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and Edom, and the kings of Soba, and the Philistines; and whithersoever he turned himself, he overcame.
48And gathering together an army, he defeated Amalec, and delivered Israel from the hand of them that spoiled them.
49And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Jessui, and Melchisua. And the names of his two daughters, the name of the firstborn was Merob, and the name of the younger Michol.
50And the name of Saul's wife was Achinoam the daughter of Achimaas. And the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, the cousin german of Saul.
51For Cis was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was son of Abiel.
52And there was a great war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. For whomsoever Saul saw to be a valiant man, and fit for war, he took him to himself.
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1 Kings 14: DRC1752
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
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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