1 Samuel 14
14
Jonathan Leads the Counterattack
1One day#Literally “And it happened the day” Jonathan the son of Saul said to his armor bearer,#Literally “the young man carrying his weapons” “Come and let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines which is over there.” But he did not tell his father. 2Now Saul was staying at the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that was in Migron, and the troops that were with him were about six hundred men. 3Now Ahijah, the son of Ahitub (the brother of Ichabod), the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of Yahweh at Shiloh, was carrying an ephod. The troops did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4Now between the passes where Jonathan sought to go over to the garrison of the Philistines there was a crag of rock on one side#Literally “from the beyond from this” and a crag of rock on the other.#Literally “from the beyond from this” The name of the one was Bozez and the name of the other was Seneh. 5The one crag on the north was opposite Micmash and the other on the south was opposite Geba. 6So Jonathan said to his armor bearer,#Literally “the young man carrying his weapons” “Come, let us go over to the garrisons of these uncircumcised; perhaps Yahweh will act for us, for there is no hindrance for Yahweh to save by many or by few.” 7And his armor bearer#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” said, “Do all that is in your heart that you are inclined to do.#Literally “turn/incline for yourself” I am with you all of the way!#Literally “Behold, I am with you according to your heart” 8Then Jonathan said, “Look, we are about to go over to the men; and we will show ourselves to them. 9If they say to us: ‘Wait until we reach you,’ then we will stand as we are#Literally “and we will stand under us” and not go up to them. 10But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for Yahweh has given them into our hand, and this will be the sign for us.” 11So the two of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, and the Philistines said, “The Hebrews are coming out from the holes in which they have hidden themselves.” 12Then the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer,#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” “Come up to us and we will show you something!” Then Jonathan said to his armor bearer,#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” “Come up after me, for Yahweh has given them into the hand of Israel!” 13So Jonathan went up on his hands and his feet, with his armor bearer#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” after him. They fell before Jonathan and then his armor bearer#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” would kill them after him. 14So was the first attack in which Jonathan and his armor bearer#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” killed about twenty men within about half of a furrow in an acre of an open field. 15Then there was terror#Or “panic” in the camp, in the open field, and among all the army of the garrison. Even the raiders#Literally “destroyers” trembled. The earth shook, and it became a very great panic.#Literally “like the panic/terror of God”; some interpreters understand this to be a panic caused by God, while others understand the expression merely as a superlative (“a very great panic”)
16And the lookouts of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin saw that#Literally “and look” the multitude surged back and forth.#Literally “waved, going here and there” 17Saul said to the troops that were with him, “Please call the roll and see who has gone from us.” So they called the roll and found that#Literally “and look” Jonathan and his armor bearer#Literally “the one carrying his weapons” were not present. 18Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring near the ark of God”#LXX reads “bring near the ephod” (for the ark of God was at that time#Literally “on that day” with the Israelites).#Literally “sons/children of Israel” 19While#Hebrew “And” Saul was still speaking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more,#Literally “and it went, going and increasing” so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand!” 20Then Saul and all the troops who were with him were assembled on command and came up to the battle, and look! Each Philistine’s sword was against his friend; and there was a very great confusion. 21The Hebrews who had been for the Philistines previously,#Literally “as yesterday three days ago” who had gone up with them into the camp all around, even they joined the Israelites#Literally “were with Israel” who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22All the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, so even they pursued them closely in the battle. 23So on that day Yahweh delivered Israel, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven.
Saul’s Oath Leads to Trouble
24Now the men of Israel were hard pressed on that day, because Saul had made the army take an oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats any food until evening, when I will have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the army tasted any food. 25(Now all the people of the land used to go into the forest, for there was honey on the surface of the ground.) 26When the army came to the forest, look! There was honey flowing, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the army was afraid of the solemn oath.
27However, Jonathan had not heard about the oath of his father with the army, so he extended the end of the staff which was in his hand, and he dipped it into the honeycomb.#Hebrew “the honeycomb of the honey” Then he put his hand to his mouth and his eyes gleamed.#The Masoretic Hebrew text (Kethib) reads “saw”; the reading tradition (Qere) reads “gleamed” 28Then a man from the army informed him and said, “Your father made the army swear a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today,’ ” so the army is exhausted. 29Then Jonathan said, “My father has brought trouble on the land! See now that my eyes have brightened because I have tasted a little of this honey. 30How much more could have been done#Literally “even that if” if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder of their enemies that they had found! For now the loss among the Philistines is not great.” 31They defeated the Philistines that day from Micmash to Aijalon, and the troops were very weary.
32Then the troops took the plunder: they took sheep and cattle and calves#Literally “the children of cattle” and slaughtered them on the ground and the troops ate them all with the blood. 33So they reported it to Saul, saying, “Look! The troops are sinning against Yahweh by eating the animals with the blood!” And he said, “You have dealt treacherously! Roll to me a large stone today!”#Literally “the day” 34Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the troops and say to them, ‘Bring to me each one his ox and each his sheep and slaughter them in this place and eat, but do not sin against Yahweh by eating the animals with the blood.’ ” So all the troops brought them, each leading his ox in his hand that night, and slaughtered it there.
Jonathan Rescued from His Father Saul
35Then Saul built an altar to Yahweh; it was the first altar he built#Literally “with it he began to build an altar” to Yahweh. 36Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and let us plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave alive a man among them.” So they said, “Do all that is good in your eyes.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37So Saul inquired of God, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him on that day. 38Then Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people, so that we find out#Literally “and know and see” what the sin was this day. 39For as Yahweh lives, who delivers Israel, I swear that even if it is in Jonathan my son, he will certainly die!”#Literally “surely dying he will die” But nobody from all the army answered him. 40Then he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side,#Literally “opposite one” and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other.”#Literally “opposite one” And the army said to Saul, “Do what is good in your eyes.” 41Then Saul said to Yahweh the God of Israel, “Render a decision perfectly.”#Literally “give what is perfect”; the LXX includes additional words not found in the Masoretic Hebrew text but included in a number of modern English versions: “If this guilt is on me or in my son Jonathan, give Urim, but if this guilt is in your people Israel, give Thummim” Jonathan and Saul were chosen by lot and the people went out. 42Then Saul said, “Let them cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan,” and Jonathan was chosen. 43So Saul said, “Tell me what you have done.” So Jonathan told him and said, “I merely tasted#Literally “tasted I tasted” a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die.” 44Then Saul said, “So may God do to me and more,#Literally “so may he add” you will certainly die today, Jonathan!” 45But the army said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, who accomplished this great victory in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, not a hair from his head will fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the army ransomed Jonathan and he did not die.
46Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their place. 47So Saul took the kingship over Israel, and he fought all around against his enemies, against Moab, against the Ammonites,#Literally “sons/children of Ammon” against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. He inflicted punishment against all who rebelled. 48He acted bravely and defeated the Amalekites and rescued Israel from the hand of those who plundered it.
49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua; the names of his two daughters were as follows: the name of the firstborn was Merab and the younger was Michal. 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 uncle. 51Now Kish was the father of Saul, but Ner, the father of Abner, was the son of Abiel.
52Warfare was severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul. Whenever Saul saw anyone who was a mighty warrior#Literally “each man who was a mighty warrior” or any brave man,#Literally “each son of ability” he conscripted him into his service.#Literally “he gathered him to himself”
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1 Samuel 14: LEB
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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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