1 Samuel 14

Jonathan Goes toward the Philistine Garrison

1One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man carrying his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistine garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2Saul was staying at the edge of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that is in Migron, and the people who were with him were about six hundred men. 3Ahijah son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, priest of the LORD at Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. The people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4Between the passes by which Jonathan sought to cross over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on one side and a rocky crag on the other side. The name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5One crag rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Geba.

Perhaps the LORD Will Act for Us

6Jonathan said to the young man carrying his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. Perhaps the LORD will act for us, for nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few.” 7His armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Turn where you wish. Look, I am with you according to your heart.” 8Jonathan said, “Look, we will cross over to the men and reveal ourselves to them. 9If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand in our place and not go up to them. 10But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hand. This shall be the sign for us.”

Jonathan and His Armor-Bearer Attack

11The two of them revealed themselves to the Philistine garrison. The Philistines said, “Look, Hebrews are coming out from the holes where they hid themselves.” 12The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor-bearer and said, “Come up to us, and we will make something known to you.” Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.” 13Jonathan climbed up on his hands and his feet, and his armor-bearer after him. They fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer put them to death after him. 14That first slaughter that Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of field.

Panic Spreads through the Philistine Camp

15Then there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled. The earth quaked, and it became a trembling from God. 16Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude was melting away and going here and there. 17Saul said to the people who were with him, “Please count and see who has gone from us.” They counted, and behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. 18Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring near the ark of God.” For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel. 19And it happened while Saul was speaking to the priest that the tumult in the camp of the Philistines kept increasing. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

Israel Joins the Battle

20Saul and all the people who were with him were called together and came to the battle. And behold, every Philistine’s sword was against his companion, a very great confusion. 21Now the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines formerly, who had gone up with them into the camp all around, even they turned to be with Israel who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22Also all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, and they too pursued them closely in the battle. 23So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle passed beyond Beth-Aven.

Saul Binds the People with an Oath

24Now the men of Israel were hard pressed that day, for Saul had put the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats food before evening and before I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. 25All the people of the land came into the forest, and there was honey upon the ground. 26When the people came into the forest, behold, honey was dripping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 27But Jonathan had not heard when his father put the people under oath. He stretched out the end of the staff that was in his hand, dipped it in the honeycomb, and returned his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. 28Then one man from the people answered and said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’” And the people were faint. 29Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See, please, how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30How much more if the people had freely eaten today from the spoil of their enemies that they found! For now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great.”

The People Eat with the Blood

31They struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people became very faint. 32The people rushed upon the spoil, took sheep, cattle, and calves, slaughtered them on the ground, and the people ate them with the blood. 33They told Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood.” He said, “You have acted unfaithfully. Roll a great stone to me today.” 34Saul said, “Scatter yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Bring near to me each his ox and each his sheep, slaughter them here and eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.’” So all the people brought near each his ox in his hand that night and slaughtered them there. 35Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar he built to the LORD.

The Lot Falls on Jonathan

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 among them.” They said, “Do whatever is good in your eyes.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near here to God.” 37Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him that day. 38Saul said, “Come near here, all the chiefs of the people, and know and see how this sin happened today. 39For as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, even if it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was no one among all the people who answered him. 40He said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” The people said to Saul, “Do what is good in your eyes.” 41Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Give a perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people went free. 42Saul said, “Cast between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken. 43Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” Jonathan told him and said, “I merely tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Look, I will die.” 44Saul said, “Thus may God do and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

The People Rescue Jonathan

45But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for with God he has worked this day.” So the people ransomed Jonathan, and he did not die. 46Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

Saul’s Wars and Household

47When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies around: against Moab, the children of Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment. 48He acted valiantly and struck Amalek and rescued Israel from the hand of those who plundered them. 49The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-Shua. The names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab and the name of the younger Michal. 50The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 51Kish was Saul’s father, and Ner father of Abner was son of Abiel. 52The war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul. Whenever Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he gathered him to himself.