CHAPTER 14
One day
Jonathan
son
of Saul
said
to
the young man
bearing
his armor,
“Come,
let us cross over
to
the Philistine
outpost
on the other side.”
But Jonathan did not
tell
his father.
Meanwhile, Saul
was staying
under
the pomegranate tree
in Migron
on the outskirts
of Gibeah.
And the troops
who were
with him
numbered about six
hundred
men,
including Ahijah,
who was wearing
an ephod.
He was the son
of Ichabod's
brother
Ahitub
son
of Phinehas,
the son
of Eli
the priest
of the LORD
in Shiloh.
But the troops
did not
know
that
Jonathan
had left.
Now there were cliffs
on both sides
of the pass
that
Jonathan
intended
to cross
to reach
the Philistine
outpost.
One
was named
Bozez
and the other
Seneh.
Jonathan
said
to
the young man
bearing
his armor,
“Come,
let us cross over
to
the outpost
of these
uncircumcised men.
Perhaps
the LORD
will work
on our behalf.
Nothing
can hinder
the LORD
from saving,
whether by many
or
by few."
But if
they say,
‘Come on up,’
then we will go up,
because
this
will be our sign
that the LORD
has delivered them
into our hands.”
So the two of them
showed themselves
to
the outpost
of the Philistines,
who
exclaimed,
“Look,
the Hebrews
are coming out
of
the holes
in which
they were hiding!”
So the men
of the outpost
called out
to Jonathan
and his armor-bearer,
“Come on up,
and we will teach
you a lesson!”
“Follow
me,”
Jonathan
told
his armor-bearer,
“for
the LORD
has delivered them
into the hand
of Israel.”
Then Jonathan
climbed up
on his hands
and feet,
with his armor-bearer
behind him.
And the Philistines fell
before
Jonathan,
and his armor-bearer
followed
and finished them off.
In that first
assault,
Jonathan
and his armor-bearer
struck down
about twenty
men
over half
an acre
of land.
Terror
struck the Philistines
in the camp,
in the field,
and among all
the people.
Even those in the outposts
and raiding parties
trembled.
Indeed,
the earth
quaked
and panic
spread
from God.
Now when Saul's
watchmen
at Gibeah
in Benjamin
looked
and saw
the troops
melting away
and scattering
in every direction,
Saul
said
to the troops
with him,
“Call the roll
and see
who
has left
us.”
And when they had called the roll,
they saw
that Jonathan
and his armor-bearer
were not there.
While
Saul
was talking
to
the priest,
the commotion
in the Philistine
camp
continued to
increase.
So Saul
said
to
the priest,
“Withdraw
your hand.”
Then Saul
and all
his troops
assembled
and marched
to
the battle,
and they found the Philistines
in very
great
confusion,
with each man
wielding
the sword
against his neighbor.
And the Hebrews
who had
previously
gone up
into the surrounding camps
of the Philistines
now went over to
the Israelites
who
were with
Saul
and Jonathan.
When all
the Israelites
who had been hiding
in the hill country
of Ephraim
heard
that
the Philistines
were fleeing,
they
also
joined
Saul and Jonathan in the battle.
Now the men
of Israel
were in distress
that
day,
for Saul
had placed the troops
under an oath,
saying,
“Cursed is
the man
who
eats
any food
before
evening,
before I have taken vengeance
on my enemies.”
So none
of the troops
tasted
any food.
And when they
entered
the forest
and saw
the flowing
honey,
not one of them
put
his hand
to
his mouth,
because
they
feared
the oath.
Jonathan, however,
had not
heard that
his father
had charged the people
with the oath.
So he reached out
the end
of the staff
in his hand,
dipped
it into the honeycomb,
and put
his hand
to
his mouth;
and his eyes
brightened.
Then
one
of the soldiers
told him,
“Your father
bound the troops
with a solemn oath,
saying,
‘Cursed is
the man
who
eats
food
today.’
That is why the people
are faint.”
“My father
has brought trouble
to the land,”
Jonathan
replied.
“Just look
at how
my eyes
have brightened
because
I tasted
a little
of this
honey.
How much better it would have been
if
the troops
had eaten
freely today
from the plunder
they took
from their enemies!
Would not
the slaughter
of the Philistines
have been much greater?”
That
day,
after the Israelites had struck down
the Philistines
from Michmash
to Aijalon,
the people
were very
faint.
So they rushed greedily
to
the plunder,
taking
sheep,
cattle,
and calves.
They slaughtered them
on the ground
and ate
meat with
the blood still in it.
Then someone reported
to Saul:
“Look,
the troops
are sinning
against the LORD
by eating
meat with
the blood still in it.”
“You have broken faith,”
said Saul.
“Roll
a large
stone
over here
at once.”
Then he
said,
“Go
among the troops
and tell them,
‘Each man
must bring
me
his ox
or his sheep,
slaughter them
in this place,
and then eat.
Do not
sin
against the LORD
by eating
meat with
the blood still in it.’”
So that night
everyone
brought
his ox
and slaughtered
it there.
And Saul
said,
“Let us go down
after
the Philistines
by night
and plunder
them until
dawn,
leaving
no
man alive!”
“Do
whatever
seems good
to you,”
the troops replied.
But the priest
said,
“We must consult
God
here.”
So Saul
inquired
of God,
“Shall I go down
after
the Philistines?
Will You give
them into the hand
of Israel?”
But God did not
answer
him that
day.
Therefore Saul
said,
“Come
here,
all
you leaders
of the troops,
and let us investigate
how
this
sin
has occurred
today.
As surely as the LORD
lives
who delivers
Israel,
even
if
it is
my son
Jonathan,
he must die!”
But not one
of the troops
said
a word.
Then Saul said
to
all
Israel,
“You
stand
on one
side,
and I
and my son
Jonathan
will stand
on the other
side.”
And the troops
replied,
“Do
what seems good
to you.”
So Saul
said
to
the LORD,
the God
of Israel,
“[Why have You not answered Your servant
with Thummim.”
And Jonathan
and Saul
were selected,
but the people
were cleared of the charge.
“Tell
me what
you have done,”
Saul
commanded
him.
So Jonathan
told him,
“I only
tasted
a little
honey
with the end
of the staff
that was
in my hand.
And now I must die?”
And Saul
declared
“May God
punish me,
and ever so
severely,
if you, Jonathan,
do not
surely
die!”
But the people
said
to
Saul,
“Must Jonathan
die—
he who
accomplished
such
a great
deliverance
for Israel?
Never!
As surely as the LORD
lives,
not
a hair
of his head
will fall
to the ground,
for
with
God's help
he has accomplished this
today."
So the people
rescued
Jonathan,
and he did not
die.
Then Saul
gave up
his pursuit
of the Philistines,
and the Philistines
returned
to their own land.
After Saul
had assumed
the kingship
over
Israel,
he fought
against all
his enemies
on every side—
the Moabites,
the Ammonites,
the Edomites,
the kings
of Zobah,
and the Philistines.
Wherever
he turned,
he routed them.
He fought
valiantly
and defeated
the Amalekites,
delivering
Israel
from the hands
of its plunderers.
Now the sons
of Saul
were
Jonathan,
Ishvi,
and Malchishua.
His two
daughters
were named
Merab
(his firstborn)
and Michal
(his younger daughter).
His
wife's
name
was Ahinoam
daughter
of Ahimaaz.
The name
of the commander
of his army
was Abner,
son
of Saul’s
uncle
Ner.
And the war
with
the Philistines
was
fierce
for all
the days
of Saul.
So whenever he
noticed
any
strong
or brave
man,
he would enlist him.