1 Samuel Chapter 14

1 Samuel Chapter 14
1 Then on a day Jonathan the son of Saul
said unto the young man that bear his
armor, Come and let us go over toward
the Philistines' garrison, that is yonder
on the other side, but he told not his
father.
2 And Saul tarried in the border of
Gibeah under a pomegranate tree, which
was in Migron, and the people that were
with him , were about six hundred men.
3 And Ahijah the son of Ahitub,
Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas,
the son of Eli, was the Lord's priest in
Shiloh, and wore an ephod: and the
people knew not that Jonathan was gone.
4 Now in the way whereby Jonathan
sought to go over to the Philistines'
garrison, there was a sharp rock on the
one side, and a sharp rock on the other
side: the name of the one was called
Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The one rock stretched from the north
toward Michmash, and the other was
from the south toward Gibeah.
6 And Jonathan said to the young man
that bear his armor, Come, and let us go
over unto the garrison of these
uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord
will work with us: for it is not hard to
the Lord to save with many, or with few.
7 And he that bear his armor, said unto
him, Do all that is in thine heart: go
where it pleaseth thee: behold, I am with
thee as thine heart desireth. 8 Then said
Jonathan, Behold, we go over unto those
men, and will show ourselves unto them.
9 If they say on this wise to us, Tarry
until we come to you, then we will stand
still in our place, and not go up to them.
10 But if they say, Come up unto us, then
we will go up: for the Lord hath
delivered them into our hand: and this
shall be a sign unto us. 11 So they both
showed themselves unto the garrison of
the Philistines: and the Philistines said,
See, the Hebrews come out of the holes
wherein they had hid themselves.
12 And the men of the garrison answered
Jonathan, and his armor bearer, and said,
Come up to us: for we will show you a
thing. Then Jonathan said unto his armor
bearer, Come up after me: for the Lord
hath delivered them into the hand of
Israel.
13 So Jonathan went up upon his hands
and upon his feet, and his armor bearer
after him: and some fell before Jonathan,
and his armor bearer slew others after
him.
14 So the first slaughter which Jonathan
and his armor bearer made, was about
twenty men, as it were within half an
acre of land which two oxen plow. 15
And there was a fear in the host, and in
the field, and among all the people: the
garrison also, and they that went out to
spoil, were afraid themselves: and the
earth trembled: for it was stricken with
fear by God. 16 Then the watchmen of
Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin saw: and
behold, the multitude was discomfited,
and smitten as they went.
17 Therefore said Saul unto the people
that were with him, Search now and see,
who is gone from us. And when they had
numbered, behold, Jonathan and his
armor bearer were not there.
18 And Saul said unto Ahijah, Bring
hither the ark of God (for the ark of God
was at that time with the children of
Israel)
19 And while Saul talked unto the priest,
the noise that was in the host of the
Philistines, spread farther abroad, and
increased: therefore Saul said unto the
priest, Withdraw thine hand.
20 And Saul was assembled with all the
people that were with him, and they
came to the battle: and behold, every
man's sword was against his fellow, and
there was a very great discomfiture.
21 Moreover, the Hebrews that were
with the Philistines before time, and
were come with them into all parts of the
host, even they also turned to be with the
Israelites that were with Saul and
Jonathan.
22 Also all the men of Israel which had
hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when
they heard, that the Philistines were fled,
they followed after them in the battle.
23 And so the Lord saved Israel that
day: and the battle continued unto
Bethaven. 24 And at that time the men of
Israel were pressed with hunger: for
Saul charged the people with an oath,
saying, Cursed be the man that eateth
food till night, that I may be avenged of
mine enemies: so none of the people
tasted any sustenance.
25 And all they of the land came to a
wood, where honey lay upon the ground.
26 And the people came into the wood,
and behold, the honey dropped, and no
man moved his hand to his mouth: for the
people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan
heard not when his father charged the
people with the oath: wherefore he put
forth the end of the rod that was in his
hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb,
and put his hand to his mouth, and his
eyes received sight. 28 Then answered
one of the people, and said, Thy father
made the people to swear, saying,
Cursed be the man that eateth sustenance
this day: and the people were faint.
29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath
troubled the land: see now how mine
eyes are made clear, because I have
tasted a little of this honey: 30 How
much more, if the people had eaten today
of the spoil of their enemies which they
found? For had there not been now a
greater slaughter among the Philistines?
31 And they smote the Philistines that
day, from Michmash to Aijalon: and the
people were exceeding faint.
32 So the people turned to the spoil, and
took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and
slew them on the ground, and the people
did eat them with the blood. 33 Then
men told Saul, saying, Behold, the
people sin against the Lord, in that they
eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have
trespassed: roll a great stone unto me
this day.
34 Again Saul said, Go abroad among
the people, and bid them bring me every
man his ox, and every man his sheep,
and slay them here, and eat and sin not
against the Lord in eating with the blood.
And the people brought every man his ox
in his hand that night, and slew them
there.
35 Then Saul made an altar unto the
Lord , and that was the first altar that he
made unto the Lord.
36 And Saul said, Let us go down after
the Philistines by night, and spoil them
until the morning shine, and let us not
leave a man of them. And they said, Do
whatsoever thou thinkest best. Then said
the priest, Let us draw near hither unto
God.
37 So Saul asked of God, saying, Shall I
go down after the Philistines? Wilt thou
deliver them into the hands of Israel?
But he answered him not at that time.
38 And Saul said, All ye chief of the
people, come ye hither, and know, and
see by whom this sin is done this day.
39 For as the Lord liveth, which saveth
Israel, though it be done by Jonathan my
son, he shall die the death. But none of
all the people answered him. 40 Then he
said unto all Israel, Be ye on one side,
and I and Jonathan my son will be on the
other side. And the people said unto
Saul, Do what thou thinkest best.
41 Then Saul said unto the Lord God of
Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Jonathan
and Saul were taken, but the people
escaped.
42 And Saul said, Cast lot between me
and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was
taken.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me
what thou hast done. And Jonathan told
him, and said, I tasted a little honey with
the end of the rod, that was in mine hand,
and lo, I must die.
44 Again Saul answered, God do so and
more also, unless thou die the death,
Jonathan.
45 And the people said unto Saul, Shall
Jonathan die, who hath so mightily
delivered Israel? God forbid. 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 died
not.
46 Then Saul came up from the
Philistines: and the Philistines went to
their own place.
47 So Saul held the kingdom over Israel,
and fought against all his enemies on
every side, against Moab, and against
the children of Ammon, and against
Edom, and against the kings of Zobah,
and against the Philistines: and
whithersoever he went, he handled them
as wicked men.
48 He gathered also an host and smote
Amalek, and delivered Israel out of the
hands of them that spoiled them.
49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan,
and Ishui, and Malchishua: and the
names of his two daughters, the elder
was called Merab, and the younger was
named Michal.
50 And the name of Saul's wife was
Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz: and
the name of his chief captain was Abner
the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51 And
Kish was Saul's father: and Ner the
father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52 And there was sore war against the
Philistines all the days of Saul: and
whomsoever Saul saw to be a strong
man, and meet for the war, he took him
unto him.