1 Samuel 14

1Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that on the other side. But he told not his father. 2And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which in Migron: and the people that with him about six hundred men; 3And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Yahuah'S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. 4And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5The forefront of the one situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah. 6And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Yahuah will work for us: for no restraint to the Yahuah to save by many or by few. 7And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that in your heart: turn you; behold, I with you according to your heart. 8Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. 9If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them. 10But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the Yahuah has delivered them into our hand: and this a sign unto us. 11And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. 12And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the Yahuah has delivered them into the hand of Israel. 13And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him. 14And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, a yoke . 15And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling. 16And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down . 17Then said Saul unto the people that with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer not . 18And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of Elohim. For the ark of Elohim was at that time with the children of Israel. 19And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw your hand. 20And Saul and all the people that with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great discomfiture. 21Moreover the Hebrews were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp round about, even they also to be with the Israelites that with Saul and Jonathan. 22Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23So the Yahuah saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven. 24And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed the man that eateth food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted food. 25And all the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground. 26And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath. 27But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod that in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28Then answered one of the people, and said, your father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed the man that eateth food this day. And the people were faint. 29Then said Jonathan, My father has troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? 31And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint. 32And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew on the ground: and the people did eat with the blood. 33Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the Yahuah, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day. 34And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay here, and eat; and sin not against the Yahuah in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew there. 35And Saul built an altar unto the Yahuah: the same was the first altar that he built unto the Yahuah. 36And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto you. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto Elohim. 37And Saul asked counsel of Elohim, Shall I go down after the Philistines? will you deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day. 38And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin has been this day. 39For, the Yahuah liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But not a man among all the people answered him. 40Then said he 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 seemeth good unto you. 41Therefore Saul said unto the Yahuah Elohim of Israel, Give a perfect . And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped. 42And Saul said, Cast between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. 43Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that in mine hand, , lo, I must die. 44And Saul answered, Elohim do so and more also: for you shall surely die, Jonathan. 45And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? Elohim forbid: the Yahuah liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has wrought with Elohim this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not. 46Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place. 47So Saul took 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 turned himself, he vexed . 48And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them. 49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters ; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: 50And the name of Saul's wife Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51And Kish the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner the son of Abiel. 52And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.