﻿1 Samuel.
Chapter 14.
One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man carrying his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 
Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah, under the pomegranate tree at Migron. The people with him numbered about six hundred men. 
Ahijah, son of Ahitub the brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the LORD’s priest at Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. The people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 
Between the passes where Jonathan sought to cross over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on one side and a rocky crag on the other. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh. 
One crag rose on the north facing Michmash, and the other on the south facing Geba. 
Jonathan said to the young man carrying his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will act for us, for nothing prevents the LORD from saving by many or by few.” 
His armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go ahead; I am with you, according to your heart.” 
Jonathan said, “We will cross over to the men and show ourselves to them. 
If they say to us, ‘Stay still until we come to you,’ we will stand where we are and not go up to them. 
But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hand. This will be our sign.” 
The two of them showed themselves to the Philistine garrison. The Philistines said, “Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have been hiding!” 
The men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come up to us, and we will teach you something!” Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.” 
Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer after him. They fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer put them to death behind him. 
In the first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in an area of about half an acre. 
Panic spread through the camp, the field, and all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled. The earth shook, and there was a panic from God. 
Saul’s lookouts at Gibeah of Benjamin saw that the throng was melting away and moving this way. 
Saul said to the people with him, “Take a count and see who has gone from us.” They counted, and Jonathan and his armor-bearer were missing. 
Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here,” for the ark of God was with the Israelites at that time. 
While Saul was speaking to the priest, the uproar in the Philistine camp grew greater and greater. Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 
Saul and all the people with him assembled and went into battle. Every man’s sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. 
The Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them into the camp all around also joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 
When all the men of Israel who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, they too pursued them closely in the battle. 
The LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle passed beyond Beth-aven. 
The men of Israel were hard pressed that day, for Saul had put the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats any food until evening, until I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted any food. 
All the people of the land came into the forest, and there was honey on the ground. 
When the people entered the forest, honey was flowing, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 
Jonathan had not heard his father put the people under the oath. He extended the tip of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth. His eyes brightened. 
One of the people said, “Your father solemnly put the people under an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats any food today.’” The people were faint. 
Jonathan said, “My father has brought trouble on the land. See how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 
How much better if the people had eaten freely today from the spoil they found among their enemies! Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been greater?” 
That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint. 
The people swooped upon the spoil. They took sheep, cattle, and calves, slaughtered them on the ground, and ate with the blood. 
They told Saul, “The people are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood.” He said, “You have acted treacherously. Roll a large stone to me today.” 
Saul said, “Go out among the people and tell them, ‘Let each man bring me his ox or his sheep. Slaughter them here and eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.’” That night all the people brought their oxen with them, each man his own, and slaughtered them there. 
Saul built an altar to the LORD. This was the first altar he built to the LORD. 
Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until morning light. Let us not leave a man of them alive.” They said, “Do whatever is good in your eyes.” But the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 
Saul 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. 
Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people. Find out and see how this sin has occurred today. 
For as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, even if it is in my son Jonathan, he will surely die.” But no one among all the people answered him. 
He said to all Israel, “You stand on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will stand on the other.” The people said to Saul, “Do what is good in your eyes.” 
Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Give a true answer.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen, and the people went free. 
Saul said, “Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan.” Jonathan was chosen. 
Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” Jonathan told him, “I did taste a little honey with the tip of the staff in my hand. Here I am; I must die.” 
Saul said, “May God do so to me and more also, for you will surely die, Jonathan.” 
But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has brought this great deliverance to Israel? Far be it! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die. 
Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back to their own place. 
Saul took the kingship over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment. 
He acted valiantly and struck Amalek, delivering Israel from the hand of its plunderers. 
Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. The names of his two daughters were Merab, the firstborn, and Michal, the younger. 
Saul’s wife was named Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz. The commander of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 
Kish was Saul’s father, and Ner, Abner’s father, was the son of Abiel. 
There was fierce war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. Whenever Saul saw a mighty man or a valiant man, he took him into his service. 
