20 Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, strikings each other with their swords. 21 Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp wentt over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 When all the Israelites who had hiddenu in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. 23 So on that day the Lord savedv Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.w

Jonathan Eats Honey

24 Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath,x saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!” So none of the troops tasted food.

25 The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb.y He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.c 28 Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food today!’ That is why the men are faint.”

29 Jonathan said, “My father has made troublez for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?”

31 That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Mikmasha to Aijalon,b they were exhausted. 32 They pounced on the plunderc and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood.d 33 Then someone said to Saul, “Look, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating meat that has bloode in it.”

“You have broken faith,” he said. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34 Then he said, “Go out among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood stillf in it.’ ”

So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altarg to the Lord; it was the first time he had done this.

36 Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.”

“Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied.

But the priest said, “Let us inquireh of God here.”

37 So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answeri him that day.

38 Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committedj today. 39 As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives,k even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan,l he must die.”m But not one of them said a word.

40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.”

“Do what seems best to you,” they replied.

41 Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault,d respond with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. 42 Saul said, “Cast the lotn between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”o

So Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honeyp with the end of my staff. And now I must die!”

44 Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,q if you do not die, Jonathan.r”

45 But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hairs of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescuedt Jonathan, and he was not put to death.