1 Samuel 14

14¹That same day Saul’s son Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.” However, he did not tell his father.

²Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron ^don the outskirts of Gibeah. ^efThe troops with him numbered about 600. ^g3Ahijah, ^hwho was wearing an ephod, ⁱwas also there. He was the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod ^json of Phinehas, son of Eli the Lord’s priest at Shiloh. ^kBut the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.

⁴There were sharp columns ^lof rock on both sides of the pass ^mthat Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine garrison. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh; ⁵one stood to the north in front of Michmash and the other to the south in front of Geba. ⁶Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. ⁿPerhaps the Lord will help us. Nothing can keep the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” ^o

⁷His armor-bearer responded, “Do what is in your heart. You choose. I’m right here with you whatever you decide.”

⁸“All right,” Jonathan replied, “we’ll cross over to the men and then let them see us. ⁹If they say, ‘Wait until we reach you,’ then we will stay where we are and not go up to them. ¹⁰But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we’ll go up, because the Lord has handed them over to us—that will be our sign.”

¹¹They let themselves be seen by the Philistine garrison, and the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they’ve been hiding!” ¹²The men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor-bearer. “Come on up, and we’ll teach you a lesson!” they said.

“Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the Lord has handed them over to Israel.” ^p13Jonathan climbed up using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. Jonathan cut them down, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off. ¹⁴In that first assault Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about 20 men in a half-acre field.

A Defeat for the Philistines

¹⁵Terror spread through the Philistine camp and the open fields to all the troops. Even the garrison and the raiding parties ^qwere terrified. The earth shook, ^rand terror spread from God. ^st16When Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, they saw the panicking troops scattering in every direction. ¹⁷So Saul said to the troops with him, “Call the roll and determine who has left us.” They called the roll and saw that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were gone.

¹⁸Saul told Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God,” for it was with the Israelites ^uat that time. ¹⁹While Saul spoke to the priest, ^vthe panic in the Philistine camp increased in intensity. So Saul said to the priest, “Stop what you’re doing.” ^w

²⁰Saul and all the troops with him assembled and marched to the battle, and there, the Philistines were fighting against each other in great confusion! ^x21There were Hebrews from the area who had gone earlier into the camp to join the Philistines, but even they joined the Israelites ^ywho were with Saul and Jonathan. ²²When all the Israelite men who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim ^zheard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined Saul and Jonathan in the battle. ²³So the Lord saved Israel that day. ^a

Saul’s Rash Oath

The battle extended beyond Beth-aven, ²⁴and the men of Israel were worn out that day, for Saul had ^bplaced the troops under an oath: ^c“The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed.” So none of the troops tasted any food.

²⁵Everyone ^dwent into the forest, and there was honey on the ground. ²⁶When the troops entered the forest, they saw the flow of honey, but none of them ate any of it ^ebecause they feared the oath. ²⁷However, Jonathan had not heard his father make the troops swear the oath. He reached out with the end of the staff he was carrying and dipped it into the honeycomb. ^fWhen he ate the honey, ^ghe had renewed energy. ^h28Then, one of the troops said, “Your father made the troops solemnly swear, ‘The man who eats food today is cursed,’ and the troops are exhausted.”

²⁹Jonathan replied, “My father has brought trouble to the land. ⁱJust look at how I have renewed energy because I tasted a little honey. ³⁰How much better if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Then the slaughter of the Philistines would have been much greater.”

³¹The Israelites struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash ^jall the way to Aijalon. ^kSince the Israelites were completely exhausted, ³²they rushed to the plunder, ^ltook sheep, cattle, and calves, slaughtered them on the ground, and ate meat with the blood still in it. ³³Some reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood still in it.” ^m

Saul said, “You have been unfaithful. Roll a large stone over here at once.” ³⁴He then said, “Go among the troops and say to them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep. Do the slaughtering here and then you can eat. Don’t sin against the Lord by eating meat with the blood in it.’ ” So every one of the troops brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. ³⁵Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar to the Lord. ⁿ

³⁶Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until morning. Don’t let even one remain!”

“Do whatever you want,” ^othe troops replied.

But the priest ^psaid, “We must consult God here.” ^q

³⁷So Saul inquired of God, ^r“Should I go after the Philistines? Will You hand them over to Israel?” But God did not answer him that day. ^s

³⁸Saul said, “All you leaders of the troops, come here. Let us investigate how this sin has occurred today. ³⁹As surely as the Lord lives who saves Israel, even if it is because of my son Jonathan, he must die!” Not one of the troops answered him.

⁴⁰So he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.”

And the troops replied, “Do whatever you want.” ^t

⁴¹So Saul said to the Lord, “God of Israel, give us the right decision.” ^uvJonathan and Saul were selected, and the troops were cleared of the charge.

⁴²Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan,” and Jonathan was selected. ⁴³Saul commanded him, “Tell me what you did.” ^w

Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey ^xwith the end of the staff I was carrying. I am ready to die!”

⁴⁴Saul declared to him, “May God punish me and do so severely ^yif you do not die, Jonathan!”

⁴⁵But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? No, as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, ^zfor he worked with God’s help today.” ^aSo the people redeemed Jonathan, and he did not die. ⁴⁶Then Saul gave up the pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own territory.

Summary of Saul’s Kingship

⁴⁷When Saul assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies in every direction: against Moab, the Ammonites, ^bEdom, the kings of Zobah, ^cand the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he caused havoc. ^d48He fought bravely, defeated the Amalekites, ^eand delivered Israel from the hand of those who plundered them.

⁴⁹Saul’s sons ^fwere Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. The names of his two daughters were: Merab, ^ghis firstborn, and Michal, ^hthe younger. ⁵⁰The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner son of Saul’s uncle Ner. ⁱ⁵¹Saul’s father was Kish. ^jAbner’s father was Ner son of Abiel.

⁵²The conflict with the Philistines was fierce all of Saul’s days, so whenever Saul noticed any strong or brave man, he enlisted him. ^k