 1 The day came that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison which is on the other side. But he did not tell his father. 2 Saul stayed in the edge of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree in Migron. And the people who were with him were about 600 men. 3 Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord's priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone. 4 Between the passages by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side. And the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The one crag was a pillar on the north in front of Michmash, and the other southward in front of Gibeah. 6 Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised ones. It may be that the Lord will work for us. For there is no restraint to the Lord, to save by many or by few. 7 His armor bearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart. Turn, for behold, I am with you according to your heart. 8 Jonathan said, Behold, we will go over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 If they say this to us, Stand still until we come to you, then we will stand still in our place and will not go up to them. 10 But if they say this, Come up to us, then we will go up, for the Lord has delivered them up into our hand. And this shall be a sign to us. 11 Both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come out of the holes where they have hidden themselves. 12 The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer and said, Come up to us, and we will teach you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armor bearer, Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel. 13 Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet and his armor bearer after him. They fell before Jonathan and his armor bearer killed after him. 14 This was the first blow, when Jonathan and his armor bearer struck about 20 men in about half of a furrow of an acre of a field. 15 There was trembling in the army, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the spoilers also trembled, and the earth quaked, and it was a very great trembling. 16 The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude had melted away and went on here and there. 17 Saul said to the people with him, Number now and see who is gone from us. And when they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. 18 Saul said to Ahiah, Bring the ark of God here. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel. 19 While Saul talked to the priest, the noise in the army of the Philistines grew greater. And Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand. 20 Saul and all the people with him gathered, and they went to the battle. And, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great panic. 21 The Hebrews that were with the Philistines before, who had gone up with them into the camp all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 All the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in mount Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, even they also followed them in the battle. 23 The Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle passed over to Bethaven. 24 The men of Israel were distressed on that day. For Saul had commanded the people saying, Cursed is the man who eats food until evening so that I may be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. 25 All the men of the land came into a forest and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the people had come into the woods, behold, a flow of honey. But no one put his hand to his mouth for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan did not hear when his father made the people swear. He put forth the end of the rod in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth and his eyes were lightened. 28 One from the people said, Your father strictly charged the people with an oath saying, Cursed is the man who eats food this day. And the people were weary. 29 Then Jonathan said, my father has troubled the land. Please see how my eyes have been lightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? For would not there have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? 31 They struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint. 32 The people flew on the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and killed them on the ground. And the people ate with the blood. 33 They told Saul saying, Behold, the people sin against the Lord in that they eat with the blood. And he said, You have transgressed. Roll a great stone to me today. 34 Saul said, Disperse among the people and say to them, Let each one bring his ox here and each one his sheep and kill them here and eat. Do not sin against the Lord in eating with the blood. Then each man of all the people brought his ox in his hand that night and killed them there. 35 Saul built an altar to the Lord. The same was the first altar that he built to the Lord. 36 Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night and spoil them until the morning light. Let us not leave a man of them. They said, Do all that seems good to you. Then the priest said, Let us draw near here to God. 37 Saul asked counsel of God: Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel? But He answered him not that day. 38 Saul said, Draw near here, all the chief of the people, and know and see what this sin has been today. 39 For, as the Lord lives, He who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered. 40 Then he said to all Israel, You be on one side, and Jonathan my son and I will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what seems good to you. 41 Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped. 42 Saul said, Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan. And Jonathan was taken. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan told him and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod in my hand. Behold me, I must die. 44 Saul answered, God do so and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan. 45 The people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has worked out this great salvation in 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 so that he did not die. 46 Then Saul stopped+ following the Philistines and the Philistines went to their own place. 47 Saul took the kingdom over Israel and fought against all his enemies on every side, with Moab, and with the children of Ammon, and with Edom, and with the kings of Zobah, and with the Philistines. And wherever he turned himself, he troubled them. 48 He gathered an army and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who spoiled them. 49 The sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua. And the names of his two daughters: the firstborn's name was Merab, and the name of the younger, Michal. 50 The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51 Kish was the father of Saul. And Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52 The war was heavy against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any brave man, he took him to himself.
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