1 Samuel

¹One day Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, 'Let's go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.' He said nothing to his father about it.

²Saul was sitting on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron, with about six hundred men.

³Among them was Ahijah, son of Ahitub, who was the brother of Ichabod and son of Phinehas son of Eli, the LORD's priest at Shiloh. He was wearing the ephod. No one knew Jonathan had left.

⁴On each side of the rocky pass Jonathan planned to cross stood a sharp crag — one named Bozez and the other Seneh.

⁵One crag faced north toward Michmash, and the other faced south toward Gibeah.

⁶Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, 'Come, let's cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will act on our behalf, because nothing prevents the LORD from saving — whether by many or by few.'

⁷His armor-bearer replied, 'Do whatever you have in mind. I'm completely with you.'

⁸Jonathan said, 'All right, then — we'll cross over and show ourselves to them.'

⁹'If they say, Wait there until we come to you, then we'll stay put and not go up.'

¹⁰'But if they say, Come up to us — then we'll climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands.'

¹¹So they revealed themselves to the Philistine garrison. 'Look!' the Philistines said. 'The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they have been hiding in.'

¹²The men of the garrison called out to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, 'Come up here and we'll teach you a thing or two!' Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, 'Climb up after me — the LORD has given them into Israel's hands!'

¹³Jonathan climbed up using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines, and his armor-bearer finished them off.

¹⁴In that first assault, Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed about twenty men within half an acre of ground.

¹⁵Panic struck the whole Philistine army — those in the camp, those in the field, and those in the outposts. The ground itself shook. It was a tremendous panic.

¹⁶Saul's lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw that the Philistine army was melting away, falling in all directions.

¹⁷Saul said to the troops, 'Take a count and find out who has left us.' They checked and found that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were gone.

¹⁸Saul said to Ahijah, 'Bring the ark of God.' At that time the ark of God was with the Israelites.

¹⁹While Saul was talking to the priest, the commotion in the Philistine camp kept growing louder. So Saul told the priest, 'Never mind — pull back your hand.'

²⁰Saul and all his troops rallied together and entered the battle. The Philistines were in total confusion, fighting each other.

²¹The Hebrews who had previously defected to the Philistines and had been serving in their army now switched sides and joined the Israelites with Saul and Jonathan.

²²Likewise, when all the Israelites hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined the pursuit.

²³So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on past Beth Aven.

²⁴The Israelite troops were exhausted that day, because Saul had bound them under an oath: 'Cursed is any man who eats food before evening comes, before I have been avenged on my enemies.' So no one ate.

²⁵The whole army passed through a forest where honey lay on the ground.

²⁶When they entered the forest and saw the honey dripping, no one dared to eat any of it, because everyone feared the oath.

²⁷But Jonathan had not heard his father impose the oath on the troops. He dipped the end of his stick into the honeycomb, raised it to his mouth, and immediately felt revived.

²⁸Then one of the men told him, 'Your father strictly bound the army under oath today, saying, Cursed is anyone who eats food today. So the men are exhausted.'

²⁹Jonathan said, 'My father has made trouble for the whole country. Look how my eyes brightened just from tasting a little of this honey!'

³⁰'Think how much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from what they found among the enemy! Wouldn't the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?'

³¹That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, but the troops were utterly exhausted.

³²The men rushed at the plunder, seizing sheep, cattle, and calves and butchering them right on the ground. They ate with the blood still in the meat.

³³Someone reported to Saul, 'The troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.' Saul said, 'You have broken faith. Roll a large stone over here right now.'

³⁴Then Saul ordered, 'Spread out among the people and tell them to each bring their ox or sheep and slaughter it here, then eat it. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with blood in it.' So that night everyone brought their animals and slaughtered them there.

³⁵There Saul built an altar to the LORD — his first altar to the LORD.

³⁶Saul said, 'Let's go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until daylight. Let's not leave a single man alive.' 'Do whatever seems best to you,' they replied. But the priest said, 'Let us first ask God for guidance.'

³⁷Saul asked God, 'Should I go down to pursue the Philistines? Will you give them over to Israel?' But God did not answer him that day.

³⁸Then Saul said, 'Come here, all you leaders of the army. We need to find out what sin has been committed today.'

³⁹'As surely as the LORD who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.' But no one from the army said a word.

⁴⁰Then Saul said to all Israel, 'You stand on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will stand on the other.' The people replied, 'Whatever you think is best.'

⁴¹Saul prayed, 'LORD God of Israel, give me the true answer.' The lot fell on Saul and Jonathan, while the rest of the people were cleared.

⁴²Then Saul said, 'Cast the lot between me and Jonathan.' And Jonathan was indicated.

⁴³Saul said to Jonathan, 'Tell me what you have done.' Jonathan replied, 'I simply tasted a little honey from the end of my stick. Must I die for that?'

⁴⁴'Yes, Jonathan, you must die! May God deal with me severely if you do not!' Saul declared.

⁴⁵But the men said to Saul, 'Should Jonathan die — Jonathan, who has won this great victory for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, because he acted with God's help today.' So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

⁴⁶Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own territory.

⁴⁷After taking control of Israel's kingdom, Saul fought against all his enemies on every side — against Moab, Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he prevailed.

⁴⁸He fought valiantly, defeated the Amalekites, and rescued Israel from those who had been raiding them.

⁴⁹Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-shua. He also had two daughters: the older was Merab and the younger was Michal.

⁵⁰Saul's wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. His army commander was Abner son of Ner, who was Saul's uncle.

⁵¹Saul's father was Kish, and Abner's father, Ner, was a son of Abiel.

⁵²There was fierce war against the Philistines throughout Saul's reign. Whenever Saul found a strong and courageous man, he recruited him into his army.