1 Samuel 14
New American Standard Bible
Jonathan’s Victory
14 Now the day came that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come, and let’s cross over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of (A)Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that is in (B)Migron. And the people who were with him numbered (C)about six hundred men; 3 and Ahijah, the (D)son of Ahitub, (E)Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the Lord at (F)Shiloh, (G)was [a]wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4 Now (H)between the gorges by which Jonathan sought to cross 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 rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Geba.
6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who was carrying his armor, “Come, and let’s cross over to the garrison of (I)these uncircumcised men; perhaps the Lord will work for us, because (J)the Lord is not limited to saving by many or by few!” 7 His armor bearer said to him, “Do everything that is in your heart; turn yourself to it, and here I am with you, as your heart desires.” 8 Then Jonathan said, “(K)Behold, we are going to cross over to the men and reveal ourselves to them. 9 If they [b]say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you’; then we will stand in our place and not go up to them. 10 But if they [c]say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has handed them over to us; and (L)this shall be the sign to us.” 11 When the two of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, the Philistines said, “Behold, (M)Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have kept themselves hidden.” 12 So the men of the garrison responded to Jonathan and his armor bearer and said, “Come up to us and (N)we will inform you of something.” And Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me, for (O)the Lord has handed them over to Israel.” 13 Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer behind him; and the men fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer put some to death after him. 14 Now that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer inflicted was about twenty men within about half a furrow in an acre of land. 15 And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and (P)the raiders trembled, and (Q)the earth quaked so (R)that it became a [d]great trembling.
16 Now Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude dissolved; they went here and there. 17 So Saul said to the people who were with him, “Look carefully now and see who has left us.” And when they had looked, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. 18 Then Saul said to Ahijah, “(S)Bring the ark of God here.” For at that time the ark of God was with the sons of Israel. 19 (T)While Saul talked to the priest, the commotion in the camp of the Philistines continued and increased; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and came to the battle; and behold, (U)every man’s sword was against his fellow Philistine, and there was very great confusion. 21 Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines previously, who went up with them all around in the camp, even (V)they also returned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 When all the (W)men of Israel who had kept themselves hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, they also closely pursued them in the battle. 23 So (X)the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle [e]spread beyond (Y)Beth-aven.
Saul’s Foolish Order
24 Now the men of Israel were hard-pressed on that day, for Saul had (Z)put the people under oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food [f]before evening, and before I have avenged myself on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. 25 All the people of the land entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the people entered the forest, behold, (AA)there was honey dripping; but no man put his hand to his mouth, because the people feared the oath. 27 However, Jonathan had not heard it when his father put the people under oath; so (AB)he put out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and (AC)his eyes [g]brightened. 28 Then one of the people responded and said, “Your father strictly put the people under oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food today.’” And the people were weary. 29 Then Jonathan said, “(AD)My father has troubled the land. See now that my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if only the people had freely eaten today of the spoils of their enemies which they found! For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.”
31 They attacked the Philistines that day from (AE)Michmash to (AF)Aijalon. But the people were very tired. 32 So (AG)the people loudly rushed upon the spoils, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them (AH)with the blood. 33 Then observers informed Saul, saying, “Look, the people are (AI)sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood.” And he said, “You have acted treacherously; roll a large rock to me today.” 34 Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Each one of you bring me his ox or his sheep, and slaughter it here and eat; and do not sin against the Lord by eating it with the blood.’” So all the people brought them that night, each one his ox [h]with him, and they slaughtered them there. 35 And (AJ)Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar that he built to the Lord.
36 Then Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines by night and take plunder among them until the morning light, and let’s not leave a man among them alive.” And they said, “Do whatever seems good [i]to you.” So (AK)the priest said, “Let’s approach God here.” 37 So Saul (AL)inquired of God: “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You hand them over to Israel?” But (AM)He did not answer him on that day. 38 Then Saul said, “(AN)[j]Come here, all you [k]leaders of the people, and investigate and see how this sin has happened today. 39 For (AO)as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, even if it is in my son Jonathan, he shall assuredly die!” But not one of all the people answered him. 40 Then he said to all Israel, “You shall be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good [l]to you.” 41 Therefore, Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “(AP)Give a [m]perfect lot.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected by lot, but the people [n]were exonerated. 42 Then Saul said, “Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected by lot.
43 So Saul said to Jonathan, “(AQ)Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, and said, “(AR)I did indeed taste a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am, I must die!” 44 And Saul said, “(AS)May God do the same to me and more also, for (AT)you shall certainly die, Jonathan!” 45 But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, he who has [o]brought about this great [p]victory in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, (AU)not even a hair of his head shall fall to the ground, because (AV)he has worked with God this day.” So the people [q]rescued Jonathan and he did not die. 46 Then Saul went up from [r]pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.
Constant Warfare
47 Now when Saul had taken control of the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, (AW)the sons of Ammon, Edom, (AX)the kings of Zobah, and (AY)the Philistines; and wherever he turned, he [s]inflicted punishment. 48 And he acted valiantly and [t](AZ)defeated the Amalekites, and saved Israel from the hands of [u]those who plundered them.
49 Now (BA)the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was (BB)Merab, and the name of the younger, (BC)Michal. 50 And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And (BD)the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. 51 (BE)Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
52 Now the war against the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any warrior or any valiant man, he [v](BF)attached him to his staff.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:3 Lit carrying
- 1 Samuel 14:9 Lit say thus
- 1 Samuel 14:10 Lit say thus
- 1 Samuel 14:15 Lit trembling of God
- 1 Samuel 14:23 Lit passed over
- 1 Samuel 14:24 Lit until
- 1 Samuel 14:27 As in some mss and ancient versions; MT saw
- 1 Samuel 14:34 Lit with his hand
- 1 Samuel 14:36 Lit in your eyes
- 1 Samuel 14:38 Lit Approach here
- 1 Samuel 14:38 Lit cornerstones
- 1 Samuel 14:40 Lit in your eyes
- 1 Samuel 14:41 I.e., a clear answer
- 1 Samuel 14:41 Lit got out
- 1 Samuel 14:45 Lit worked
- 1 Samuel 14:45 Lit deliverance
- 1 Samuel 14:45 Lit ransomed
- 1 Samuel 14:46 Lit after
- 1 Samuel 14:47 Or condemned
- 1 Samuel 14:48 Lit struck
- 1 Samuel 14:48 Lit its plunderer
- 1 Samuel 14:52 Lit brought him in to himself
1 Samuel 14
Young's Literal Translation
14 And the day cometh that Jonathan son of Saul saith unto the young man bearing his weapons, `Come, and we pass over unto the station of the Philistines, which [is] on the other side of this;' and to his father he hath not declared [it].
2 And Saul is abiding at the extremity of Gibeah, under the pomegranate which [is] in Migron, and the people who [are] with him, about six hundred men,
3 and Ahiah, son of Ahitub, brother of I-Chabod, son of Phinehas son of Eli priest of Jehovah in Shiloh, bearing an ephod; and the people knew not that Jonathan hath gone.
4 And between the passages where Jonathan sought to pass over unto the station of the Philistines [is] the edge of a rock on the one side, and the edge of a rock on the other side, and the name of the one is Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.
5 The one edge [is] fixed on the north over-against Michmash, and the one on the south over-against Gibeah.
6 And Jonathan saith unto the young man bearing his weapons, `Come, and we pass over unto the station of these uncircumcised; it may be Jehovah doth work for us, for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.'
7 And the bearer of his weapons saith to him, `Do all that [is] in thy heart; turn for thee; lo, I [am] with thee, as thine own heart.'
8 And Jonathan saith, `Lo, we are passing over unto the men, and are revealed unto them;
9 if thus they say unto us, `Stand still till we have come unto you,' then we have stood in our place, and do not go up unto them;
10 and if thus they say, `Come up against us,' then we have gone up, for Jehovah hath given them into our hand, and this to us [is] the sign.
11 And revealed are both of them unto the station of the Philistines, and the Philistines say, `Lo, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hid themselves.'
12 And the men of the station answer Jonathan, and the bearer of his weapons, and say, `Come up unto us, and we cause you to know something.' And Jonathan saith unto the bearer of his weapons, `Come up after me, for Jehovah hath given them into the hand of Israel.'
13 And Jonathan goeth up on his hands, and on his feet, and the bearer of his weapons after him; and they fall before Jonathan, and the bearer of his weapons is putting to death after him.
14 And the first smiting which Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons have smitten is of about twenty men, in about half a furrow of a yoke of a field,
15 and there is a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people, the station and the destroyers have trembled -- even they, and the earth shaketh, and it becometh a trembling of God.
16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin see, and lo, the multitude hath melted away, and it goeth on, and is beaten down.
17 And Saul saith to the people who [are] with him, `Inspect, I pray you, and see; who hath gone from us?' and they inspect, and lo, Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons are not.
18 And Saul saith to Ahiah, `Bring nigh the ark of God;' for the ark of God hath been on that day with the sons of Israel.
19 And it cometh to pass, while Saul spake unto the priest, that the noise which [is] in the camp of the Philistines goeth on, going on and becoming great, and Saul saith unto the priest, `Remove thy hand.'
20 And Saul is called, and all the people who [are] with him, and they come in unto the battle, and, lo, the sword of each hath been against his neighbour -- a very great destruction.
21 And the Hebrews [who] have been for the Philistines as heretofore, who had gone up with them into the camp, have turned round, even they, to be with Israel who [are] with Saul and Jonathan,
22 and all the men of Israel, who are hiding themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, have heard that the Philistines have fled, and they pursue -- even they -- after them in battle.
23 And Jehovah saveth Israel on that day, and the battle hath passed over to Beth-Aven.
24 And the men of Israel have been distressed on that day, and Saul adjureth the people, saying, `Cursed [is] the man who eateth food till the evening, and I have been avenged of mine enemies;' and none of the people hath tasted food.
25 And all [they of] the land have come into a forest, and there is honey on the face of the field;
26 and the people come in unto the forest, and lo, the honey dropped, and none is moving his hand unto his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
27 And Jonathan hath not heard of his father's adjuring the people, and putteth forth the end of the rod, which [is] in his hand, and dippeth it in the honeycomb, and bringeth back his hand unto his mouth -- and his eyes see!
28 And a man of the people answereth and saith, `Thy father certainly adjured the people, saying, Cursed [is] the man who eateth food to-day; and the people are weary.'
29 And Jonathan saith, `My father hath troubled the land; see, I pray you, that mine eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey.
30 How much more if the people had well eaten to-day of the spoil of its enemies which it hath found, for now, the smiting hath not been great among the Philistines.'
31 And they smite on that day among the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people are very weary,
32 and the people make unto the spoil, and take sheep, and oxen, and sons of the herd, and slaughter on the earth, and the people eat with the blood.
33 And they declare to Saul, saying, `Lo, the people are sinning against Jehovah, to eat with the blood.' And he saith, `Ye have dealt treacherously, roll unto me to-day a great stone.'
34 And Saul saith, `Be ye scattered among the people, and ye have said to them, Bring ye nigh unto me each his ox, and each his sheep; and ye have slain [them] in this place, and eaten, and ye do not sin against Jehovah to eat with the blood.' And all the people bring nigh each his ox, in his hand, that night, and slaughter [them] there.
35 And Saul buildeth an alter to Jehovah; with it he hath begun to build altars to Jehovah.
36 And Saul saith, `Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and we prey upon them till the light of the morning, and leave not a man of them.' And they say, `All that is good in thine eyes do.' And the priest saith, `Let us draw near hither unto God.'
37 And Saul asketh of God, `Do I go down after the Philistines? dost Thou give them into the hand of Israel?' and He hath not answered him on that day.
38 And Saul saith, `Draw ye nigh hither all, the chiefs of the people, and know and see in what this sin hath been to-day;
39 for, Jehovah liveth, who is saving Israel: surely if it be in Jonathan my son, surely he doth certainly die;' and none is answering him out of all the people.
40 And he saith unto all Israel, `Ye -- ye are on one side, and I and Jonathan my son are on another side;' and the people say unto Saul, `That which is good in thine eyes do.'
41 And Saul saith unto Jehovah, God of Israel, `Give perfection;' and Jonathan and Saul are captured, and the people went out.
42 And Saul saith, `Cast between me and Jonathan my son;' and Jonathan is captured.
43 And Saul saith unto Jonathan, `Declare to me, what hast thou done?' and Jonathan declareth to him, and saith, `I certainly tasted with the end of the rod that [is] in my hand a little honey; lo, I die!'
44 And Saul saith, `Thus doth God do, and thus doth He add, for thou dost certainly die, Jonathan.'
45 And the people say unto Saul, `Doth Jonathan die who wrought this great salvation in Israel? -- a profanation! Jehovah liveth, if there falleth from the hair of his head to the earth, for with God he hath wrought this day;' and the people rescue Jonathan, and he hath not died.
46 And Saul goeth up from after the Philistines, and the Philistines have gone to their place;
47 and Saul captured the kingdom over Israel, and he fighteth round about against all his enemies, against Moab, and against the Bene-Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and whithersoever he turneth he doth vex [them].
48 And he maketh a force, and smiteth Amalek, and delivereth Israel out of the hand of its spoiler.
49 And the sons of Saul are Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchi-Shua; as to the name of his two daughters, the name of the first-born [is] Merab, and the name of the younger Michal;
50 and the name of the wife of Saul [is] Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the head of his host [is] Abner son of Ner, uncle of Saul;
51 and Kish [is] father of Saul, and Ner father of Abner [is] son of Ahiel.
52 And the war is severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul; when Saul hath seen any mighty man, and any son of valour, then he doth gather him unto himself.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
