¹ Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.

² And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;

³ And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

⁴ And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

⁵ The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.

⁶ And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: 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 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

⁸ Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.

⁹ If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.

¹⁰ But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.

¹¹ And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

¹² And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

¹³ And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.

¹⁴ And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

¹⁵ And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

¹⁶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.

¹⁷ Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.

¹⁸ And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.

¹⁹ And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.

²⁰ And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

²¹ Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

²² Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

²³ So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.

²⁴ And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

²⁵ And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.

²⁶ And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.

²⁷ But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.

²⁸ Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.

²⁹ Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

³⁰ How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?

³¹ And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint.

³² And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood.

³³ Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.

³⁴ And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.

³⁵ And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.

³⁶ And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.

³⁷ And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.

³⁸ And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.

³⁹ For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.

⁴⁰ Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.

⁴¹ Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.

⁴² And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.

⁴⁴ And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.

⁴⁵ And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.

⁴⁶ Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.

⁴⁷ So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.

⁴⁸ And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

⁴⁹ Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:

⁵⁰ And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

⁵¹ And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

⁵² And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.

---

¹ Now it came to pass upon a day, ^H3117 that Jonathan ^H3129 the son ^H1121 of Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 unto the young man ^H5288 that bare ^H5375 his armour, ^H3627 Come, ^H3212 and let us go over ^H5674 to the Philistines' ^H6430 garrison, ^H4673 that is on the other side. ^{H5676 H1975} But he told ^H5046 not his father. ^H1

² And Saul ^H7586 tarried ^H3427 in the uttermost ^H7097 part of Gibeah ^H1390 under a pomegranate tree ^H7416 which is in Migron: ^H4051 and the people ^H5971 that were with him were about six ^H8337 hundred ^H3967 men; ^H376

³ And Ahiah, ^H281 the son ^H1121 of Ahitub, ^H285 Ichabod's ^H350 brother, ^H251 the son ^H1121 of Phinehas, ^H6372 the son ^H1121 of Eli, ^H5941 the LORD'S ^H3068 priest ^H3548 in Shiloh, ^H7887 wearing ^H5375 an ephod. ^H646 And the people ^H5971 knew ^H3045 not that Jonathan ^H3129 was gone. ^H1980

⁴ And between the passages, ^H4569 by which Jonathan ^H3129 sought ^H1245 to go over ^H5674 unto the Philistines' ^H6430 garrison, ^H4673 there was a sharp ^H8127 rock ^H5553 on the one side, ^H5676 and a sharp ^H8127 rock ^H5553 on the other side: ^H5676 and the name ^H8034 of the one ^H259 was Bozez, ^H949 and the name ^H8034 of the other ^H259 Seneh. ^H5573

⁵ The forefront ^H8127 of the one ^H259 was situate ^H4690 northward ^H6828 over against ^H4136 Michmash, ^H4363 and the other ^H259 southward ^H5045 over against ^H4136 Gibeah. ^H1387

⁶ And Jonathan ^H3083 said ^H559 to the young man ^H5288 that bare ^H5375 his armour, ^H3627 Come, ^H3212 and let us go over ^H5674 unto the garrison ^H4673 of these uncircumcised: ^H6189 it may be that the LORD ^H3068 will work ^H6213 for us: for there is no restraint ^H4622 to the LORD ^H3068 to save ^H3467 by many ^H7227 or by few. ^H4592

⁷ And his armourbearer ^{H5375 H3627} said ^H559 unto him, Do ^H6213 all that is in thine heart: ^H3824 turn ^H5186 thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart. ^H3824

⁸ Then said ^H559 Jonathan, ^H3083 Behold, we will pass over ^H5674 unto these men, ^H582 and we will discover ^H1540 ourselves unto them.

⁹ If they say ^H559 thus unto us, Tarry ^H1826 until we come ^H5060 to you; then we will stand still ^H5975 in our place, and will not go up ^H5927 unto them.

¹⁰ But if they say ^H559 thus, Come up ^H5927 unto us; then we will go up: ^H5927 for the LORD ^H3068 hath delivered ^H5414 them into our hand: ^H3027 and this shall be a sign ^H226 unto us.

¹¹ And both ^H8147 of them discovered ^H1540 themselves unto the garrison ^H4673 of the Philistines: ^H6430 and the Philistines ^H6430 said, ^H559 Behold, the Hebrews ^H5680 come forth ^H3318 out of the holes ^H2356 where they had hid ^H2244 themselves.

¹² And the men ^H582 of the garrison ^H4675 answered ^H6030 Jonathan ^H3129 and his armourbearer, ^{H5375 H3627} and said, ^H559 Come up ^H5927 to us, and we will shew ^H3045 you a thing. ^H1697 And Jonathan ^H3129 said ^H559 unto his armourbearer, ^{H5375 H3627} Come up ^H5927 after ^H310 me: for the LORD ^H3068 hath delivered ^H5414 them into the hand ^H3027 of Israel. ^H3478

¹³ And Jonathan ^H3129 climbed up ^H5927 upon his hands ^H3027 and upon his feet, ^H7272 and his armourbearer ^{H5375 H3627} after ^H310 him: and they fell ^H5307 before ^H6440 Jonathan; ^H3129 and his armourbearer ^{H5375 H3627} slew ^H4191 after ^H310 him.

¹⁴ And that first ^H7223 slaughter, ^H4347 which Jonathan ^H3129 and his armourbearer ^{H5375 H3627} made, ^H5221 was about twenty ^H6242 men, ^H376 within as it were an half ^H2677 acre ^H4618 of land, ^H7704 which a yoke ^H6776 of oxen might plow.

¹⁵ And there was trembling ^H2731 in the host, ^H4264 in the field, ^H7704 and among all the people: ^H5971 the garrison, ^H4673 and the spoilers, ^H7843 they also trembled, ^H2729 and the earth ^H776 quaked: ^H7264 so it was a very great ^H430 trembling. ^H2731

¹⁶ And the watchmen ^H6822 of Saul ^H7586 in Gibeah ^H1390 of Benjamin ^H1144 looked; ^H7200 and, behold, the multitude ^H1995 melted away, ^H4127 and they went ^H3212 on beating down ^H1986 one another.

¹⁷ Then said ^H559 Saul ^H7586 unto the people ^H5971 that were with him, Number ^H6485 now, and see ^H7200 who is gone ^H1980 from us. And when they had numbered, ^H6485 behold, Jonathan ^H3129 and his armourbearer ^{H5375 H3627} were not there.

¹⁸ And Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 unto Ahiah, ^H281 Bring hither ^H5066 the ark ^H727 of God. ^H430 For the ark ^H727 of God ^H430 was at that time ^H3117 with the children ^H1121 of Israel. ^H3478

¹⁹ And it came to pass, while Saul ^H7586 talked ^H1696 unto the priest, ^H3548 that the noise ^H1995 that was in the host ^H4264 of the Philistines ^H6430 went ^H3212 on ^H1980 and increased: ^H7227 and Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 unto the priest, ^H3548 Withdraw ^H622 thine hand. ^H3027

²⁰ And Saul ^H7586 and all the people ^H5971 that were with him assembled ^H2199 themselves, and they came ^H935 to the battle: ^H4421 and, behold, every man's ^H376 sword ^H2719 was against his fellow, ^H7453 and there was a very ^H3966 great ^H1419 discomfiture. ^H4103

²¹ Moreover the Hebrews ^H5680 that were with the Philistines ^H6430 before ^H865 that time, ^H8032 which went up ^H5927 with them into the camp ^H4264 from the country round about, ^H5439 even they also turned to be with the Israelites ^H3478 that were with Saul ^H7586 and Jonathan. ^H3129

²² Likewise all the men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478 which had hid ^H2244 themselves in mount ^H2022 Ephraim, ^H669 when they heard ^H8085 that the Philistines ^H6430 fled, ^H5127 even they also followed hard ^H1692 after ^H310 them in the battle. ^H4421

²³ So the LORD ^H3068 saved ^H3467 Israel ^H3478 that day: ^H3117 and the battle ^H4421 passed over ^H5674 unto Bethaven. ^H1007

²⁴ And the men ^H376 of Israel ^H3478 were distressed ^H5065 that day: ^H3117 for Saul ^H7586 had adjured ^H422 the people, ^H5971 saying, ^H559 Cursed ^H779 be the man ^H376 that eateth ^H398 any food ^H3899 until evening, ^H6153 that I may be avenged ^H5358 on mine enemies. ^H341 So none of the people ^H5971 tasted ^H2938 any food. ^H3899

²⁵ And all they of the land ^H776 came ^H935 to a wood; ^H3293 and there was honey ^H1706 upon ^H6440 the ground. ^H7704

²⁶ And when the people ^H5971 were come ^H935 into the wood, ^H3293 behold, the honey ^H1706 dropped; ^H1982 but no man put ^H5381 his hand ^H3027 to his mouth: ^H6310 for the people ^H5971 feared ^H3372 the oath. ^H7621

²⁷ But Jonathan ^H3129 heard ^H8085 not when his father ^H1 charged ^H7650 the people ^H5971 with the oath: ^H7650 wherefore he put forth ^H7971 the end ^H7097 of the rod ^H4294 that was in his hand, ^H3027 and dipped ^H2881 it in an honeycomb, ^{H3295 H1706} and put ^H7725 his hand ^H3027 to his mouth; ^H6310 and his eyes ^H5869 were enlightened. ^H215

²⁸ Then answered ^H6030 one ^H376 of the people, ^H5971 and said, ^H559 Thy father ^H1 straitly ^H7650 charged ^H7650 the people ^H5971 with an oath, ^H7650 saying, ^H559 Cursed ^H779 be the man ^H376 that eateth ^H398 any food ^H3899 this day. ^H3117 And the people ^H5971 were faint. ^H5774

²⁹ Then said ^H559 Jonathan, ^H3129 My father ^H1 hath troubled ^H5916 the land: ^H776 see, ^H7200 I pray you, how mine eyes ^H5869 have been enlightened, ^H215 because I tasted ^H2938 a little ^H4592 of this honey. ^H1706

³⁰ How much more, ^H637 if haply ^H3863 the people ^H5971 had eaten ^H398 freely ^H398 to day ^H3117 of the spoil ^H7998 of their enemies ^H341 which they found? ^H4672 for had there not been now a much greater ^H7235 slaughter ^H4347 among the Philistines? ^H6430

³¹ And they smote ^H5221 the Philistines ^H6430 that day ^H3117 from Michmash ^H4363 to Aijalon: ^H357 and the people ^H5971 were very ^H3966 faint. ^H5774

³² And the people ^H5971 flew ^{H5860 H6213} upon the spoil, ^H7998 and took ^H3947 sheep, ^H6629 and oxen, ^H1241 and calves, ^H1121 and slew ^H7819 them on the ground: ^H776 and the people ^H5971 did eat ^H398 them with the blood. ^H1818

³³ Then they told ^H5046 Saul, ^H7586 saying, ^H559 Behold, the people ^H5971 sin ^H2398 against the LORD, ^H3068 in that they eat ^H398 with the blood. ^H1818 And he said, ^H559 Ye have transgressed: ^H898 roll ^H1556 a great ^H1419 stone ^H68 unto me this day. ^H3117

³⁴ And Saul ^H7586 said, ^H559 Disperse ^H6327 yourselves among the people, ^H5971 and say ^H559 unto them, Bring me hither ^H5066 every man ^H376 his ox, ^H7794 and every man ^H376 his sheep, ^H7716 and slay ^H7819 them here, and eat; ^H398 and sin ^H2398 not against the LORD ^H3068 in eating ^H398 with the blood. ^H1818 And all the people ^H5971 brought ^H5066 every man ^H376 his ox ^H7794 with him ^H3027 that night, ^H3915 and slew ^H7819 them there.

³⁵ And Saul ^H7586 built ^H1129 an altar ^H4196 unto the LORD: ^H3068 the same was the first ^H2490 altar ^H4196 that he built ^H1129 unto the LORD. ^H3068

³⁶ And Saul ^H7586 said, ^H559 Let us go down ^H3381 after ^H310 the Philistines ^H6430 by night, ^H3915 and spoil ^H962 them until the morning ^H1242 light, ^H216 and let us not leave ^H7604 a man ^H376 of them. And they said, ^H559 Do ^H6213 whatsoever seemeth ^H5869 good ^H2896 unto thee. Then said ^H559 the priest, ^H3548 Let us draw near ^H7126 hither ^H1988 unto God. ^H430

³⁷ And Saul ^H7586 asked ^H7592 counsel of God, ^H430 Shall I go down ^H3381 after ^H310 the Philistines? ^H6430 wilt thou deliver ^H5414 them into the hand ^H3027 of Israel? ^H3478 But he answered ^H6030 him not that day. ^H3117

³⁸ And Saul ^H7586 said, ^H559 Draw ye near ^H5066 hither, ^H1988 all the chief ^H6438 of the people: ^H5971 and know ^H3045 and see ^H7200 wherein ^H4100 this sin ^H2403 hath been this day. ^H3117

³⁹ For, as the LORD ^H3068 liveth, ^H2416 which saveth ^H3467 Israel, ^H3478 though it be ^H3426 in Jonathan ^H3129 my son, ^H1121 he shall surely ^H4191 die. ^H4191 But there was not a man among all the people ^H5971 that answered ^H6030 him.

⁴⁰ Then said ^H559 he unto all Israel, ^H3478 Be ye on one ^H259 side, ^H5676 and I and Jonathan ^H3129 my son ^H1121 will be on the other ^H259 side. ^H5676 And the people ^H5971 said ^H559 unto Saul, ^H7586 Do ^H6213 what seemeth ^H5869 good ^H2896 unto thee.

⁴¹ Therefore Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 unto the LORD ^H3068 God ^H430 of Israel, ^H3478 Give ^H3051 a perfect ^H8549 lot. And Saul ^H7586 and Jonathan ^H3129 were taken: ^H3920 but the people ^H5971 escaped. ^H3318

⁴² And Saul ^H7586 said, ^H559 Cast ^H5307 lots between me and Jonathan ^H3129 my son. ^H1121 And Jonathan ^H3129 was taken. ^H3920

⁴³ Then Saul ^H7586 said ^H559 to Jonathan, ^H3129 Tell ^H5046 me what thou hast done. ^H6213 And Jonathan ^H3129 told ^H5046 him, and said, ^H559 I did but ^H2938 taste ^H2938 a little ^H4592 honey ^H1706 with the end ^H7097 of the rod ^H4294 that was in mine hand, ^H3027 and, lo, ^H2009 I must die. ^H4191

⁴⁴ And Saul ^H7586 answered, ^H559 God ^H430 do so ^H6213 and more also: ^H3254 for thou shalt surely ^H4191 die, ^H4191 Jonathan. ^H3129

⁴⁵ And the people ^H5971 said ^H559 unto Saul, ^H7586 Shall Jonathan ^H3129 die, ^H4191 who hath wrought ^H6213 this great ^H1419 salvation ^H3444 in Israel? ^H3478 God forbid: ^H2486 as the LORD ^H3068 liveth, ^H2416 there shall not one hair ^H8185 of his head ^H7218 fall ^H5307 to the ground; ^H776 for he hath wrought ^H6213 with God ^H430 this day. ^H3117 So the people ^H5971 rescued ^H6299 Jonathan, ^H3129 that he died ^H4191 not.

⁴⁶ Then Saul ^H7586 went up ^H5927 from following ^H310 the Philistines: ^H6430 and the Philistines ^H6430 went ^H1980 to their own place. ^H4725

⁴⁷ So Saul ^H7586 took ^H3920 the kingdom ^H4410 over Israel, ^H3478 and fought ^H3898 against all his enemies ^H341 on every side, ^H5439 against Moab, ^H4124 and against the children ^H1121 of Ammon, ^H5983 and against Edom, ^H123 and against the kings ^H4428 of Zobah, ^H6678 and against the Philistines: ^H6430 and whithersoever he turned ^H6437 himself, he vexed ^H7561 them.

⁴⁸ And he gathered ^H6213 an host, ^H2428 and smote ^H5221 the Amalekites, ^H6002 and delivered ^H5337 Israel ^H3478 out of the hands ^H3027 of them that spoiled ^H8154 them.

⁴⁹ Now the sons ^H1121 of Saul ^H7586 were Jonathan, ^H3129 and Ishui, ^H3440 and Melchishua: ^H4444 and the names ^H8034 of his two ^H8147 daughters ^H1323 were these; the name ^H8034 of the firstborn ^H1067 Merab, ^H4764 and the name ^H8034 of the younger ^H6996 Michal: ^H4324

⁵⁰ And the name ^H8034 of Saul's ^H7586 wife ^H802 was Ahinoam, ^H293 the daughter ^H1323 of Ahimaaz: ^H290 and the name ^H8034 of the captain ^H8269 of his host ^H6635 was Abner, ^H74 the son ^H1121 of Ner, ^H5369 Saul's ^H7586 uncle. ^H1730

⁵¹ And Kish ^H7027 was the father ^H1 of Saul; ^H7586 and Ner ^H5369 the father ^H1 of Abner ^H74 was the son ^H1121 of Abiel. ^H22

⁵² And there was sore ^H2389 war ^H4421 against the Philistines ^H6430 all the days ^H3117 of Saul: ^H7586 and when Saul ^H7586 saw ^H7200 any strong ^H1368 man, ^H376 or any valiant ^H2428 man, ^H1121 he took ^H622 him unto him.

---

¹ Now it fell upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on yonder side. But he told not his father.

² And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate-tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;

³ and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Jehovah in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

⁴ And between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto 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 up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.

⁶ And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that Jehovah will work for us; for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.

⁷ And his armorbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thy heart: turn thee, behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

⁸ Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto the men, and we will disclose ourselves unto them.

⁹ If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.

¹⁰ But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up; for Jehovah hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be the sign unto us.

¹¹ And both of them disclosed themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

¹² And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armorbearer, Come up after me; for Jehovah hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

¹³ And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armorbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armorbearer slew them after him.

¹⁴ And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land.

¹⁵ And there was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.

¹⁶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went `hither' and thither.

¹⁷ Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there.

¹⁸ And Saul said unto Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was `there' at that time with the children of Israel.

¹⁹ And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thy hand.

²⁰ And Saul and all the people that were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, `and there was' a very great discomfiture.

²¹ Now the Hebrews that were with the Philistines as beforetime, and that went up with them into the camp, `from the country' round about, even they also `turned' to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

²² Likewise all the men of Israel that had hid themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

²³ So Jehovah saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth-aven.

²⁴ And the men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted food.

²⁵ And all the people came into the forest; and there was honey upon the ground.

²⁶ And when the people were come unto the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.

²⁷ But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.

²⁸ Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day. And the people were faint.

²⁹ Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

³⁰ How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to-day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for now hath there been no great slaughter among the Philistines.

³¹ And they smote of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint;

³² and the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground; and the people did eat them with the blood.

³³ Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, ye have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone unto me this day.

³⁴ And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against Jehovah in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.

³⁵ And Saul built an altar unto Jehovah: the same was the first altar that he built unto Jehovah.

³⁶ And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.

³⁷ And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.

³⁸ And Saul said, Draw nigh hither, all ye chiefs of the people; and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.

³⁹ For, as Jehovah liveth, who saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.

⁴⁰ Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.

⁴¹ Therefore Saul said unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, Show the right. And Jonathan and Saul were taken `by lot'; but the people escaped.

⁴² And Saul said, Cast `lots' between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, lo, I must die.

⁴⁴ And Saul said, God do so and more also; for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.

⁴⁵ And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far from it: as Jehovah liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.

⁴⁶ Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

⁴⁷ Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he put `them' to the worse.

⁴⁸ And he did valiantly, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that despoiled them.

⁴⁹ Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the first-born Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:

⁵⁰ and the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the captain of his host was Abner the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

⁵¹ And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

⁵² And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.

---

¹ 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.

---

¹ Now it came to pass one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armour, Come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison which is on the other side. But he did not tell his father.

² And Saul abode at the extreme end of Gibeah under the pomegranate-tree which [was] in Migron; and the people that were with him were about six hundred men.

³ (And Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, Jehovah's priest in Shiloh, wore the ephod.) And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone.

⁴ Now between the passes by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines' garrison there was a sharp rock on the one side and a sharp rock on the other side; and the name of the one [was] Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

⁵ The one crag [formed] a pillar on the north opposite to Michmash, and the other on the south opposite to Geba.

⁶ And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised: perhaps Jehovah will work for us; for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.

⁷ And his armour-bearer said to him, Do all that is in thy heart; turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

⁸ Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will shew ourselves to them.

⁹ If they say thus to us, Stand still until we come to you, then we will stay in our place, and will not go up to them.

¹⁰ And if they say thus, Come up to us, then we will go up; for Jehovah has given them into our hand; and this shall be the sign to us.

¹¹ And both of them shewed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

¹² And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armour-bearer and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you something. And Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, Come up after me; for Jehovah has delivered them into the hand of Israel.

¹³ And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armour-bearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan; and his armour-bearer slew after him.

¹⁴ And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armour-bearer wrought was about twenty men, as it were on the half-furrow of an acre of land.

¹⁵ And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the ravagers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked; for it was a trembling [from] God.

¹⁶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on slaying one another.

¹⁷ Then said Saul to the people that were with him, Muster now, and see who is gone from us. And they mustered, and behold, Jonathan and his armour-bearer were not there.

¹⁸ And Saul said to Ahijah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.

¹⁹ And it came to pass while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw thy hand.

²⁰ And Saul and all the people that were with him were called together, and they came to the battle; and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, a very great confusion.

²¹ And there were Hebrews with the Philistines before that time, who had gone up with them into the camp round about; and they also [turned] to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

²² And all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in mount Ephraim heard that the Philistines fled, and they also followed hard after them in the battle.

²³ And Jehovah saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over beyond Beth-Aven.

²⁴ But the men of Israel were distressed that day. Now Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food until evening, and [until] I am avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted food.

²⁵ And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey on the ground.

²⁶ And the people had come into the wood, and behold, the honey flowed; but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

²⁷ But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people; and he put forth the end of his staff which was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright.

²⁸ Then answered one of the people and said, Thy father strictly adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth food this day; and the people are faint.

²⁹ And Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land: see, I pray you, that mine eyes are bright, because I tasted a little of this honey.

³⁰ How much more, if the people had eaten freely to-day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for would there not now have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?

³¹ And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Ajalon; and the people were very faint.

³² And the people fell on the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate [them] with the blood.

³³ And they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Jehovah, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have acted perversely: roll me now a great stone.

³⁴ And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, Bring near to me every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slaughter them here, and eat; and sin not against Jehovah in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slaughtered [them] there.

³⁵ And Saul built an altar to Jehovah: this was the first altar he built to Jehovah.

³⁶ And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever is good in thy sight. Then said the priest, Let us come near hither to God.

³⁷ And Saul inquired of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou give them into the hand of Israel? But he did not answer him that day.

³⁸ And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the heads of the people; and know and see wherein this sin has been this day.

³⁹ For, [as] Jehovah liveth, who has saved Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall certainly die. And no one answered him among all the people.

⁴⁰ Then said he to all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do what is good in thy sight.

⁴¹ And Saul said to Jehovah the God of Israel, Give a perfect [testimony]! And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people escaped.

⁴² And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him and said, With the end of the staff which is in my hand I tasted a little honey, [and] behold, I must die!

⁴⁴ And Saul said, God do so [to me] and more also; thou shalt certainly die, Jonathan.

⁴⁵ And the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great salvation in Israel? Far be it! [as] Jehovah liveth, there shall not a hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has wrought with God this day. So the people delivered Jonathan, that he died not.

⁴⁶ And Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

⁴⁷ And Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines; and whithersoever he turned himself, he discomfited [them].

⁴⁸ And he did valiantly, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of their spoilers.

⁴⁹ And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Jishvi, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.

⁵⁰ And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

⁵¹ And Kish the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner were sons of Abiel.

⁵² And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to himself.

---

¹ Now it fell on a day, 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, that is on yonder side. But he didn't tell his father.

² Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people who were with him were about six hundred men;

³ and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn't know that Jonathan was gone.

⁴ Between the passes, 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 rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.

⁶ Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint to Yahweh to save by many or by few.

⁷ His armor bearer said to him, Do all that is in your heart: turn you, behold, I am with you according to your heart.

⁸ Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will disclose ourselves to them.

⁹ If they say thus to us, Wait 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 thus, Come up to us; then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand: and this shall be the sign to us.

¹¹ Both of them disclosed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

¹² The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. Jonathan said to his armor bearer, Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel.

¹³ Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him.

¹⁴ That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land.

¹⁵ There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.

¹⁶ The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went [here] and there.

¹⁷ Then said Saul to the people who were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. When they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

¹⁸ Saul said to Ahijah, Bring here the ark of God. For the ark of God was [there] at that time with the children of Israel.

¹⁹ It happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand.

²⁰ Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, [and there was] a very great confusion.

²¹ Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines as before, and who went up with them into the camp, [from the country] round about, even they also [turned] to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

²² Likewise all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

²³ So Yahweh saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth Aven.

²⁴ The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food until it be evening, and I be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted food.

²⁵ All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground.

²⁶ When the people were come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.

²⁷ But Jonathan didn't hear when his father charged the people with the oath: therefore he put forth the end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.

²⁸ Then answered one of the people, and said, Your father directly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats food this day. The people were faint.

²⁹ Then said Jonathan, My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

³⁰ How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for now has there been no great slaughter among the Philistines.

³¹ They struck of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint;

³² and the people flew on the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.

³³ Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Yahweh, in that they eat with the blood. He said, you have dealt treacherously: roll a great stone to me this day.

³⁴ Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don't sin against Yahweh in eating with the blood. All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.

³⁵ Saul built an altar to Yahweh: the same was the first altar that he built to Yahweh.

³⁶ Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take spoil among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. They said, Do whatever seems good to you. Then said the priest, 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 didn't answer him that day.

³⁸ Saul said, Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been this day.

³⁹ For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.

⁴⁰ Then said he to all Israel, Be you on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. The people said to Saul, Do what seems good to you.

⁴¹ Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, Show the right. Jonathan and Saul were taken [by lot]; but the people escaped.

⁴² Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and Jonathan my son. Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. Jonathan told him, and said, I did certainly taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and, behold, I must die.

⁴⁴ Saul said, God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.

⁴⁵ The people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it: as Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn't die.

⁴⁶ Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

⁴⁷ Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and wherever he turned himself, he put [them] to the worse.

⁴⁸ He did valiantly, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who despoiled them.

⁴⁹ Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:

⁵⁰ and the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his host 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 There was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.

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¹ Now one day Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who was with him, looking after his arms, Come, let us go over to the Philistine force over there. But he said nothing to his father.

² And Saul was still waiting in the farthest part of Geba, under the fruit-tree in Migron: there were about six hundred men with him;

³ And Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, who had the ephod. And the people had no idea that Jonathan had gone.

⁴ Now between the narrow roads over the mountains by which Jonathan was making his way to the Philistines' forces, there was a sharp overhanging rock on one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: one was named Bozez and the other Seneh.

⁵ The one rock went up on the north in front of Michmash and the other on the south in front of Geba.

⁶ And Jonathan said to his young servant who had his arms, Come, let us go over to the armies of these men who have no circumcision: it may be that the Lord will give us help, for there is no limit to his power; the Lord is able to give salvation by a great army or by a small band.

⁷ And his servant said to him, Do whatever is in your mind: see, I am with you in every impulse of your heart.

⁸ Then Jonathan said, Now we will go over to these men and let them see us.

⁹ If they say to us, Keep quiet where you are till we come to you; then we will keep our places and not go up to them.

¹⁰ But if they say, Come up to us; then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hands: and this will be the sign to us.

¹¹ And they let the Philistine force see the two of them: and the Philistines said, Look! the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have taken cover.

¹² And the armed men of the force gave Jonathan and his servant their answer, saying, Come up here to us, and we will let you see something. Then Jonathan said to his servant, Come up after me: for the Lord has given them up into the hands of Israel.

¹³ And Jonathan went up, gripping with his hands and his feet, his servant going up after him; and the Philistines gave way before Jonathan when he made an attack on them, and his servant put them to death after him.

¹⁴ And at their first attack, Jonathan and his servant put to the sword about twenty men, all inside the space of half an acre of land.

¹⁵ And there was great fear in the tents and in the field and among all the men of the armed force, and the attackers were shaking with fear; even the earth was moved with a great shaking and there was a fear as from God.

¹⁶ And the watchmen of Saul, looking out from Geba in the land of Benjamin, saw all the army flowing away and running here and there.

¹⁷ Then Saul said to the people who were with him, Let everyone be numbered and let us see who has gone from us. And when they had been numbered, it was seen that Jonathan and his servant were not there.

¹⁸ And Saul said to Ahijah, Let the ephod come here. For he went before Israel with the ephod at that time.

¹⁹ Now while Saul was talking to the priest, the noise in the tents of the Philistines became louder and louder; and Saul said to the priest, Take back your hand.

²⁰ And Saul and all the people with him came together and went forward to the fight: and every man's sword was turned against the man at his side, and there was a very great noise.

²¹ Then the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines for some time, and had gone up with them to their tents, turning round were joined to those who were with Saul and Jonathan.

²² And all the men of Israel who had taken cover in the hill-country of Ephraim, hearing that the Philistines had been put to flight, went after them, attacking them.

²³ So the Lord made Israel safe that day: and the fight went over to Beth-aven.

²⁴ And all the people were with Saul, about twenty thousand men, and the fight was general through all the hill-country of Ephraim; but Saul made a great error that day, by putting the people under an oath, saying, Let that man be cursed who takes food before evening comes and I have given punishment to those who are against me. So the people had not a taste of food.

²⁵ And there was honey on the face of the field, and all the people came to the honey, the bees having gone from it;

²⁶ But not a man put his hand to his mouth for fear of the curse.

²⁷ But Jonathan, having no knowledge of the oath his father had put on the people, stretching out the rod which was in his hand, put the end of it in the honey, and put it to his mouth; then his eyes were made bright.

²⁸ Then one of the people said to him, Your father put the people under an oath, saying, Let that man be cursed who takes any food this day. And the people were feeble, needing food.

²⁹ Then Jonathan said, My father has made trouble come on the land: now see how bright my eyes have become because I have taken a little of this honey.

³⁰ How much more if the people had freely taken their food from the goods of those who were fighting against them! would there not have been much greater destruction among the Philistines?

³¹ That day they overcame the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were feeble from need of food.

³² And rushing at the goods taken in the fight, the people took oxen and sheep and young oxen, and put them to death there on the earth, and had a meal, taking the flesh with the blood in it.

³³ Then it was said to Saul, See, the people are sinning against the Lord, taking the blood with the flesh. And he said to those who gave him the news, Now let a great stone be rolled to me here.

³⁴ And Saul said, Go about among the people and say to them, Let every man come here to me with his ox and his sheep, and put them to death here, and take his meal: do no sin against the Lord by taking the blood with the flesh. So all the people took their oxen with them that night and put them to death there.

³⁵ And Saul put up an altar to the Lord: this was the first altar which he put up to the Lord.

³⁶ And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, attacking them till the morning, till there is not a man of them living. And they said, Do whatever seems right to you. Then the priest said, Let us come near to God.

³⁷ And Saul, desiring directions from God, said, Am I to go down after the Philistines? will you give them up into the hands of Israel? But he gave him no answer that day.

³⁸ And Saul said, Come near, all you chiefs of the people, and let us get word from God and see in whom is this sin today.

³⁹ For, by the living Lord, the saviour of Israel, even if the sinner is Jonathan, my son, death will certainly be his fate. But not a man among all the people gave him any answer.

⁴⁰ Then he said to all Israel, You be on one side, and I with Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said to Saul, Do whatever seems good to you.

⁴¹ Then Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, Why have you not given me an answer today? If the sin is in me or in Jonathan my son, O Lord God of Israel, give Urim, and if it is in your people Israel, give Thummim. And by the decision of the Lord, Saul and Jonathan were marked out, and the people went free.

⁴² And Saul said, Give your decision between my son Jonathan and me. And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, Give me an account of what you have done. And Jonathan gave him the story and said, Certainly I took a little honey on the end of my rod; and now death is to be my fate.

⁴⁴ And Saul said, May God's punishment be on me if death is not your fate, Jonathan.

⁴⁵ And the people said to Saul, Is death to come to Jonathan, the worker of this great salvation for Israel? Let it not be so: by the living Lord, not one hair of his head is to be touched, for he has been working with God today. So the people kept Jonathan from death.

⁴⁶ Then Saul, turning back, went after the Philistines no longer: and the Philistines went back to their place.

⁴⁷ Now when Saul had taken his place as ruler of Israel, he made war on those who were against him on every side, Moab and the Ammonites and Edom and the kings of Zobah and the Philistines: and whichever way he went, he overcame them.

⁴⁸ And he did great things, and overcame the Amalekites, and made Israel safe from the hands of their attackers.

⁴⁹ Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi and Malchi-shua; and these are the names of his daughters: the older was named Merab and the younger Michal;

⁵⁰ The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, brother of Saul's father.

⁵¹ Kish, the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, were sons of Abiel.

⁵² All through the life of Saul there was bitter war against the Philistines; and whenever Saul saw any strong man or any good fighting man, he kept him near himself.