Chapter 14 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul sat under
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.
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.
And Ahiah the son of Ahitab, 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.
And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over under 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 Bozes, and the name of the other Sina.
The forefront of the one was situated northward over against Michmash,
and the other southward over against Gibeah.
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.
And his armor-bearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart.
Turn thee, behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover
ourselves unto them.
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.
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.
And both of them discovered themselves under the garrison of the Philistines.
And the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes
where they had hid themselves.
And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor-bearer,
and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.
And Jonathan said unto his armor-bearer, Come up after me, for the Lord hath
delivered them into the hand of Israel.
And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armor-bearer after
him.
And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer slew after him.
And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made was about twenty
men, within as it were an half-acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.
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.
And the watchmen of Saul and Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude
melted away, and they went on beating down one another.
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 armor-bearer were not
there.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Likewise, all the men of Israel which had hid themselves at Mount Ephraim,
when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in
the battle.
So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.
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.
And all they of the land came to a wood, and there was honey upon the ground.
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.
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.
Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straightly charged
the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food
this day.
And the people were faint.
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.
How much more, if happily, the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their
enemies which they found!
For had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?
And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Agelon.
And the people were very faint.
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.
Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the Lord,
and that they eat with the blood.
And he said, Ye have transgressed.
Roll a great stone unto me this day.
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.
And Saul built an altar unto the Lord.
The same was the first altar that he built unto the Lord.
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 our dear hither unto God.
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.
And Saul said, Draw ye near hither all the chief of the people, and know and see
wherein this sin hath been this day.
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.
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.
Therefore Saul said unto the Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot.
And Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped.
And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.
And Jonathan was taken.
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.
And Saul answered, God do so and more also, for thou shalt surely die,
Jonathan.
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.
Then Saul went up from following the Philistines, and the Philistines went to
their own place.
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.
And he gathered in host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of
the hands of them that spoiled them.
Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishuai, and Melchishua.
And the names of his two daughters were these, the name of the firstborn,
Merab, and the name of the younger, Michael.
And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimeaz.
And the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.
And Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, was the son
of Abiel.
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.