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
King James Version
14 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, 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 armour, 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 shew 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 Samuel 14
Living Bible
14 A day or so later, Prince Jonathan said to his young bodyguard, “Come on, let’s cross the valley to the garrison of the Philistines.” But he didn’t tell his father that he was leaving.
2 Saul and his six hundred men were camped at the edge of Gibeah, around the pomegranate tree at Migron. 3 Among his men was Ahijah the priest (the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother; Ahitub was the son of Phinehas and the grandson of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh).
No one realized that Jonathan had gone. 4 To reach the Philistine garrison, Jonathan had to go over a narrow pass between two rocky crags which had been named Bozez and Seneh. 5 The crag on the north was in front of Michmash and the southern one was in front of Geba.
6 “Yes, let’s go across to those heathen,” Jonathan had said to his bodyguard. “Perhaps the Lord will do a miracle for us. For it makes no difference to him how many enemy troops there are!”
7 “Fine!” the youth replied. “Do as you think best; I’m with you heart and soul, whatever you decide.”
8 “All right, then this is what we’ll do,” Jonathan told him. 9 “When they see us, if they say, ‘Stay where you are or we’ll kill you!’ then we will stop and wait for them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come on up and fight!’ then we will do just that; for it will be God’s signal that he will help us defeat them!”
11 When the Philistines saw them coming they shouted, “Look! The Israelis are crawling out of their holes!” 12 Then they shouted to Jonathan, “Come on up here and we’ll show you how to fight!”
“Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan exclaimed to his bodyguard, “for the Lord will help us defeat them!”
13 So they clambered up on their hands and knees, and the Philistines fell back as Jonathan and the lad killed them right and left, 14 about twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre of land. 15 Suddenly panic broke out throughout the entire Philistine army, and even among the raiders. And just then there was a great earthquake, increasing the terror.
16 Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah saw a strange sight—the vast army of the Philistines began to melt away in all directions.
17 “Find out who isn’t here,” Saul ordered. And when they had checked, they found that Jonathan and his bodyguard were gone. 18 “Bring the Ark of God,” Saul shouted to Ahijah. (For the Ark was among the people of Israel at that time.) 19 But while Saul was talking to the priest, the shouting and the tumult in the camp of the Philistines grew louder and louder. “Quick! What does God say?” Saul demanded.
20 Then Saul and his six hundred men rushed out to the battle and found the Philistines killing each other, and there was terrible confusion everywhere. 21 And now the Hebrews who had been drafted into the Philistine army revolted and joined with the Israelis. 22 Finally even the men hiding in the hills joined the chase when they saw that the Philistines were running away. 23 So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle continued out beyond Beth-aven.
24-25 Saul had declared, “A curse upon anyone who eats anything before evening—before I have full revenge on my enemies.” So no one ate anything all day, even though they found honeycomb on the ground in the forest, 26 for they all feared Saul’s curse. 27 Jonathan, however, had not heard his father’s command; so he dipped a stick into a honeycomb, and when he had eaten the honey he felt much better. 28 Then someone told him that his father had laid a curse upon anyone who ate food that day, and everyone was weary and faint as a result.
29 “That’s ridiculous!” Jonathan exclaimed. “A command like that only hurts us. See how much better I feel now that I have eaten this little bit of honey. 30 If the people had been allowed to eat freely from the food they found among our enemies, think how many more we could have slaughtered!”
31 But hungry as they were, they chased and killed the Philistines all day from Michmash to Aijalon, growing more and more faint. 32 That evening[a] they flew upon the battle loot and butchered the sheep, oxen, and calves, and ate the raw, bloody meat. 33 Someone reported to Saul what was happening, that the people were sinning against the Lord by eating blood.
“That is very wrong,” Saul said. “Roll a great stone over here, 34 and go out among the troops and tell them to bring the oxen and sheep here to kill and drain them, and not to sin against the Lord by eating the blood.” So that is what they did.
35 And Saul built an altar to the Lord—his first.
36 Afterwards Saul said, “Let’s chase the Philistines all night and destroy every last one of them.”
“Fine!” his men replied. “Do as you think best.”
But the priest said, “Let’s ask God first.”
37 So Saul asked God, “Shall we go after the Philistines? Will you help us defeat them?” But the Lord made no reply all night.
38 Then Saul said to the leaders, “Something’s wrong![b] We must find out what sin was committed today. 39 I vow by the name of the God who saved Israel that though the sinner be my own son Jonathan, he shall surely die!” But no one would tell him what the trouble was.
40 Then Saul proposed, “Jonathan and I will stand over here, and all of you stand over there.” And the people agreed.
41 Then Saul said, “O Lord God of Israel, why haven’t you answered my question? What is wrong? Are Jonathan and I guilty, or is the sin among the others? O Lord God, show us who is guilty.” And Jonathan and Saul were chosen by sacred lot as the guilty ones, and the people were declared innocent.
42 Then Saul said, “Now draw lots between me and Jonathan.” And Jonathan was chosen as the guilty one.
43 “Tell me what you’ve done,” Saul demanded of Jonathan.
“I tasted a little honey,” Jonathan admitted. “It was only a little bit on the end of a stick; but now I must die.”
44 “Yes, Jonathan,” Saul said, “you must die; may God strike me dead if you are not executed for this.”
45 But the troops retorted, “Jonathan, who saved Israel today, shall die? Far from it! We vow by the life of God that not one hair on his head will be touched, for he has been used of God to do a mighty miracle today.” So the people rescued Jonathan.
46 Then Saul called back the army, and the Philistines returned home. 47 And now, since he was securely in the saddle as king of Israel, Saul sent the Israeli army out in every direction against Moab, Ammon, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. And wherever he turned, he was successful. 48 He did great deeds and conquered the Amalekites and saved Israel from all those who had been their conquerors.
49 Saul had three sons, Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua; and two daughters, Merab and Michal. 50-51 Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the general-in-chief of his army was his cousin Abner, his uncle Ner’s son. (Abner’s father, Ner, and Saul’s father, Kish, were brothers; both were the sons of Abiel.)
52 The Israelis fought constantly with the Philistines throughout Saul’s lifetime. And whenever Saul saw any brave, strong young man, he conscripted him into his army.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:32 That evening, implied.
- 1 Samuel 14:38 Something’s wrong, implied.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.