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The First Book of Samuel 14

14 And it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to his servant who carried his equipment, “Come, and let us cross over to the garrison of the Philistines that is on the other side from here.” But he did not tell his father. 2 Now Saul was staying at the end of the Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that is in Migron. And the people who were with him were about 600 men, 3 and Ahijah the son of Ahitub the brother of Ichabod the son of Phinehas the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh at Shiloh who was carrying an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. 4 Now between the passes that Jonathan sought to pass over to the garrison of the Philistines was the tooth of the cliff on one side from this and the tooth of the cliff on the other side from this. And the name of one was Bozez and the name of one was Seneh. 5 The tooth of the one was a pillar from the north in front of Michmash. And the one from the south was in front of Geba.

6 And Jonathan said to his servant who carried his equipment, “Come, and let us pass over to the garrison of these uncircumcised ones! Perhaps Yahweh will act for us, for there is no hindrance for Yahweh to save by many or by few.” 7 And the one who carried his equipment said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Turn for yourself; behold, I am with you according to your heart.” 8 And Jonathan said, “Behold, we will cross over to the men. And we will reveal ourselves to them. 9 If thus they say to us, ‘Be still until we reach you,’ then we will stand under ourselves and not go up to them. 10 But if thus they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for Yahweh has given them into our hand. And this will be the sign for us.” 11 And the two of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Behold, Hebrews are coming out from the holes there where they have hidden themselves.” 12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and the one who carried his equipment, and said, “Come up to us, and we will cause you to know a thing.” And Jonathan said to the one who carried his equipment, “Go up behind me, for Yahweh has given them into the hand of Israel.” 13 And Jonathan went up on his hands and on his feet, and the one who carried his equipment was behind him. And they fell before the face of Jonathan, and the one who carried his equipment was putting to death behind him. 14 And the first blow that Jonathan and the one who carried his equipment struck was about 20 men in about half of a furrow, a yoke of a field. 15 And a trembling was in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the destroyers, even they trembled. And the earth quaked and it became a trembling of God. 16 And the lookouts of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the crowd melted away and went even here.

17 And Saul said to the people who were with him, “Muster now and see who has gone from with us.” And they mustered, and behold, there was no Jonathan or the one who carried his equipment! 18 And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring near the Box of God.” For on that day the Box of God was with the sons of Israel. 19 And it happened while Saul spoke to the priest, that the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines was going continually and increasingly. And Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 20 And Saul and all the people who were with him were called together and came to the battle. And behold, the sword of a man was against his companion, a very great confusion. 21 Now some Hebrews were for the Philistines according to yesterday and three days ago, who had gone up with them into the camp all around. But even they were to be with Israel, who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 And all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines fled, and they also pursued after them in the battle. 23 And Yahweh saved Israel on that day. And the battle passed over Beth Aven.

24 And the men of Israel were hard-pressed on that day. And Saul had made the people swear, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats food until the evening and I take vengeance from my enemies.” So all the people had not tasted food. 25 And all the land entered into the forest. And honey was on the face of the field. 26 And the people entered into the forest, and behold, the flowing of honey! But no one reached his hand to his mouth for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard when his father had made the people swear. And he extended the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb of the honey. And he returned his hand to his mouth and his eyes became bright. 28 And a man from the people answered and said, “Your father surely made the people swear, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ So the people are faint.” 29 And Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See now that my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more if the people had eaten freely today from the plunder of their enemies that they found? For now the blow has not been great among the Philistines.”

31 And on that day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint. 32 And the people rushed with shouting on the plunder and took sheep and cattle and sons of cattle, and they slaughtered on the ground. And the people ate with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are sinning against Yahweh by eating with the blood!” And he said, “You have acted deceptively. Roll a big stone to me today.” 34 And Saul said, “Disperse among the people and say to them, ‘Bring near to me, a man his ox and a man his sheep, and slaughter here and eat. And you shall not sin against Yahweh by eating with the blood.’ ” And all the people brought near, a man his ox by his hand that night and they slaughtered there. 35 And Saul built an altar to Yahweh, it he began to build an altar to Yahweh.

36 And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the light of morning. And let us not leave a man among them.” And they said, “Do all the good in your eyes.” And the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.” 37 And Saul asked of God, “Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But he did not answer him on that day. 38 And Saul said, “Come near here, all the corners of the people! And know and see by what this sin has happened today. 39 For, as Yahweh is alive, the one who saves Israel, even if it is by Jonathan my son, indeed he will surely die.” But there was no one answering him from all the people. 40 And he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on one side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do the good in your eyes.” 41 And Saul said to Yahweh the God of Israel, “Give a perfect one!” And Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people went out. 42 And Saul said, “Cause it to fall between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

43 And Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him and said, “Indeed I tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die.” 44 And Saul said, “May God do so and may he add so, for you shall surely die, Jonathan.” 45 And the people said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die, who has made this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh is alive, a hair of his head will not fall to the ground! For he has worked with God this day.” And the people ransomed Jonathan and he did not die.

46 And Saul went up from after the Philistines. And the Philistines went to their place. 47 Now Saul had taken the kingship over Israel. And he fought against all his enemies all around: against Moab and against the sons of Ammon and against Edom and against the kings of Zobah and against the Philistines. And he inflicted punishment against everywhere he turned. 48 And he acted strongly and struck down the Amalekites. And he rescued Israel from the hand of those who plundered it.

49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi and Malki-Shua. As for the names of the two of his daughters: the name of the firstborn was Merab and the name of the younger was Michal. 50 The name of the wife of Saul was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner the uncle of Saul. 51 And Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52 And the battle was strong against the Philistines all the days of Saul. When Saul saw any man of might, or any son of strength, then he gathered him to himself.

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