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Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man who carried his armour, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistines garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.
2 Saul was staying the outskirts of Gibeah, under a pomegranate tree at Migron. With him were about six hundred men, 3 Including Ahijah son of Ahitub, who was wearing an ephod. He was the brother of Ichadod son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest at Shiloh. But no one knew that Jonathan had left there.
4 At the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistines garrison there was a rocky crag on one side, and a rocky crag on the other side. The name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 One crag rose to the north facing Michmash, and the other to the south facing Geba.
6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armour, “Come, let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps it may be that the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”
7 His armour-bearer said to him, “Do whatever you have in mind. Go ahead; I am right here with you, do whatever is in your heart to do.”
8 Jonathan said, “We will cross over to those men and let them see us. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait there until we come to you’, then we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us’, we will go up, for this will be the sign that the Lord has delivered them into our hands.”
11 So they both showed themselves to the Philistine garrison, and the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews have come out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.” 12 The men of the garrison called out to Jonathan and his armour-bearer and said, “Come on up to us, and we will teach you a lesson!”
So Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, “Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”
13 Then Jonathan clambered up on his hands and feet, with his armour-bearer right behind him. Jonathan cut them down, and his armour-bearer followed behind and killed them. 14 In that first attack which Jonathan and his armour-bearer made accounted for some twenty men, within a space of about half an acre.
15 Panic spread through the Philistine soldiers in the camp and the surrounding field, and the garrison and the raiders trembled. The very earth shook with the terror that God sent.
16 When Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, they saw the panicked soldiers melting away and scattering in all directions. 17 So Saul said to the men who were with him, “Take a count and see who has left us.” When they did, they found that Jonathan and his armour-bearer were not there.
18 Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the Ark of God here;” for the Ark of God was with the Israelites at that time. 19 While Saul was talking with the priest, the commotion in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”
20 Then Saul and the men with him assembled and went to the battle. When they reached there, they found that the Philistines were already in total confusion, and they were striking each other with their swords. 21 There were some Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines, and they went over to the camp of the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathon. 22 When all the men of Israel hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined in the battle and pursued them. 23 So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted over to Beth-aven.
24 Then men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had bound all the people under an oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats any food before evening comes, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted food.
25 The army entered some woods, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the troops went into the woods, they saw honey dripping down, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for they feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he reached out with the end of the rod which was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. 28 Then one of the soldiers told Jonathon, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats any food this day’. So the people are faint.”
29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has brought trouble on the country. See how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had freely eaten today from the spoil they took from their enemies. Would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”
31 That day the Israelites struck down the Philistines all the way from Michmash to Aijalon. Afterward, they were completely exhausted. 32 They rushed to the plunder, took sheep, oxen, and calves, and butchered them on the ground, and they ate the meat there, with the blood still in the meat. 33 Then someone said to Saul, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating the meat with the blood still in it.”
Saul said, “You have all broken faith. Roll a large stone over here to me.” 34 Then Saul said, “Go out among the men and say to them, ‘Each man must bring his ox or his sheep to me and slaughter them here, and then eat. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with the blood still in it’.”
So all of the troops brought his ox with him that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time that he had built an altar to the Lord.
36 Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the light of morning; let us not leave even a single man alive.”
“Do whatever seems good to you,” they replied.
But the priest said, “Let us draw near to God for counsel here.”
37 So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.
38 So Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the army, and let us find out how this sin has occurred today. 39 For as surely as the Lord lives who saves Israel, even if it because of Jonathan my son, he must die.” But not one of the men answered him.
40 So Saul said to all of the Israelites, “You will be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” The troops replied to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”
41 So Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Give me the right answer.” And Saul and Jonathan were indicated by lot, and the troops were cleared. 42 Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son;” and Jonathan was indicated.
43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”
So Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that I was carrying. Now I am ready to die.”
44 Saul said, “May God do so and more also to me if you do not die, Jonathan.”
45 But the men said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
46 Then Saul gave up pursuing the Philistines; and the Philistines withdrew to their own country.
47 After Saul had secured the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them. 48 He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who had plundered them.
49 Now the sons of Saul were: Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. The names of his two daughters were: Merab, his firstborn, and Michal, the younger. 50 The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul’s uncle. 51 Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were the sons of Abiel.
52 There was fierce warfare with the Philistines all the days of Saul; and whenever Saul noticed any strong man or brave warrior, he took him into his service.