1Now it came to pass upon a day3117, that Jonathan3129 the son1121 of Saul7586 said559 unto the young man5288 that bare5375 his armour3627, Come3212, and let us go over5674 to the Philistines'6430 garrison4673, that is on the other side5676 1975. But he told5046 not his father1.
2And Saul7586 tarried3427 in the uttermost7097 part of Gibeah1390 under a pomegranate tree7416 which is in Migron4051: and the people5971 that were with him were about six8337 hundred3967 men376;
3And Ahiah281, the son1121 of Ahitub285, Ichabod's350 brother251, the son1121 of Phinehas6372, the son1121 of Eli5941, the LORD'S3068 priest3548 in Shiloh7887, wearing5375 an ephod646. And the people5971 knew3045 not that Jonathan3129 was gone1980.
4And between the passages4569, by which Jonathan3129 sought1245 to go over5674 unto the Philistines'6430 garrison4673, there was a sharp8127 rock5553 on the one side5676, and a sharp8127 rock5553 on the other side5676: and the name8034 of the one259 was Bozez949, and the name8034 of the other259 Seneh5573.
5The forefront8127 of the one259 was situate4690 northward6828 over against4136 Michmash4363, and the other259 southward5045 over against4136 Gibeah1387.
6And Jonathan3083 said559 to the young man5288 that bare5375 his armour3627, Come3212, and let us go over5674 unto the garrison4673 of these uncircumcised6189: it may be that the LORD3068 will work6213 for us: for there is no restraint4622 to the LORD3068 to save3467 by many7227 or by few4592.
7And his armourbearer5375 3627 said559 unto him, Do6213 all that is in thine heart3824: turn5186 thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart3824.
8Then said559 Jonathan3083, Behold, we will pass over5674 unto these men582, and we will discover1540 ourselves unto them.
9If they say559 thus unto us, Tarry1826 until we come5060 to you; then we will stand still5975 in our place, and will not go up5927 unto them.
10But if they say559 thus, Come up5927 unto us; then we will go up5927: for the LORD3068 hath delivered5414 them into our hand3027: and this shall be a sign226 unto us.
11And both8147 of them discovered1540 themselves unto the garrison4673 of the Philistines6430: and the Philistines6430 said559, Behold, the Hebrews5680 come forth3318 out of the holes2356 where they had hid2244 themselves.
12And the men582 of the garrison4675 answered6030 Jonathan3129 and his armourbearer5375 3627, and said559, Come up5927 to us, and we will shew3045 you a thing1697. And Jonathan3129 said559 unto his armourbearer5375 3627, Come up5927 after310 me: for the LORD3068 hath delivered5414 them into the hand3027 of Israel3478.
13And Jonathan3129 climbed up5927 upon his hands3027 and upon his feet7272, and his armourbearer5375 3627 after310 him: and they fell5307 before6440 Jonathan3129; and his armourbearer5375 3627 slew4191 after310 him.
14And that first7223 slaughter4347, which Jonathan3129 and his armourbearer5375 3627 made5221, was about twenty6242 men376, within as it were an half2677 acre4618 of land7704, which a yoke6776 of oxen might plow.
15And there was trembling2731 in the host4264, in the field7704, and among all the people5971: the garrison4673, and the spoilers7843, they also trembled2729, and the earth776 quaked7264: so it was a very great430 trembling2731.
16And the watchmen6822 of Saul7586 in Gibeah1390 of Benjamin1144 looked7200; and, behold, the multitude1995 melted away4127, and they went3212 on beating down1986 one another.
17Then said559 Saul7586 unto the people5971 that were with him, Number6485 now, and see7200 who is gone1980 from us. And when they had numbered6485, behold, Jonathan3129 and his armourbearer5375 3627 were not there.
18And Saul7586 said559 unto Ahiah281, Bring hither5066 the ark727 of God430. For the ark727 of God430 was at that time3117 with the children1121 of Israel3478.
19And it came to pass, while Saul7586 talked1696 unto the priest3548, that the noise1995 that was in the host4264 of the Philistines6430 went3212 on1980 and increased7227: and Saul7586 said559 unto the priest3548, Withdraw622 thine hand3027.
20And Saul7586 and all the people5971 that were with him assembled2199 themselves, and they came935 to the battle4421: and, behold, every man's376 sword2719 was against his fellow7453, and there was a very3966 great1419 discomfiture4103.
21Moreover the Hebrews5680 that were with the Philistines6430 before865 that time8032, which went up5927 with them into the camp4264 from the country round about5439, even they also turned to be with the Israelites3478 that were with Saul7586 and Jonathan3129.
22Likewise all the men376 of Israel3478 which had hid2244 themselves in mount2022 Ephraim669, when they heard8085 that the Philistines6430 fled5127, even they also followed hard1692 after310 them in the battle4421.
23So the LORD3068 saved3467 Israel3478 that day3117: and the battle4421 passed over5674 unto Bethaven1007.
24And the men376 of Israel3478 were distressed5065 that day3117: for Saul7586 had adjured422 the people5971, saying559, Cursed779 be the man376 that eateth398 any food3899 until evening6153, that I may be avenged5358 on mine enemies341. So none of the people5971 tasted2938 any food3899.
25And all they of the land776 came935 to a wood3293; and there was honey1706 upon6440 the ground7704.
26And when the people5971 were come935 into the wood3293, behold, the honey1706 dropped1982; but no man put5381 his hand3027 to his mouth6310: for the people5971 feared3372 the oath7621.
27But Jonathan3129 heard8085 not when his father1 charged7650 the people5971 with the oath7650: wherefore he put forth7971 the end7097 of the rod4294 that was in his hand3027, and dipped2881 it in an honeycomb3295 1706, and put7725 his hand3027 to his mouth6310; and his eyes5869 were enlightened215.
28Then answered6030 one376 of the people5971, and said559, Thy father1 straitly7650 charged7650 the people5971 with an oath7650, saying559, Cursed779 be the man376 that eateth398 any food3899 this day3117. And the people5971 were faint5774.
29Then said559 Jonathan3129, My father1 hath troubled5916 the land776: see7200, I pray you, how mine eyes5869 have been enlightened215, because I tasted2938 a little4592 of this honey1706.
30How much more637, if haply3863 the people5971 had eaten398 freely398 to day3117 of the spoil7998 of their enemies341 which they found4672? for had there not been now a much greater7235 slaughter4347 among the Philistines6430?
31And they smote5221 the Philistines6430 that day3117 from Michmash4363 to Aijalon357: and the people5971 were very3966 faint5774.
32And the people5971 flew5860 6213 upon the spoil7998, and took3947 sheep6629, and oxen1241, and calves1121, and slew7819 them on the ground776: and the people5971 did eat398 them with the blood1818.
33Then they told5046 Saul7586, saying559, Behold, the people5971 sin2398 against the LORD3068, in that they eat398 with the blood1818. And he said559, Ye have transgressed898: roll1556 a great1419 stone68 unto me this day3117.
34And Saul7586 said559, Disperse6327 yourselves among the people5971, and say559 unto them, Bring me hither5066 every man376 his ox7794, and every man376 his sheep7716, and slay7819 them here, and eat398; and sin2398 not against the LORD3068 in eating398 with the blood1818. And all the people5971 brought5066 every man376 his ox7794 with him3027 that night3915, and slew7819 them there.
35And Saul7586 built1129 an altar4196 unto the LORD3068: the same was the first2490 altar4196 that he built1129 unto the LORD3068.
36And Saul7586 said559, Let us go down3381 after310 the Philistines6430 by night3915, and spoil962 them until the morning1242 light216, and let us not leave7604 a man376 of them. And they said559, Do6213 whatsoever seemeth5869 good2896 unto thee. Then said559 the priest3548, Let us draw near7126 hither1988 unto God430.
37And Saul7586 asked7592 counsel of God430, Shall I go down3381 after310 the Philistines6430? wilt thou deliver5414 them into the hand3027 of Israel3478? But he answered6030 him not that day3117.
38And Saul7586 said559, Draw ye near5066 hither1988, all the chief6438 of the people5971: and know3045 and see7200 wherein4100 this sin2403 hath been this day3117.
39For, as the LORD3068 liveth2416, which saveth3467 Israel3478, though it be3426 in Jonathan3129 my son1121, he shall surely4191 die4191. But there was not a man among all the people5971 that answered6030 him.
40Then said559 he unto all Israel3478, Be ye on one259 side5676, and I and Jonathan3129 my son1121 will be on the other259 side5676. And the people5971 said559 unto Saul7586, Do6213 what seemeth5869 good2896 unto thee.
41Therefore Saul7586 said559 unto the LORD3068 God430 of Israel3478, Give3051 a perfect8549 lot. And Saul7586 and Jonathan3129 were taken3920: but the people5971 escaped3318.
42And Saul7586 said559, Cast5307 lots between me and Jonathan3129 my son1121. And Jonathan3129 was taken3920.
43Then Saul7586 said559 to Jonathan3129, Tell5046 me what thou hast done6213. And Jonathan3129 told5046 him, and said559, I did but2938 taste2938 a little4592 honey1706 with the end7097 of the rod4294 that was in mine hand3027, and, lo2009, I must die4191.
44And Saul7586 answered559, God430 do so6213 and more also3254: for thou shalt surely4191 die4191, Jonathan3129.
45And the people5971 said559 unto Saul7586, Shall Jonathan3129 die4191, who hath wrought6213 this great1419 salvation3444 in Israel3478? God forbid2486: as the LORD3068 liveth2416, there shall not one hair8185 of his head7218 fall5307 to the ground776; for he hath wrought6213 with God430 this day3117. So the people5971 rescued6299 Jonathan3129, that he died4191 not.
46Then Saul7586 went up5927 from following310 the Philistines6430: and the Philistines6430 went1980 to their own place4725.
47So Saul7586 took3920 the kingdom4410 over Israel3478, and fought3898 against all his enemies341 on every side5439, against Moab4124, and against the children1121 of Ammon5983, and against Edom123, and against the kings4428 of Zobah6678, and against the Philistines6430: and whithersoever he turned6437 himself, he vexed7561 them.
48And he gathered6213 an host2428, and smote5221 the Amalekites6002, and delivered5337 Israel3478 out of the hands3027 of them that spoiled8154 them.
49Now the sons1121 of Saul7586 were Jonathan3129, and Ishui3440, and Melchishua4444: and the names8034 of his two8147 daughters1323 were these; the name8034 of the firstborn1067 Merab4764, and the name8034 of the younger6996 Michal4324:
50And the name8034 of Saul's7586 wife802 was Ahinoam293, the daughter1323 of Ahimaaz290: and the name8034 of the captain8269 of his host6635 was Abner74, the son1121 of Ner5369, Saul's7586 uncle1730.
51And Kish7027 was the father1 of Saul7586; and Ner5369 the father1 of Abner74 was the son1121 of Abiel22.
52And there was sore2389 war4421 against the Philistines6430 all the days3117 of Saul7586: and when Saul7586 saw7200 any strong1368 man376, or any valiant2428 man1121, he took622 him unto him.