I Samuel 14

¹And it happened that, on a certain day, Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the youth who bore his armor, “Come, and let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines, which is across from that place.” But he did not reveal this to his father.

²Moreover, Saul was staying in the furthermost part of Gibeah, below the pomegranate tree that was at Migron. And the people with him were about six hundred men.

³And Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod, the son of Phinehas, who had been born of Eli, the priest of the Lord at Shiloh, wore the ephod. But the people did not know where Jonathan had gone.

⁴Now there were, between the ascents along which Jonathan strove to cross to the garrison of the Philistines, rocks projecting from both sides, and, in the manner of teeth, boulders breaking out from one side and the other. The name of one was Shining, and the name of the other was Thorny.

⁵One boulder projected toward the north, opposite Michmash, and the other toward the south, opposite Gibeah.

⁶Then Jonathan said to the youth who bore his armor: “Come, let us go across to the garrison of these uncircumcised. And perhaps the Lord may act on our behalf. For it is not difficult for the Lord to save, either by many, or by few.”

⁷And his armor bearer said to him: “Do all that is pleasing to your soul. Go wherever you wish, and I will be with you, wherever you will choose.”

⁸And Jonathan said: “Behold, we will cross over to these men. And when we will be seen by them,

⁹if they have spoken to us in this way, ‘Stay until we come to you,’ let us stand still in our place, and not ascend to them.

¹⁰But if they will say, ‘Ascend to us,’ let us ascend. For the Lord has delivered them into our hands. This will be the sign to us.”

¹¹And so, both of them appeared before the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “See, the Hebrews have come out from the holes in which they had been hiding.”

¹²And the men of the garrison spoke to Jonathan and to his armor bearer, and they said, “Ascend to us, and we will show you something.” And Jonathan said to his armor bearer: “Let us ascend. Follow me. For the Lord has delivered them into the hands of Israel.”

¹³Then Jonathan ascended, crawling on his hands and feet, and his armor bearer after him. And then, some fell before Jonathan, others his armor bearer killed as he was following him.

¹⁴And the first slaughter was made when Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty of the men, in the midst of an area of land that a yoke of oxen would usually plow in a day.

¹⁵And a miracle occurred in the camp, out in the fields. And all of the people of their garrison, who had gone out in order to plunder, were stupefied. And the earth trembled. And it happened as a miracle from God.

¹⁶And the watchmen of Saul, who were at Gibeah of Benjamin, looked out, and behold, a multitude was thrown down and dispersed, this way and that.

¹⁷And Saul said to the people who were with him, “Inquire and see who has gone out from us.” And when they had inquired, it was found that Jonathan and his armor bearer were not present.

¹⁸And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of the God.” (For the ark of God was, in that day, with the sons of Israel in that place.)

¹⁹And while Saul spoke to the priest, there arose a great tumult in the camp of the Philistines. And it was increasing, little by little, and it was being heard more clearly. And Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

²⁰Then Saul, and all the people who were with him, cried out together, and they went to the place of the conflict. And behold, each one’s sword had been turned against his neighbor, and there was a very great slaughter.

²¹Moreover, the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines yesterday and the day before, and who had ascended with them into the camp, turned back so that they might be with those of Israel who were with Saul and Jonathan.

²²Likewise, all the Israelites who had hidden themselves on mount Ephraim, hearing that the Philistines had fled, joined themselves with their own in the battle. And there were with Saul about ten thousand men.

²³And the Lord saved Israel on that day. But the fight continued as far as Bethaven.

²⁴And the men of Israel were joined together on that day. And Saul made the people swear, saying, “Cursed be the man who will eat bread, until evening, until I am avenged of my enemies.” And the entire people did not consume bread.

²⁵And all the common people went into a forest, in which there was honey on the surface of the field.

²⁶And so the people entered the forest, and there appeared flowing honey, but no one drew his hand near his mouth. For the people were afraid of the oath.

²⁷But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people to an oath. And so he extended the top of the staff that he was holding in his hand, and he dipped it in a honeycomb. And he turned his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were brightened.

²⁸And in response, one of the people said, “Your father has bound the people by an oath, saying: ‘Cursed be the man who will eat any bread this day.’ ” (For the people were faint.)

²⁹And Jonathan said: “My father has troubled the land. You have seen for yourselves that my eyes were brightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

³⁰How much more so, if the people had eaten from the plunder that they find with their enemies? Would not a greater slaughter have been accomplished among the Philistines?”

³¹Therefore, on that day, they struck down the Philistines, from Michmash as far as Aijalon. But the people were exceedingly wearied.

³²And turning to the spoils, they took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and they slew them on the ground. And the people ate with blood.

³³Then they reported to Saul, saying that the people had sinned against the Lord, eating with blood. And he said: “You have transgressed. Roll a great stone to me, here and now.”

³⁴And Saul said: “Disperse yourselves among the common people, and tell each one of them to bring to me his ox and his ram, and to slay them upon this stone, and to eat, so that you will not sin against the Lord, in eating with blood.” And so, each one, out of all the people, brought his ox, by his own hand, throughout the night. And they slew them there.

³⁵Then Saul built an altar to the Lord. And so, it was then that he first began to build an altar to the Lord.

³⁶And Saul said: “Let us fall upon the Philistines by night, and lay waste to them even until the morning light. And let us not leave behind a man among them.” And the people said, “Do all that seems good in your eyes.” And the priest said, “Let us draw near to God in this place.”

³⁷And Saul consulted the Lord: “Shall I pursue the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hands of Israel?” And he did not respond to him on that day.

³⁸And Saul said: “Bring here every single leader of the people. And we shall know and see by whom this sin was committed this day.

³⁹As the Lord lives, who is the Savior of Israel, even if it were done by my son Jonathan, without retraction he shall die.” In this, no one among all the people contradicted him.

⁴⁰And he said to all of Israel, “Separate yourselves on one side, and I, with my son Jonathan, will be on the other side.” And the people responded to Saul, “Do what seems good in your eyes.”

⁴¹And Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel: “O Lord, God of Israel, grant a sign: Why is it that you will not respond to your servant this day? If this iniquity is in me, or in my son Jonathan, grant an indication. Or if this iniquity is in your people, grant a sanctification.” And Jonathan and Saul were discovered, but the people were released.

⁴²And Saul said, “Cast lots between myself and Jonathan, my son.” And Jonathan was caught.

⁴³Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan revealed to him, and said: “Truly, I tasted a little honey with the top of the staff that was in my hand. And behold, I shall die.”

⁴⁴And Saul said, “May God do these things to me, and may he add these other things, for you shall surely die, Jonathan!”

⁴⁵And the people said to Saul: “Why should Jonathan have to die, who has accomplished this great salvation in Israel? This is wrong. As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head should fall to the ground. For he has wrought with God this day.” Therefore, the people freed Jonathan, so that he would not die.

⁴⁶And Saul withdrew, and he did not pursue the Philistines. And the Philistines went away to their own places.

⁴⁷And Saul, his kingdom having been confirmed over Israel, was fighting against all his enemies on all sides: against Moab, and the sons of Ammon, and Edom, and the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. And wherever he turned himself, he was successful.

⁴⁸And gathering together an army, he struck Amalek. And he rescued Israel from the hand of those who would lay waste to them.

⁴⁹Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua. And as for the names of his two daughters: the name of the firstborn daughter was Merab, and the name of the younger one was Michal.

⁵⁰And the name of the wife of Saul was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the first ruler of his military was Abner, the son of Ner, the first cousin of Saul.

⁵¹For Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner was the father of Abner, and the son of Abiel.

⁵²Now there was a powerful war against the Philistines during all the days of Saul. And so, whomever Saul had seen to be a strong man, and fit for battle, he joined him to himself.

I Samuel 14

¹Now it came to pass one day that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man that bore his armour: Come, and let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines, which is on the other side of yonder place. But he told not this to his father.

²And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gabaa, under the pomegranate tree, which was in Magron: and the people with him were about six hundred men.

³And Achias, the son of Achitob, brother of Ichabod the son of Phinees, the son of Heli, the priest of the Lord in Silo, wore the ephod. And the people knew not whither Jonathan was gone.

⁴Now there were between the ascents, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the garrison of the Philistines, rocks standing up on both sides, and steep cliffs like teeth on the one side, and on the other, the name of the one was Boses, and the name of the other was Sene:

⁵One rock stood out toward the north, over against Machmas, and the other to the south, over against Gabaa.

⁶And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour: Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised, it may be the Lord will do for us: because it is easy for the Lord to save either by many, or by few.

⁷And his armourbearer said to him: Do all that pleaseth thy mind: go whither thou wilt, and I will be with thee wheresoever thou hast a mind.

⁸And Jonathan said: Behold we will go over to these men. And when we shall be seen by them,

⁹If they shall speak thus to us: Stay till we come to you: let us stand still in our place, and not go up to them.

¹⁰But if they shall say: Come up to us: let us go up, because the Lord hath delivered them into our hands, this shall be a sign unto us.

¹¹So both of them discovered themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said: Behold the Hebrews come forth out of the holes wherein they were hid.

¹²And the men of the garrison spoke to Jonathan, and to his armourbearer, and said: Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armourbearer: Let us go up, follow me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hands of Israel.

¹³And Jonathan went up creeping on his hands and feet, and his armourbearer after him. And some fell before Jonathan, others his armourbearer slew as he followed him.

¹⁴And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was of about twenty men, within half an acre of land, which a yoke of oxen is wont to plough in a day.

¹⁵And there was a miracle in the camp, in the fields: and all the people of their garrison, who had gone out to plunder, were amazed, and the earth trembled: and it happened as a miracle from God.

¹⁶And the watchmen of Saul, who were in Gabaa of Benjamin looked, and behold a multitude overthrown, and fleeing this way and that.

¹⁷And Saul said to the people that were with him: Look, and see who is gone from us. And when they had sought, it was found that Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.

¹⁸And Saul said to Achias: Bring the ark of the Lord. (For the ark of God was there that day with the children of Israel.)

¹⁹And while Saul spoke to the priest, there arose a great uproar in the camp of the Philistines: and it increased by degrees, and was heard more clearly. And Saul said to the priest: Draw in thy hand.

²⁰Then Saul, and all the people that were with him, shouted together, and they came to the place of the fight: and behold every man's sword was turned upon his neighbour, and there was a very great slaughter.

²¹Moreover, the Hebrews that had been with the Philistines yesterday and the day before, and went up with them into the camp, returned to be with the Israelites, who were with Saul and Jonathan.

²²And all the Israelites that had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, hearing that the Philistines fled, joined themselves with their countrymen in the fight. And there were with Saul about ten thousand men.

²³And the Lord saved Israel that day. And the fight went on as far as Bethaven.

²⁴And the men of Israel were joined together that day: and Saul adjured the people, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat food till evening, till I be revenged of my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

²⁵And all the common people came into a forest, in which there was honey upon the ground.

²⁶And when the people came into the forest, behold the honey dropped, but no man put his hand to his mouth. For the people feared the oath.

²⁷But Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people: and he put forth the end of the rod, which he had in his hand, and dipt it in a honeycomb: and he carried his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened.

²⁸And one of the people answering, said: Thy father hath bound the people with an oath, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat any food this day. (And the people were faint.)

²⁹And Jonathan said: My father hath troubled the land: you have seen yourselves that my eyes are enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey:

³⁰How much more if the people had eaten of the prey of their enemies, which they found? had there not been made a greater slaughter among the Philistines?

³¹So they smote that day the Philistines, from Machmas to Aialon. And the people were wearied exceedingly.

³²And falling upon the spoils, they took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people ate them with the blood.

³³And they told Saul that the people had sinned against the Lord, eating with the blood. And he said: You have transgressed: roll here to me now a great stone.

³⁴And Saul said: Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them to bring me every man his ox and his ram and slay them upon this stone, and eat, and you shall not sin against the Lord, in eating with the blood. So all the people brought every man his ox with him till the night: and slew them there.

³⁵And Saul built an altar to the Lord: and he then first began to build an altar to the Lord.

³⁶And Saul said: Let us fall upon the Philistines by night, and destroy them till the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And the people said: Do all that seemeth good in thy eyes. And the priest said: Let us draw near hither unto God.

³⁷And Saul consulted the Lord: Shall I pursue after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hands of Israel? And he answered him not that day.

³⁸And Saul said: Bring hither all the corners of the people: and know, and see by whom this sin hath happened to day.

³⁹As the Lord liveth, who is the Saviour of Israel, if it was done by Jonathan, my son, he shall surely die. In this none of the people gainsayed him.

⁴⁰And he said to all Israel: Be you on one side and I, with Jonathan, my son, will be on the other side. And the people answered Saul: Do what seemeth good in thy eyes.

⁴¹And Saul said to the Lord: O Lord God of Israel, give a sign, by which we may know, what the meaning is, that thou answerest not thy servant to day: If this iniquity be in me, or in my son Jonathan, give a proof: or if this iniquity be in thy people, give holiness. And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people escaped.

⁴²And Saul said: (Cast lots between me, and Jonathan, my son. And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³And 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, which was in my hand, and behold I must die.

⁴⁴And Saul said: May God do so and so to me, and add still more: for dying thou shalt die, O Jonathan.

⁴⁵And the people said to Saul: Shall Jonathan then die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? this must not be: 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 delivered Jonathan, that he should not die.

⁴⁶And Saul went back, and did not pursue after the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own places.

⁴⁷And Saul having his kingdom established over Israel, fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and Edom, and the kings of Soba, and the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he overcame.

⁴⁸And gathering together an army, he defeated Amalec, and delivered Israel from the hand of them that spoiled them.

⁴⁹And the sons of Saul, were Jonathan, and Jessui, and Melchisua: and the names of his two daughters, the name of the firstborn was Merob, and the name of the younger Michol.

⁵⁰And the name of Saul's wife was Achinoam, the daughter of Achimaas; and the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, the cousin german of Saul.

⁵¹For Cis was the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abner, was son of Abiel.

⁵²And there was a great war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. For whomsoever Saul saw to be a valiant man, and fit for war, he took him to himself.