1One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But Jonathan did not tell his father.stylusJudges 6:27, 1 Samuel 13:2, 2 Samuel 1:25, 2 Samuel 1:26, 1 Samuel 13:222Meanwhile, Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. And the troops who were with him numbered about six hundred men,stylusIsaiah 10:28, Isaiah 10:29, 1 Samuel 13:15, 1 Samuel 13:16, Isaiah 10:283including Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of the LORD in Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.stylus1 Samuel 22:20, 1 Samuel 2:28, 1 Samuel 4:21, 1 Samuel 22:20, 1 Samuel 2:284Now there were cliffs on both sides of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh.stylus1 Samuel 13:23, 1 Samuel 13:235One cliff stood to the north toward Michmash, and the other to the south toward Geba.stylus6Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”stylusMatthew 19:26, Matthew 19:26, Romans 8:31, Romans 8:31, Zechariah 4:67His armor-bearer replied, “Do all that is in your heart. Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”stylus2 Samuel 7:3, 2 Samuel 7:3, Psalms 46:7, 1 Samuel 10:7, Zechariah 8:238“Very well,” said Jonathan, “we will cross over toward these men and show ourselves to them.stylusJudges 7:9, Judges 7:14, Judges 7:9, Judges 7:149If they say, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stay where we are and will not go up to them.stylusJudges 6:36, Judges 6:40, Genesis 24:13, Genesis 24:14, Judges 6:3610But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we will go up, because this will be our sign that the LORD has delivered them into our hands.”stylusGenesis 24:14, Genesis 24:14, 1 Samuel 10:7, Judges 7:11, 1 Samuel 10:711So the two of them showed themselves to the outpost of the Philistines, who exclaimed, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they were hiding!”stylus1 Samuel 13:6, 1 Samuel 13:6, 1 Samuel 14:22, 1 Samuel 14:22, Judges 6:212So the men of the outpost called out to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come on up, and we will teach you a lesson!” “Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”stylus1 Samuel 17:43, 1 Samuel 17:44, 2 Samuel 5:24, 1 Samuel 17:43, 1 Samuel 17:4413So Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. And the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off.stylusHebrews 11:34, Joshua 23:10, Romans 8:31, Psalms 18:29, Leviticus 26:714In that first assault, Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men over half an acre of land.stylus15Then terror struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked and panic spread from God.stylus1 Samuel 13:17, 1 Samuel 13:17, Genesis 35:5, Genesis 35:5, Exodus 19:1816Now when Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin looked and saw the troops melting away and scattering in every direction,stylusJudges 7:22, Isaiah 19:2, 1 Samuel 14:20, Psalms 68:2, Psalms 58:717Saul said to the troops who were with him, “Call the roll and see who has left us.” And when they had called the roll, they saw that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there.stylus18Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites.)stylusJudges 20:18, Judges 20:23, Judges 20:27, Judges 20:28, 1 Samuel 30:719While Saul was talking to the priest, the commotion in the Philistine camp continued to increase. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”stylusNumbers 27:21, 1 Samuel 14:24, Numbers 27:21, 1 Samuel 14:24, 1 Samuel 13:1120Then Saul and all his troops assembled and marched to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, with each man wielding the sword against his neighbor.stylus2 Chronicles 20:23, Judges 7:22, 2 Chronicles 20:23, Judges 7:22, 1 Samuel 14:1621And the Hebrews who had previously gone up into the surrounding camps of the Philistines now went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.stylus1 Samuel 29:4, 1 Samuel 29:4, Judges 7:23, Judges 7:2322When all the Israelites who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined Saul and Jonathan in the battle.stylus1 Samuel 13:6, 1 Samuel 13:6, 1 Samuel 31:7, 1 Samuel 31:723So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth-aven.stylusExodus 14:30, Exodus 14:30, 1 Samuel 13:5, 1 Samuel 13:5, Psalms 44:624Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food.stylusJoshua 6:26, Joshua 6:26, Romans 10:2, Romans 10:2, Judges 11:3025Then all the troops entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground.stylusMatthew 3:4, Matthew 3:5, Exodus 3:8, Numbers 13:27, Deuteronomy 9:2826And when they entered the forest and saw the flowing honey, not one of them put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.stylusEcclesiastes 9:2, Ecclesiastes 9:227Jonathan, however, had not heard that his father had charged the people with the oath. So he reached out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened.stylus1 Samuel 14:29, 1 Samuel 30:12, 1 Samuel 14:43, 1 Samuel 14:29, 1 Samuel 30:1228Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.”stylus1 Samuel 14:24, 1 Samuel 14:43, 1 Samuel 14:24, 1 Samuel 14:4329“My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.stylus1 Kings 18:18, 1 Kings 18:18, Joshua 7:25, Joshua 7:2530How much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been much greater?”stylusEcclesiastes 9:18, Ecclesiastes 9:1831That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, the people were very faint.stylusJoshua 10:12, Joshua 10:12, Joshua 19:42, Joshua 19:4232So they rushed greedily to the plunder, taking sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them on the ground and ate meat with the blood still in it.stylus1 Samuel 15:19, Leviticus 3:17, 1 Samuel 15:19, Leviticus 3:17, Genesis 9:433Then someone reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.” “You have broken faith,” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here at once.”stylusRomans 2:1, Romans 2:1, Matthew 7:5, Matthew 7:534Then he said, “Go among the troops and tell them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep, slaughter them in this place, and then eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.’” So that night everyone brought his ox and slaughtered it there.stylus35Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had built an altar to the LORD.stylus1 Samuel 7:17, 1 Samuel 7:17, Judges 21:4, 2 Timothy 3:5, Hosea 8:1436And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn, leaving no man alive!” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied. But the priest said, “We must consult God here.”stylusIsaiah 48:1, Isaiah 48:2, Isaiah 48:1, Isaiah 48:2, Jeremiah 6:537So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.stylus1 Samuel 28:6, 1 Samuel 28:6, 2 Samuel 5:23, 1 Samuel 23:9, 1 Samuel 23:1238Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today.stylusPsalms 47:9, Zechariah 10:4, Judges 20:2, Numbers 24:17, 1 Samuel 10:1939As surely as the LORD who saves Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must die!” But not one of the troops said a word.stylus1 Samuel 14:44, 2 Samuel 12:5, 1 Samuel 14:44, 2 Samuel 12:5, 1 Samuel 14:2440Then Saul said to all Israel, “You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other side.” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied.stylus2 Samuel 15:15, 1 Samuel 14:7, 1 Samuel 14:36, 2 Samuel 15:15, 1 Samuel 14:741So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim; but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge.stylusActs 1:24, Acts 1:24, Joshua 7:16, Joshua 7:18, 1 Samuel 10:2042Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.stylus43“Tell me what you have done,” Saul commanded him. So Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. And now I must die?”stylusJoshua 7:19, Joshua 7:19, 1 Samuel 14:27, 1 Samuel 14:27, Jonah 1:744And Saul declared, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if you, Jonathan, do not surely die!”stylus1 Samuel 14:39, Ruth 1:17, 1 Samuel 14:39, Ruth 1:17, 1 Samuel 25:2245But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.stylus2 Samuel 14:11, Luke 21:18, Acts 27:34, 2 Samuel 14:11, Luke 21:1846Then Saul gave up his pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own land.stylus47After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them.stylus2 Samuel 10:6, 2 Samuel 10:6, 1 Samuel 14:52, 1 Samuel 14:52, 2 Samuel 8:348He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of its plunderers.stylusExodus 17:14, Deuteronomy 25:19, 1 Samuel 15:3, 1 Samuel 15:7, Exodus 17:1449Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His two daughters were named Merab (his firstborn) and Michal (his younger daughter).stylus1 Chronicles 8:33, 1 Samuel 31:2, 1 Chronicles 8:33, 1 Samuel 31:2, 1 Chronicles 9:3950His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Saul’s uncle Ner.stylus2 Samuel 2:8, 2 Samuel 2:8, 2 Samuel 3:27, 1 Samuel 17:55, 2 Samuel 3:2751Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.stylus1 Samuel 9:1, 1 Samuel 9:1, 1 Samuel 9:21, 1 Samuel 9:2152And the war with the Philistines was fierce for all the days of Saul. So whenever he noticed any strong or brave man, Saul would enlist him.stylus1 Samuel 8:11, 1 Samuel 8:11, 1 Samuel 8:1, 1 Samuel 8:1