1 Samuel 14

Wycliffe Bible

14 And it befelled in a day, that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to his squire, a young man, Come thou, and pass we (over) to the station of the Philistines, which is beyond that place; soothly he showed not this same thing to his father. (And it befell one day, that Saul’s son Jonathan, said to the young man who was his squire, Come thou, and go we over to the Philistines’ station, or post, which is beyond that place over there; but he did not tell this to his father.)

² And Saul dwelled in the last part of Gibeah, under a pomegranate tree, that was in the field of Gibeah; and the people as of six hundred men was with him. (And Saul remained in the last part of Gibeah, under a pomegranate tree, that was in Migron; and the people who were with him were about six hundred men.)

³ And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, [the] brother of Ichabod, the son of Phinehas, that was engendered of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh, bare the ephod, that is, the priest’s cloak; but also the people knew not whither Jonathan had gone (and the people did not know that Jonathan had gone).

⁴ And betwixt the goings up, by which Jonathan endeavoured to pass to the station of (the) Philistines, were stones standing forth on ever either side, and scars broken before, by the manner of teeth, on each side (and broken scarps on each side, like teeth); (the) name to the one was Bozez, and (the) name to the tother was Seneh;

⁵ one scar was standing forth to the north (over) against Michmash, and the tother scar to the south (over) against Gibeah. (one scarp was to the north, facing Michmash, and the other scarp was to the south, facing Gibeah.)

⁶ And Jonathan said to his young squire, Come thou, pass we (over) to the station of these uncircumcised men, if in hap the Lord do (battle) for us; for it is not hard to the Lord to save, either in many, either in few (for it is not hard for the Lord to keep a man safe, yea, either a few, or many).

⁷ And his squire said to him, Do thou all things that please thy soul; go whither thou covetest, I shall be with thee, wherever thou wilt.

⁸ And Jonathan said, Lo! we pass (over) to these men; and when we appear to them,

⁹ if they speak thus to us, Dwell ye (Stay ye), till we come to you; stand we in our place, and go we not up to them.

¹⁰ And if they say, Go ye up to us; go we up to them, for the Lord hath betaken them into our hands; this shall be a sign to us. (But if they say, Come ye up to us; then we shall go up to them, for the Lord hath delivered them into our hands; this shall be a sign to us.)

¹¹ Therefore ever either appeared to the station of Philistines (And so they both appeared before the Philistines’ station); and the Philistines said, Lo! the Hebrews go out of [the] caves, in which they were hid.

¹² And men of the station spake to Jonathan and to his squire, and said, Go ye up to us, and we shall show to you a thing. And Jonathan said to his squire, Ascend we, follow thou me; for the Lord hath betaken them into the hands of Israel. (And the men of the station said to Jonathan and his squire, Come ye over to us, and we shall show you a thing or two. And Jonathan said to his squire, Go we up to them, follow thou me; for the Lord hath delivered them into the hands of Israel.)

¹³ And Jonathan went up, creeping on hands and feet, and his squire after him; and when they had seen the face of Jonathan, some felled down before Jonathan, his squire killed others, and followed him (and when they were face to face with Jonathan, he killed some, and his squire killed some others, following his master).

¹⁴ And the first wound was made, which Jonathan and his squire smote, as of twenty men, in the middle part of land, which a pair of oxen was wont to ear in the day. (And so the first attack was made, in which Jonathan and his squire killed about twenty men, in the middle part of a field which a pair of oxen could plow in a day.)

¹⁵ And a miracle was done in the Philistines’ tents, and by their fields, but also all the people of the Philistines’ station that went out to take prey, dreaded, and their tents were troubled; and it befelled as a miracle of God. (And so terror spread across that field, and among the Philistines’ host, or army, and all the people at the Philistines’ station who went out to take prey were afraid, and the army was greatly troubled; and so it befell as a miracle of God.)

¹⁶ And the espyers of Saul beheld this doing, that were in Gibeah of Benjamin, and lo! a multitude of the Philistines was cast down, and fleeing away hither and thither. (And Saul’s watchmen, who were in Gibeah of Benjamin, beheld this event, and lo! many Philistines were thrown down, and others fled away here and there.)

¹⁷ And Saul said to the people that were with him, Seek ye, and see ye, who went away from us. And when they had sought, it was found, that Jonathan and his squire were not present.

¹⁸ And Saul said to Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of the Lord; for the ark of God was there in that time with the sons of Israel. (And Saul said to Ahiah, Bring the ephod here; for at that time Ahiah carried the ephod before the Israelites.)

¹⁹ And when Saul spake to the priest, a great noise (a)rose in the tents of the Philistines; and it increased little and little, and it sounded more clearly. And Saul said to the priest, Withdraw thine hand (And Saul said to the priest, Hold back thy hand!).

²⁰ Therefore Saul cried, and all the people that was with him; and they came unto the place of battle, and, lo! the sword of each man was turned to his neighbour, and a full great slaying was. (And then Saul and all the people who were with him cried together; and they came to the place of the battle, and, lo! the sword of each man was turned against his neighbour, and there was a very great slaughter.)

²¹ But also the Hebrews that were with (the) Philistines yesterday and the third day ago, and had gone up with them in(to) their tents, turned again to be with the men of Israel, that were with Saul and Jonathan.

²² Also all the men of Israel, that had hid themselves in the hill (country) of Ephraim, heard that the Philistines had fled; and they fellowshipped themselves with their men in [the] battle, and as ten thousand of men were with Saul (and about ten thousand men were with Saul).

²³ And the Lord saved Israel in that day (And the Lord saved Israel that day). And the battle came till to Bethaven.

²⁴ And men of Israel were fellowshipped to themselves in that day; forsooth Saul swore to the people, and said, Cursed be the man that eateth bread till to eventide, till I venge me of mine enemies. And all the people ate no bread. (And the men of Israel felt faint that day; for Saul had commanded to the people, and said, Cursed be the man who eateth any food before evening, until I avenge myself upon my enemies. And so all the people ate no food.)

²⁵ And all the common people of the land came into a forest, in which was honey on the face of (the) earth (where there was honey on the ground).

²⁶ And so the people entered into the forest, and flowing honey appeared (there); and no man put his hand to his mouth thereof, for the people dreaded the oath (but no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath/for the people feared Saul’s curse).

²⁷ And Jonathan heard not, when his father forbade this to the people (But Jonathan did not hear his father forbid this to the people); and (so) Jonathan held forth the end of a little rod, that he held in his hand, and he dipped it into an honeycomb; and he turned his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were (en)lightened, (that is, he felt refreshed).

²⁸ And (at once) one of the people answered, and said, Thy father bound the people with an oath, and said, Cursed be the man that eateth bread today (Cursed be the man who eateth any food today). And (so) the people was faint.

²⁹ And (then) Jonathan said, My father hath troubled the land; ye see, that mine eyes be enlightened (ye see, that I am refreshed), for I tasted a little of this honey;

³⁰ how much more if the people had eaten (some) of the prey of their enemies, that they found; whether not greater vengeance had been made in [the] Philistines? (would not a greater slaughter have been done to the Philistines?)

³¹ Therefore they smote [the] Philistines in that day from Michmash into Aijalon. And the people was made full weary; (And so they struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. But the people were made faint;)

³² and (so) the people turned to [the] prey, and took sheep and oxen, and calves; and they killed these beasts upon the earth (and they killed these beasts on the ground); and (then) the people ate the flesh with (the) blood (still in it).

³³ And they told to Saul, and said, that the people eating with blood had sinned to the Lord. And Saul said, Ye have trespassed; wallow ye anon to me a great stone. (And they told Saul, and said, The people have sinned against the Lord, eating the flesh with the blood! And Saul said, Ye have all trespassed; roll ye a great stone over to me at once.)

³⁴ And Saul said, Go ye forth abroad into the common people, and say ye to them, that each man (should) bring to me his ox and his wether, (or his ram); and slay ye those upon this stone, and (then) eat ye them, and (so) ye shall not do sin to the Lord, (by) eating them with (the) blood. And so all the people brought each man an ox in his hand unto the night, and they killed them there (And so into the night each man brought forth an ox, and they killed them there).

³⁵ And Saul builded there an altar to the Lord; and then first he began to build an altar to the Lord. (And Saul built an altar there to the Lord; and this was the first altar that he built to the Lord.)

³⁶ And Saul said, Fall we upon the Philistines in the night, and waste we/destroy we them till the morrowtide shine; and leave we not of them a man (alive). And the people said, Do thou all thing that seemeth good to thee in thine eyes. And the priest said, Nigh we hither to God.

³⁷ And Saul counselled with the Lord, and said, Whether I shall pursue the Philistines? whether thou shalt betake them into the hands of Israel? And the Lord answered not to him in that day. (And Saul counselled with the Lord, and asked, Shall I pursue the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hands of Israel? But the Lord did not answer him that day.)

³⁸ And Saul said, Bring ye hither all the corners, or the uttermost parties, of the people (Bring ye here all the chieftains, or the chief men, of the people), and know ye, and see ye, by whom this sin hath fallen today.

³⁹ The Lord the saviour of Israel liveth; for (even) if it is done by Jonathan my son, he shall die without again-drawing. At which oath no man of all the people against-said him. (As the Lord liveth, yea, the saviour, or the deliverer, of Israel; for even if it is done by my son Jonathan, he shall die without any drawing back, or without delay. At which oath no one of all the people answered anything back to him.)

⁴⁰ And he said to all Israel, Be ye separated into one part, and I with my son Jonathan shall be in the tother part. And the people answered to Saul, Do thou that, that seemeth good to thine eyes (Do thou what seemeth good in thine eyes).

⁴¹ And Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, Lord God of Israel, give thou doom, what is it, that thou answerest not today to thy servant? If this wickedness is in me, either in Jonathan, my son, make thou showing thereof; either if this wickedness is in thy people, give thou holiness. And Jonathan was taken, and Saul, by lot; forsooth the people went out. (And Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, Lord God of Israel, give thou judgement, why is it that thou hast not answered thy servant today? If this wickedness is in me, or in my son Jonathan, let the lot be Urim; but if this wickedness is in thy people, let it be Thummim. And by lot Jonathan and Saul were indicted; and the people were absolved.)

⁴² And Saul said, Send ye lot betwixt me and Jonathan my son (And Saul said, Cast ye the lot/Throw ye the lot between me and my son Jonathan). And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ And Saul said to Jonathan, Show thou to me, what thou didest. And Jonathan showed to him, and said, I tasting tasted a little of honey in the end of the rod, that was in mine hand; and lo! I die. (And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell thou to me, what thou didest. And Jonathan said to him, I tasted a little honey using the end of the rod that was in my hand; and lo! now I must die.)

⁴⁴ And Saul said, God do to me these things, and add these things, for thou, Jonathan, shalt (indeed) die by death.

⁴⁵ And the people said to Saul, Therefore whether Jonathan shall die, that did this great health in Israel? this is unleaveful; the Lord liveth; none hair of his head shall fall into the earth; for he hath wrought with God today. Therefore the people delivered Jonathan, that he died not. (And the people said to Saul, Should Jonathan truly die, he who hath won this great victory for Israel? Nay! this is unlawful; as the Lord liveth, there shall not fall to the ground one hair of his head, for he hath worked with God today. And so the people delivered Jonathan, so that he did not die.)

⁴⁶ And Saul went away, and he pursued not the Philistines; and the Philistines went into their places.

⁴⁷ And Saul, when his realm was stabled upon Israel, fought by compass against all his enemies (And Saul, when his kingdom was established upon Israel, fought against all his enemies all around), (yea,) against Moab, and the sons of Ammon, and Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines; and whither ever he turned him[self], he overcame (them).

⁴⁸ And when his host was gathered together, he smote Amalek; and delivered Israel from the hand of his destroyers. (And then when his army was gathered together, he killed the Amalekites; and so he saved Israel from the hands of their destroyers.)

⁴⁹ And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua; the names of his two daughters be these, the name of the first engendered daughter was Merab, and the name of the younger was Michal.

⁵⁰ And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the prince of his chivalry was Abner (and the name of the leader of his cavalry, or of his army, was Abner), the son of Ner, the brother of the father of Saul.

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

⁵² Soothly mighty battle was against Philistines in all the days of Saul; for whomever Saul saw (to be) a strong man, and shapely to battle, he fellowshipped to himself that man. (And there was great battle against the Philistines in all the days of Saul; and whenever Saul saw a strong man, ready for battle, he took that man into his own service.)