1 Samuel 14
Good News Translation
Jonathan's Daring Deed
14 One day Jonathan said to the young man who carried his weapons, “Let's go across to the Philistine camp.” But Jonathan did not tell his father Saul, 2 who was camping under a pomegranate tree in Migron, not far from Gibeah; he had about six hundred men with him. 3 (The priest carrying the ephod was Ahijah, the son of Ichabod's brother Ahitub, who was the son of Phinehas and grandson of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh.) The men did not know that Jonathan had left.
4 In Michmash Pass, which Jonathan had to go through to get over to the Philistine camp, there were two large jagged rocks, one on each side of the pass: one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. 5 One was on the north side of the pass, facing Michmash, and the other was on the south side, facing Geba.
6 Jonathan said to the young man, “Let's cross over to the camp of those heathen Philistines. Maybe the Lord will help us; if he does, nothing can keep him from giving us the victory, no matter how few of us there are.”
7 The young man answered, “Whatever you want to do,[a] I'm with you.”
8 “All right,” Jonathan said. “We will go across and let the Philistines see us. 9 If they tell us to wait for them to come to us, then we will stay where we are. 10 But if they tell us to go to them, then we will, because that will be the sign that the Lord has given us victory over them.”
11 So they let the Philistines see them, and the Philistines said, “Look! Some Hebrews are coming out of the holes they have been hiding in!” 12 Then they called out to Jonathan and the young man, “Come on up here! We have something to tell[b] you!”
Jonathan said to the young man, “Follow me. The Lord has given Israel victory over them.” 13 Jonathan climbed up out of the pass on his hands and knees, and the young man followed him. Jonathan attacked the Philistines and knocked them down, and the young man killed them. 14 In that first slaughter Jonathan and the young man killed about twenty men in an area of about half an acre.[c] 15 All the Philistines in the countryside were terrified; the raiders and the soldiers in the camp trembled with fear; the earth shook, and there was great panic.
The Defeat of the Philistines
16 Saul's men on watch at Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin saw the Philistines running in confusion. 17 So Saul said to his men, “Count the soldiers and find out who is missing.” They did so and found that Jonathan and the young man who carried his weapons were missing. 18 “Bring the ephod[d] here,” Saul said to Ahijah the priest. (On that day Ahijah was carrying it in front of the people of Israel.)[e] 19 As Saul was speaking to the priest, the confusion in the Philistine camp kept getting worse, so Saul said to him, “There's no time to consult the Lord!” 20 Then he and his men marched into battle against the Philistines, who were fighting each other in complete confusion. 21 Some Hebrews, who had been on the Philistine side and had gone with them to the camp, changed sides again[f] and joined Saul and Jonathan. 22 Others, who had been hiding in the hills of Ephraim, heard that the Philistines were running away, so they also joined in and attacked the Philistines, 23 fighting all the way beyond Bethaven. The Lord saved Israel that day.
Events after the Battle
24 The Israelites were weak with hunger that day, because Saul, with a solemn oath, had given the order: “A curse be on anyone who eats any food today before I take revenge on my enemies.” So nobody had eaten anything all day. 25 They all[g] came into a wooded area and found honey everywhere. 26 The woods were full of honey, but no one ate any of it because they were all afraid of Saul's curse. 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father threaten the people with a curse; so he reached out with the stick he was carrying, dipped it in a honeycomb, and ate some honey. At once he felt much better. 28 But one of the men told him, “We are all weak from hunger, but your father threatened us and said, ‘A curse be on anyone who eats any food today.’”
29 Jonathan answered, “What a terrible thing my father has done to our people! See how much better I feel because I ate some honey! 30 How much better it would have been today if our people had eaten the food they took when they defeated the enemy. Just think how many more Philistines they would have killed!”
31 That day the Israelites defeated the Philistines, fighting all the way from Michmash to Aijalon. By this time the Israelites were very weak from hunger, 32 and so they rushed over to what they had captured from the enemy, took sheep and cattle, slaughtered them on the spot, and ate the meat with the blood still in it. 33 (A)Saul was told, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood in it.”
“You are traitors!” Saul cried out. “Roll a big stone over here[h] to me.” 34 Then he gave another order: “Go among the people and tell them all to bring their cattle and sheep here. They are to slaughter them and eat them here; they must not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it.” So that night they all brought their cattle and slaughtered them there. 35 Saul built an altar to the Lord, the first one that he built.
36 Saul said to his men, “Let's go down and attack the Philistines in the night, plunder them until dawn, and kill them all.”
“Do whatever you think best,” they answered.
But the priest said, “Let's consult God first.”
37 So Saul asked God, “Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you give us victory?” But God did not answer that day. 38 Then Saul said to the leaders of the people, “Come here and find out what sin was committed today. 39 I promise by the living Lord, who gives Israel victory, that the guilty one will be put to death, even if he is my son Jonathan.” But no one said anything. 40 Then Saul said to them, “All of you stand over there, and Jonathan and I will stand over here.”
“Do whatever you think best,” they answered.
41 (B)Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Lord, why have you not answered me today? Lord, God of Israel, answer me by the sacred stones. If the guilt is Jonathan's or mine, answer by the Urim; but if it belongs to your people Israel,[i] answer by the Thummim.”[j] The answer indicated Jonathan and Saul; and the people were cleared. 42 Then Saul said, “Decide between my son Jonathan and me.” And Jonathan was indicated. 43 Then Saul asked Jonathan, “What have you done?”
Jonathan answered, “I ate a little honey with the stick I was holding. Here I am—I am ready to die.”
44 Saul said to him, “May God strike me dead if you are not put to death!”
45 But the people said to Saul, “Will Jonathan, who won this great victory for Israel, be put to death? No! We promise by the living Lord that he will not lose even a hair from his head. What he did today was done with God's help.” So the people saved Jonathan from being put to death.
46 After that, Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they went back to their own territory.
Saul's Reign and Family
47 After Saul became king of Israel, he fought all his enemies everywhere: the people of Moab, of Ammon, and of Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he fought he was victorious.[k] 48 He fought heroically and defeated even the people of Amalek. He saved the Israelites from all attacks.
49 Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His older daughter was named Merab, and the younger one Michal. 50 His wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz; his army commander was his cousin Abner, the son of his uncle Ner. 51 Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel.
52 As long as he lived, Saul had to fight fiercely against the Philistines. So whenever he found a man who was strong or brave, he would enlist him in his army.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:7 One ancient translation you want to do; Hebrew you want to do. Turn.
- 1 Samuel 14:12 tell; or show.
- 1 Samuel 14:14 Probable text in an area of about half an acre; Hebrew unclear.
- 1 Samuel 14:18 One ancient translation ephod (see 2.28); Hebrew Covenant Box.
- 1 Samuel 14:18 One ancient translation On that day … Israel; Hebrew Because on that day God's Covenant Box and the people of Israel.
- 1 Samuel 14:21 Some ancient translations changed sides again; Hebrew around also.
- 1 Samuel 14:25 Probable text They all; Hebrew All the land.
- 1 Samuel 14:33 One ancient translation here; Hebrew today.
- 1 Samuel 14:41 Some ancient translations answer me by the sacred stones … your people Israel; Hebrew does not have these words.
- 1 Samuel 14:41 Two stones used by the priest to determine God's will; it is not known precisely how they were used.
- 1 Samuel 14:47 One ancient translation was victorious; Hebrew acted wickedly.
1 Samuel 14
Holman Christian Standard Bible
14 1 That same day Saul’s son Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.” However, he did not tell his father.
2 Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron(A) on the outskirts of Gibeah.[a](B) The troops with him numbered about 600.(C) 3 Ahijah,(D) who was wearing an ephod,(E) was also there. He was the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod(F) son of Phinehas, son of Eli the Lord’s priest at Shiloh.(G) But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.
4 There were sharp columns[b] of rock on both sides of the pass(H) that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine garrison. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh; 5 one stood to the north in front of Michmash and the other to the south in front of Geba. 6 Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men.(I) Perhaps the Lord will help us. Nothing can keep the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”(J)
7 His armor-bearer responded, “Do what is in your heart. You choose. I’m right here with you whatever you decide.”
8 “All right,” Jonathan replied, “we’ll cross over to the men and then let them see us. 9 If they say, ‘Wait until we reach you,’ then we will stay where we are and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we’ll go up, because the Lord has handed them over to us—that will be our sign.”
11 They let themselves be seen by the Philistine garrison, and the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they’ve been hiding!” 12 The men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor-bearer. “Come on up, and we’ll teach you a lesson!” they said.
“Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the Lord has handed them over to Israel.”(K) 13 Jonathan climbed up using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. Jonathan cut them down, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off. 14 In that first assault Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about 20 men in a half-acre field.
A Defeat for the Philistines
15 Terror spread through the Philistine camp and the open fields to all the troops. Even the garrison and the raiding parties(L) were terrified. The earth shook,(M) and terror spread from God.[c](N) 16 When Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, they saw the panicking troops scattering in every direction. 17 So Saul said to the troops with him, “Call the roll and determine who has left us.” They called the roll and saw that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were gone.
18 Saul told Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God,” for it was with the Israelites[d] at that time. 19 While Saul spoke to the priest,(O) the panic in the Philistine camp increased in intensity. So Saul said to the priest, “Stop what you’re doing.”[e]
20 Saul and all the troops with him assembled and marched to the battle, and there, the Philistines were fighting against each other in great confusion!(P) 21 There were Hebrews from the area who had gone earlier into the camp to join the Philistines, but even they joined the Israelites(Q) who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 When all the Israelite men who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim(R) heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined Saul and Jonathan in the battle. 23 So the Lord saved Israel that day.(S)
Saul’s Rash Oath
The battle extended beyond Beth-aven, 24 and the men of Israel were worn out that day, for Saul had[f] placed the troops under an oath:(T) “The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed.” So none of the troops tasted any food.
25 Everyone[g] went into the forest, and there was honey on the ground. 26 When the troops entered the forest, they saw the flow of honey, but none of them ate any of it[h] because they feared the oath. 27 However, Jonathan had not heard his father make the troops swear the oath. He reached out with the end of the staff he was carrying and dipped it into the honeycomb.(U) When he ate the honey,[i] he had renewed energy.(V) 28 Then, one of the troops said, “Your father made the troops solemnly swear, ‘The man who eats food today is cursed,’ and the troops are exhausted.”
29 Jonathan replied, “My father has brought trouble to the land.(W) Just look at how I have renewed energy because I tasted a little honey. 30 How much better if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Then the slaughter of the Philistines would have been much greater.”
31 The Israelites struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash(X) all the way to Aijalon.(Y) Since the Israelites were completely exhausted, 32 they rushed to the plunder,(Z) took sheep, cattle, and calves, slaughtered them on the ground, and ate meat with the blood still in it. 33 Some reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with the blood still in it.”(AA)
Saul said, “You have been unfaithful. Roll a large stone over here at once.” 34 He then said, “Go among the troops and say to them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep. Do the slaughtering here and then you can eat. Don’t sin against the Lord by eating meat with the blood in it.’” So every one of the troops brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar to the Lord.(AB)
36 Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until morning. Don’t let even one remain!”
“Do whatever you want,”[j] the troops replied.
But the priest(AC) said, “We must consult God here.”(AD)
37 So Saul inquired of God,(AE) “Should I go after the Philistines? Will You hand them over to Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.(AF)
38 Saul said, “All you leaders of the troops, come here. Let us investigate how this sin has occurred today. 39 As surely as the Lord lives who saves Israel, even if it is because of my son Jonathan, he must die!” Not one of the troops answered him.
40 So he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.”
And the troops replied, “Do whatever you want.”[k]
41 So Saul said to the Lord, “God of Israel, give us the right decision.”[l](AG) Jonathan and Saul were selected, and the troops were cleared of the charge.
42 Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan,” and Jonathan was selected. 43 Saul commanded him, “Tell me what you did.”(AH)
Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey(AI) with the end of the staff I was carrying. I am ready to die!”
44 Saul declared to him, “May God punish me and do so severely(AJ) if you do not die, Jonathan!”
45 But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die, who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? No, as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground,(AK) for he worked with God’s help today.”(AL) So the people redeemed Jonathan, and he did not die. 46 Then Saul gave up the pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own territory.
Summary of Saul’s Kingship
47 When Saul assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies in every direction: against Moab, the Ammonites,(AM) Edom, the kings of Zobah,(AN) and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he caused havoc.[m] 48 He fought bravely, defeated the Amalekites,(AO) and delivered Israel from the hand of those who plundered them.
49 Saul’s sons(AP) were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. The names of his two daughters were: Merab,(AQ) his firstborn, and Michal,(AR) 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 Saul’s uncle Ner.(AS) 51 Saul’s father was Kish.(AT) Abner’s father was Ner son of Abiel.
52 The conflict with the Philistines was fierce all of Saul’s days, so whenever Saul noticed any strong or brave man, he enlisted him.(AU)
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:2 LXX reads on top of the hill
- 1 Samuel 14:4 Lit There was a tooth
- 1 Samuel 14:15 Or and a great terror spread
- 1 Samuel 14:18 LXX reads “Bring the ephod.” For he wore the ephod before Israel
- 1 Samuel 14:19 Lit Withdraw your hand
- 1 Samuel 14:24 LXX adds committed a great act of ignorance and
- 1 Samuel 14:25 Lit All the land
- 1 Samuel 14:26 Lit but there was none who raised his hand to his mouth
- 1 Samuel 14:27 Lit he returned his hand to his mouth
- 1 Samuel 14:36 Lit Do what is good in your eyes
- 1 Samuel 14:40 Lit Do what is good in your eyes
- 1 Samuel 14:41 LXX reads Israel, why have You not answered Your servant today? If the unrighteousness is in me or in my son Jonathan, Lord God of Israel, give Urim; but if the guilt is in Your people Israel, give Thummim.”
- 1 Samuel 14:47 LXX reads he was victorious
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