²⁷ Then he took his firstborn^(A) son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.

³¹ You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates.^(A) They even burn their sons^(B) and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.^(C)

³¹ whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph^(A) from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.^(B)”

2 This is what the Lord says:

²⁰ “‘And you took your sons and daughters^(A) whom you bore to me^(B) and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough?^(C)

³⁶ Saul said, “Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive.”

“Do whatever seems best to you,” they replied.

But the priest said, “Let us inquire^(A) of God here.”

³⁷ So Saul asked God, “Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel’s hand?” But God did not answer^(B) him that day.

³⁸ Saul therefore said, “Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed^(C) today. ³⁹ As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives,^(D) even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan,^(E) he must die.”^(F) But not one of them said a word.

⁴⁰ Saul then said to all the Israelites, “You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here.”

“Do what seems best to you,” they replied.

⁴¹ Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault,^[a] respond with Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. ⁴² Saul said, “Cast the lot^(G) between me and Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”^(H)

So Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey^(I) with the end of my staff. And now I must die!”

⁴⁴ Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(J) if you do not die, Jonathan.^(K)”

⁴⁵ But the men said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair^(L) of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God’s help.” So the men rescued^(M) Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

⁴⁶ Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.

³⁹ After the two months, she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin.

From this comes the Israelite tradition