¹³ But his mother said to him, ^(A)“Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.”

²⁵ And all the people answered and said, ^(A)“His blood be on us and on our children.”

⁹ And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, let ^(A)the ^[a]iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, ^(B)and the king and his throne be guiltless.”

²⁴ So she fell at his feet and said: “On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be! And please let your maidservant ^[a]speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant.

³⁶ Now Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light; and let us not leave a man of them.”

And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.”

Then the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.”

³⁷ So Saul ^(A)asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But ^(B)He did not answer him that day. ³⁸ And Saul said, ^(C)“Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today. ³⁹ For ^(D)as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not a man among all the people answered him. ⁴⁰ Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side.”

And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”

⁴¹ Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, ^(E)“Give^[a] a perfect lot.” ^(F)So Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped. ⁴² And Saul said, “Cast lots between my son Jonathan and me.” So Jonathan was taken. ⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, ^(G)“Tell me what you have done.”

And Jonathan told him, and said, ^(H)“I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!”

⁴⁴ Saul answered, ^(I)“God do so and more also; ^(J)for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

⁴⁵ But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! ^(K)As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked ^(L)with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.

Saul’s Rash Oath

²⁴ And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had ^(A)placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. ^25 (B)Now all the people of the land came to a forest; and there was ^(C)honey on the ground. ²⁶ And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. ²⁷ But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his ^[a]countenance brightened. ²⁸ Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’ ” And the people were faint.

⁹ I myself will be surety for him; from my hand you shall require him. ^(A)If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever.

⁸ Now therefore, my son, ^(A)obey my voice according to what I command you.

³³ Then Jacob said, ^[a]“Swear to me as of this day.”

So he swore to him, and ^(A)sold his birthright to Jacob.