³² With whomever you find your gods, ^(A)do not let him live. In the presence of our brethren, identify what I have of yours and take it with you.” For Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them.

¹⁷ Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸ I urged Titus, and sent our ^(A)brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

^19 (B)Again, ^[a]do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? ^(C)We speak before God in Christ. ^(D)But we do all things, beloved, for your edification.

²⁰ avoiding this: that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us— ^21 (A)providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

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.

²⁹ But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.

³ Here I am. Witness against me before the Lord and before ^(A)His anointed: ^(B)Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any ^(C)bribe with which to ^(D)blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”

⁴ And they said, ^(E)“You have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man’s hand.”

⁵ Then he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and His anointed is witness this day, ^(F)that you have not found anything ^(G)in my hand.”

And they answered, “He is witness.”

⁹ With whomever of your servants it is found, ^(A)let him die, and we also will be my lord’s slaves.”

¹⁰ And he said, “Now also let it be according to your words; he with whom it is found shall be my slave, and you shall be blameless.” ¹¹ Then each man speedily let down his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. ¹² So he searched. He began with the oldest and ^[a]left off with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

³⁰ And now you have surely gone because you greatly long for your father’s house, but why did you ^(A)steal my gods?”

²³ Then he took ^(A)his brethren with him and pursued him for seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the mountains of Gilead.

¹⁹ Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel had stolen the ^(A)household^[a] idols that were her father’s.