1 Samuel 13:23-14
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Jonathan Surprises and Routs the Philistines
23 Now a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass of Michmash. 14 1
6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will act for us, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few.”(D) 7 His armor-bearer said to him, “Do all that your mind inclines to.[b] I am with you; as your mind is, so is mine.”[c] 8 Then Jonathan said, “Now we will cross over to those men and will show ourselves to them. 9 If they say to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hand. That will be the sign for us.”(E) 11 So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, and the Philistines said, “Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.”(F) 12 The men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor-bearer, saying, “Come up to us, and we will show you something.” Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come up after me, for the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.”(G) 13 Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer following after him. The Philistines[d] fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer coming after him killed them. 14 In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed about twenty men within an area about half a furrow long in an acre[e] of land. 15 There was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and even the raiders trembled; the earth quaked; and it became a very great panic.(H)
16 Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin were watching as the multitude was surging back and forth.[f](I) 17 Then Saul said to the troops who were with him, “Call the roll and see who has gone from us.” When they called the roll, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there. 18 Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.” For at that time the ark of God went with the Israelites. 19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more, and Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”(J) 20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle, and every sword was against the other, so that there was very great confusion.(K) 21 Now the Hebrews who previously had been with the Philistines and had gone up with them into the camp turned and joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise, when all the Israelites who had gone into hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also followed closely after them in the battle.(L) 23 So the Lord gave Israel the victory that day.
The battle passed beyond Beth-aven, and the troops with Saul numbered altogether about ten thousand men.[g] The battle spread out over the hill country of Ephraim.(M)
1 Samuel 13:23-14
International Standard Version
23 Now a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass of Michmash.
Jonathan’s Heroic Exploits
14 One day Jonathan told his armor bearer,[a] “Come, let’s go over to the Philistine garrison which is on the other side,” but he did not tell his father. 2 Saul was sitting on the outskirts of Geba under the pomegranate tree which was at Migron, and with him[b] were about 600 men. 3 Along with him were Ahitub’s son Ahijah, Ichabod’s brother, who was Phineas’ son and a grandson of Eli the priest of the Lord at Shiloh, who was carrying the ephod. The people did not know that Jonathan had gone.
4 Now in the pass[c] through which Jonathan planned to get across to the Philistine garrison, there was a sharp crag[d] on one side and a sharp crag on the other side. The name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other was Seneh. 5 One crag rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Geba.
6 Jonathan told his armor bearer,[e] “Come, let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised ones. Perhaps the Lord will work for us, since nothing prevents the Lord from delivering, whether by many or by a few.”
7 His armor bearer told him, “Do whatever you want.[f] Let’s move out![g] I’m right here with you, as you wish.”[h]
8 Jonathan said, “Look, we’re going over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. 9 If they say to us, ‘Stay there until we come to you,’ then we will stay where we are[i] and not go up to them. 10 But if they say, ‘Come up and fight us,’ then we will go up, for the Lord has given them into our hands, and this will be the sign for us.”
11 When the two of them showed themselves to the Philistine garrison, the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have been hiding.”
12 The men of the garrison responded to Jonathan and his armor bearer: “Come up and fight us, and we will show you something.”
Jonathan then told his armor bearer, “Follow me, for the Lord has given them into Israel’s control.”
13 Jonathan crawled up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer following him. The Philistines[j] fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer who was behind him also killed some. 14 In the initial attack, Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty men in an area of about half an acre[k] of land. 15 There was terror in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and the raiders were terrified. The earth shook, and there was even greater terror.[l]
16 Saul’s sentries in Gibeah of Benjamin watched as the camp[m] was in disarray,[n] going this way and that.[o] 17 Saul told the people who were with him, “Do a roll call[p] and see who has left us.” They did a roll call,[q] and Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.
18 Saul told Ahijah, “Bring the Ark of God here.” For at that time the Ark of God was with[r] the Israelis.
19 While Saul was still speaking to the priest, the commotion in the Philistine camp increased more and more, and Saul told the priest, “Remove your hand.”[s]
20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled and went into battle. Now the swords of all the Philistines were against each other,[t] and there was very great confusion. 21 The Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines, who had gone up with them from the surrounding areas to the camp, even they joined Israel and those who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 All the Israelis who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, and even they pursued the Philistines[u] in the battle. 23 On that day the Lord delivered Israel, and the battle moved past Beth-aven.
Footnotes
- 1 Samuel 14:1 Lit. the young man who carries his weapons
- 1 Samuel 14:2 Lit. the people with him
- 1 Samuel 14:4 Lit. between the passes
- 1 Samuel 14:4 Lit. tooth of a crag
- 1 Samuel 14:6 Lit. the young man carrying his armor
- 1 Samuel 14:7 Lit. is in your heart
- 1 Samuel 14:7 Lit. Turn
- 1 Samuel 14:7 Lit. according to your heart
- 1 Samuel 14:9 Lit. in our place
- 1 Samuel 14:13 Lit. They
- 1 Samuel 14:14 An acre represents the amount of land a yoke of oxen could plow in a day.
- 1 Samuel 14:15 Lit. it became a terror of God
- 1 Samuel 14:16 Lit. the multitude
- 1 Samuel 14:16 Lit. melted away
- 1 Samuel 14:16 Lit. here
- 1 Samuel 14:17 Lit. Number
- 1 Samuel 14:17 Lit. numbered
- 1 Samuel 14:18 So some mss and ancient versions; MT and the Israelis
- 1 Samuel 14:19 I.e. from the ephod that the priest was wearing in order to determine God’s will as to what the army should do
- 1 Samuel 14:20 Lit. the sword of each man was against his companion
- 1 Samuel 14:22 Lit. them
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