1 Samuel

1 Samuel 14 ©

1 Jonathan, without the knowledge of his father or any of the people, attended by his armourbearer only, smiteth the Philistine garrison. 15 The Philistines seized with a panic beat down one another. 17 Saul perceiving the tumult enquireth of God, but without waiting for the priest's answer setteth upon the enemy, and is joined by the Hebrews, and by the Israelites out of their hiding places. 24 His ill-advised adjuring of the people is a hindrance of the victory. 31 The people, faint for want of food, fly upon the spoil, and are hardly restrained from eating the blood. 35 Saul buildeth an altar; 37 he asketh counsel of God, but receiveth no answer. 38 Jonathan taken by lot, and sentenced to die, is rescued by the people. 47 Saul's victories. 49 His family.

1

NOW 1it came to pass upon a day, athat Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But bhe told not his father.

a Ju. 3.10; 13.25. Is. 40.29,31.
b Ju. 14.6. Ps. 112.5. Mi. 7.5.
2

And Saul tarried cin the uttermost part of dGibeah under a epomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;

c ch. 13.15,16. Is. 10.28,29.
d Jos. 18.28.
e Ju. 4.5.
3

And 2Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, I-chabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, fthe LORD's priest in gShiloh, hwearing an *ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

f Ex. 28.30.
g Jos. 18.1.
h ch. 2.28.
4

¶And between ithe *passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

i ch. 13.23.
5

The 3forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.

6

And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, jCome, and let us go over unto the garrison of these kuncircumcised: lit may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.

j v.1. Ju. 13.25; 3.10.
k ch. 17.36. Ep. 2.11,12. Ge. 17.7-12. Ju. 14.3.
l De. 32.36. Ju. 7.4,7. 2Ch. 14.11. Ps. 115.3. Mat. 19.26. Zec. 4.6. Ro. 8.31. He. 13.5,6. Is. 41.10,14-16. ch. 17.47.
7

And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

8

Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will *discover ourselves unto them.

9

If mthey say thus unto us, 4Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.

m Ge. 24.13,14; 15.8. Ju. 6.36,37; 7.10-15. Ex. 4.2-8. 2Sa. 5.24. 2Ki. 13.16-19; 19.29; 20.9-11.
10

But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for nthe LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and othis shall be a sign unto us.

n v.12.
o Ge. 24.14. Ju. 7.11.
11

And both of them *discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth pout of the holes where they had hid themselves.

p ch. 13.6. v.22. Ju. 6.2.
12

And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, qCome up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

q Ju. 7.14. ch. 17.45.
13

And Jonathan rclimbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they sfell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.

r Ps. 18.29. He. 11.34. ch. 17.51,52.
s Le. 26.7,8. Ro. 8.31. 2Ch. 14.11.
14

And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were 5an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

15

And tthere was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the ugarrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was 6a very great trembling.

t Jos. 2.9; 23.10. Ps. 27.2; 48.5,6; 118.10-12. Job 18.11. 2Ki. 7.6. Ex. 15.15-16.
u ch. 13.16-18,23.
16

And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude vmelted away, and they went on wbeating down one another.

v Jos. 2.9.
w Is. 16.8. v.19,20.
17

Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.

18

And Saul said unto Ahiah, xBring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.

x Ex. 28.30. Nu. 27.21. Ju. 1.1; 20.18,23,28.
19

¶And it came to pass, while ySaul talked unto the priest, that the 7noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and zSaul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.

y Nu. 27.21.
z Jos. 9.14. ch. 13.11. v.24. Ps. 106.13.
20

And Saul and all the people that were with him 8assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, aevery man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great bdiscomfiture.

a Ju. 7.22. 2Ch. 20.23.
b De. 28.20.
21

Moreover cthe Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

c ch. 13.7; 29.4.
22

Likewise all the men of Israel which had dhid themselves in emount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

d ch. 13.6. v.11. Ju. 6.2. ch. 31.7.
e Jos. 24.33.
23

So the LORD fsaved Israel that day: and gthe battle passed over unto Beth-aven.

f Ju. 2.18; 6.14. 2Ki. 14.27. Ps. 44.2. Ho. 1.7. Ex. 14.30.
g ch. 13.5. v.2. Jos. 7.2.
24

¶And the men of Israel hwere distressed that day: for iSaul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

h ch. 13.6.
i Ju. 11.30; 21.2,5. v.27,29,30. Pr. 11.9. Ga. 4.18. Ro. 10.2. 2Sa. 21.2. Jos. 6.26.
25

And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was jhoney upon the ground.

j Ex. 3.8. Mat. 3.4. Nu. 13.27.
26

And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people kfeared the oath.

k Ec. 9.2.
27

But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an lhoneycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and mhis eyes were enlightened.

l Ca. 5.1.
m ch. 30.12.
28

Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father *straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were 9faint.

29

Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

30

How much more, if *haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?

31

And they smote the Philistines that day from nMichmash to oAijalon: and the people were very faint.

n ch. 13.2.
o Jos. 10.12; 19.42. Ju. 12.12. 2Ch. 11.10.
32

And the people pflew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people qdid eat them with the blood.

p ch. 15.19.
q Ge. 9.4. Le. 7.26; 3.17; 19.26; 17.10,11,14. De. 12.16.
33

¶Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have 10transgressed: rroll a great stone unto me this day.

r v.34,35.
34

And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox 11with him that night, and slew them there.

35

And Saul sbuilt an altar unto the LORD: 12the same was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.

s Ju. 21.4. v.33. ch. 7.9,17; 11.11. Ge. 8.20; 12.7,8.
36

¶And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, tLet us draw near hither unto God.

t Ja. 4.8. Nu. 27.21. Ju. 1.1; 20.18. v.3,18,19. ch. 23.2,4,11,12; 30.7,8.
37

And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But uhe answered him not that day.

u ch. 28.6. v.18,19,24.
38

And Saul said, vDraw ye near hither, all the 13chief of the people: and wknow and see wherein this sin hath been this day.

v Jos. 7.14. ch. 10.19.
w Jos. 7.1,12-15. ch. 10.19.
39

For, xas the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.

x Ru. 3.13.
40

Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.

41

Therefore ySaul said unto the LORD God of Israel, 14Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people 15escaped.

y Jos. 7.16. ch. 10.20,21.
42

And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

43

Then Saul said to Jonathan, zTell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, aI did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.

a v.27-30.
z Jos. 7.19.
44

And Saul answered, bGod do so and more also: for cthou shalt surely die, Jonathan.

b Ru. 1.17. ch. 17.43; 25.22. 2Sa. 3.9,35; 19.13.
c Ge. 38.24. 2Sa. 12.5. v.39.
45

And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath dwrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: eas the LORD liveth, fthere shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for ghe hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.

d v.23.
e Ru. 3.13.
f 2Sa. 14.11. Mat. 10.30. Lu. 12.7; 21.18. Ac. 27.34. 1Ki. 1.52.
g ch. 13.3. Re. 17.14; 19.14. 2Co. 6.1.
46

Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place.

47

¶So Saul htook the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against iMoab, and against the children of jAmmon, and against Edom, and against the kings of kZobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he *vexed them.

h ch. 13.1. Da. 7.27. 2Ki. 14.27.
i Ge. 19.37,38; 36. Ex. 15.14,15. De. 23.3-7. Ju. 3.12-14; 10.7,11; 13-16. ch. 4; 7; 11.
j ch. 11.11.
k 2Sa. 8.3,5,12; 10.6,8.
48

And he 16gathered an host, and lsmote the mAmalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

l Ex. 17.14,16. De. 25.19. ch. 15.3,7.
m ch. 15.3-7.
49

Now nthe sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchi-shua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger oMichal:

n ch. 31.2; 18.17-21,27. 1Ch. 8.33-40; 9.39-44. 2Sa. 2.8-10.
o 2Sa. 3.14; 6.20-23.
50

And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and pthe name of the captain of his host was 17Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

p ch. 17.55; 10.14,15. 2Sa. 2.8.
51

And qKish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

q ch. 9.1. 1Ch. 8.33; 9.39.
52

And there was *sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and rwhen Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.

r ch. 8.11.