Jonathan’s Victory over the Philistines

1And one day it came to pass that Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, and let us pass over to the garrison of the Philistines that is on the other side of this.” And his father he did not tell.

2And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree† that is in Migron, and the people who were with him, about six hundred men. 3And Ahijah son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli priest of YHWH in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.

4And between the passes by which Jonathan sought to pass over to the garrison of the Philistines were a sharp rock on this side and a sharp rock on this side—the name of one Bozez, and the name of one Seneh. 5The front of one faced northward opposite Michmash, and one southward opposite Geba.

6And Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come and let us pass over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. Perhaps YHWH will work for us, for nothing can restrain YHWH from saving by many or by few.”

7And the bearer of his armor said to him, “Do all that is in your heart; turn for yourself. Behold, I am with you according to your heart.”

8And Jonathan said, “Behold, we will pass over to the men and we will show ourselves to them. 9If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you⁺,’ we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. 10But if thus they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we will go up, for YHWH has delivered them into our hands, and this is a sign to us.”

11And the two of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, and the Philistines said, “Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.”

12And the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and the bearer of his armor and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you⁺ something.”

And Jonathan said to the bearer of his armor, “Come up after me, for YHWH has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”

13And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and the bearer of his armor after him, and they fell before the face of Jonathan, and the bearer of his armor killed them after him. 14And that first slaughter that Jonathan and the bearer of his armor struck was about twenty men in about half a furrow of a yoke† of land,

15and there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people in the garrison, and the raiders trembled—even they—and the earth quaked. And it became a trembling† from God.

16And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude melting away, and it went here and there. 17And Saul said to the people who were with him, “Call the roll now, and see who has gone from us.”

And they had called the roll, and behold, Jonathan and the bearer of his armor were not there.

18And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring here the ark of God.” (For the ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel.†) 19And it came to pass, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise that was in the camp of the Philistines went on, going on and increasing. And Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

20And Saul assembled all the people who were with him, and they went to the battle. And behold, the sword of every man was against his neighbor—very great confusion. 21And the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from all around, even they were with Israel, who were with Saul and Jonathan. 22And all the men of Israel who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, and they also pursued after them in the battle.

23And YHWH saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted to beyond Beth-aven.

Jonathan Eats the Honey

24And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had adjured the people, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats food before the evening, when I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” And none of all the people tasted food.

25And the whole land came into the forest, and there was honey on the face of the ground. 26And the people had come into the forest, and there was the honey dripping, and no one put his hand to his mouth. For the people feared the oath.

27And Jonathan had not heard that his father had adjured the people, and 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 eyes were enlightened.† 28And a man of the people answered and said, “Your father adjured the people with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’” And the people were faint.

29And Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Behold now, how my eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30How much better that if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found? For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”

31And that day they had driven back the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people were very faint. 32And the people rushed upon the plunder, and they took sheep and oxen and sons of the herd, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.

33And they declared to Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are sinning against YHWH by eating with the blood.”

And he said, “You⁺ have dealt treacherously. Roll to me this day a large stone.” 34And Saul said, “Be you scattered among the people, and say to them, ‘Bring to me here every man’s ox, and every man’s sheep, and slaughter them in this place, and eat, and do not sin against YHWH by eating with the blood.’”

And all the people brought everyone his ox in his hand that night, and slaughtered it there. 35And Saul built an altar to YHWH; it was the first altar that he built to YHWH.

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

And they said, “All that is good in your eyes, do.”

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

The People Save Jonathan

37And Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?”

And He did not answer him on that day.

38And Saul said, “Draw near here, all the chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today. 39For as YHWH lives who saves Israel, surely if it is in Jonathan my son, indeed he must surely be put to death.”

And not a man answered him among all the people.

40And he said to all Israel, “You⁺ will be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on one side.”

And the people said to Saul, “The good in your eyes, do.”

41And Saul said to YHWH, God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.”† And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people escaped.

42And Saul said, “Cast lots between me and between Jonathan my son.” And Jonathan was taken.

43And Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”

And Jonathan told him and said, “I surely tasted with the end of the rod that was in my hand a little honey. And behold, I must die?”

44And Saul answered, “Thus God does, and thus does He add, for you shall surely be put to death, Jonathan.”

45And the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great salvation in Israel? Profane! As YHWH lives, if shall fall a hair of his head to the ground! For with God he has worked this day.”

And the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die. 46And Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

Saul’s Victories

47And Saul captured the kingdom over Israel, and he fought on every side against all his enemies—against Moab, and against the sons of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings† of Zobah, and against the Philistines. And wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment.† 48And he made a force and struck the Amalekite, and he delivered Israel from the hand of those who plundered them.

49And the sons of Saul were Jonathan and Ishvi and Malchishua—and as for the names of his two daughters, the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger was Michal. 50And the name of the wife of Saul was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner son of Ner, uncle of Saul. 51And Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was son of Abiel.

52And war with the Philistines was severe all the days of Saul. And Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant son, and he gathered him to himself.

Footnotes:

2 Or around the rock of Rimmon or in the pomegranate cave; see Judges 20:45, Judges 20:47, and Judges 21:13.
14 A yoke was the amount of land plowed by a pair of yoked oxen in one day.
15 Or and a terrible panic spread
18 Hebrew; LXX “Bring the ephod.” For at that time he wore the ephod before the Israelites.
27 Or his strength was renewed; similarly in verse 29
41 LXX and Vulgate; MT contains only the short quotation, “Respond with Thummin.”
47 MT; DSS and LXX king
47 LXX he was victorious