The First Book of Samuel

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 14 -

Then on a day Ionathan the sonne of Saul sayde vnto the yong man that bare his armour, Come and let vs goe ouer towarde the Philistims garison, that is yonder on the other side, but he tolde not his father.

And Saul taried in the border of Gibeah vnder a pomegranate tree, which was in Migron, and the people that were with him, were about sixe hundreth men.

And Ahiah the sonne of Ahitub, Ichabods brother, the sonne of Phinehas, the sonne of Eli, was the Lordes Priest in Shiloh, and ware an Ephod: and the people knewe not that Ionathan was gone.

Nowe in the way whereby Ionathan sought to go ouer to the Philistims garison, there was a sharpe rocke on the one side, and a sharpe rocke on the other side: the name of the one was called Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

The one rocke stretched from the North towarde Michmash, and the other was from the South toward Gibeah.

And Ionathan saide to the yong man that bare his armour, Come, and let vs goe ouer vnto the garison of these vncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will worke with vs: for it is not hard to the Lord to saue with many, or with fewe.

And he that bare his armour, saide vnto him, Doe all that is in thine heart: goe where it pleaseth thee: beholde, I am with thee as thine heart desireth.

Then said Ionathan, Beholde, we goe ouer vnto those men, and will shewe our selues vnto them.

If they say on this wise to vs, Tarie vntill we come to you, then we will stand still in our place, and not goe vp to them.

But if they say, Come vp vnto vs, then we will goe vp: for the Lord hath deliuered them into our hande: and this shall be a signe vnto vs.

So they both shewed themselues vnto the garison of the Philistims: and the Philistims said, See, the Ebrewes come out of the holes wherein they had hid themselues.

And the men of the garison answered Ionathan, and his armour bearer, and said, Come vp to vs: for we will shewe you a thing. Then Ionathan said vnto his armour bearer, Come vp after me: for the Lord hath deliuered them into the hand of Israel.

So Ionathan went vp vpon his hands and vpon his feete, and his armour bearer after him: and some fell before Ionathan, and his armour bearer slewe others after him.

So the first slaughter which Ionathan and his armour bearer made, was about twentie men, as it were within halfe an acre of land which two oxen plowe.

And there was a feare in the hoste, and in the field, and among all the people: the garison also, and they that went out to spoyle, were afraid themselues: and the earth trembled: for it was striken with feare by God.

Then the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Beniamin sawe: and beholde, the multitude was discomfited, and smitten as they went.

Therefore saide Saul vnto the people that were with him, Search nowe and see, who is gone from vs. And when they had nombred, beholde, Ionathan and his armour bearer were not there.

And Saul said vnto Ahiah, Bring hither the Arke of God (for the Arke of God was at that time with the children of Israel)

And while Saul talked vnto the Priest, the noyse that was in the hoste of the Philistims, spred farther abroade, and encreased: therefore Saul said vnto the Priest, Withdraw thine hand.

And Saul was assembled with all the people that were with him, and they came to the battell: and behold, euery mans sworde was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

Moreouer, the Ebrewes that were with the Philistims beforetime, and were come with them into all partes of the hoste, euen they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Ionathan.

Also all the men of Israel which had hid themselues in mount Ephraim, when they heard, that the Philistims were fled, they followed after them in the battell.

And so the Lord saued Israel that day: and the battell continued vnto Beth-auen.

Jonathan Eats the Honey

And at that time the men of Israel were pressed with hunger: for Saul charged the people with an othe, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth foode till night, that I may be auenged of mine enemies: so none of the people tasted any sustenance.

And all they of the land came to a wood, where hony lay vpon the ground.

And the people came into the wood, and beholde, the hony dropped, and no man mooued his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the othe.

But Ionathan heard not when his father charged the people with the othe: wherefore he put foorth the ende of the rod that was in his hand, and dipt it in an hony combe, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes receiued sight.

Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father made the people to sweare, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth sustenance this day: and the people were faint.

Then said Ionathan, My father hath troubled the land: see nowe howe mine eyes are made cleare, because I haue tasted a litle of this honie:

Howe much more, if the people had eaten to day of the spoyle of their enemies which they found? for had there not bene nowe a greater slaughter among the Philistims?

And they smote the Philistims that day, from Michmash to Aiialon: and the people were exceeding faint.

So the people turned to the spoile, and tooke sheepe, and oxen, and calues, and slewe them on the ground, and the people did eate them with the blood.

Then men tolde Saul, saying, Beholde, the people sinne against the Lord, in that they eate with the blood. And he saide, Ye haue trespassed: roule a great stone vnto me this day.

Againe Saul said, Goe abroade among the people, and bid them bring me euery man his oxe, and euery man his sheepe, and slay them here, and eate and sinne not against the Lord in eating with the blood. And ye people brought euery man his oxe in his hand that night, and slew them there.

Then Saul made an altar vnto the Lord, and that was the first altar that he made vnto the Lord.

And Saul saide, Let vs goe downe after the Philistims by night, and spoyle them vntill the morning shine, and let vs not leaue a man of them. And they saide, Doe whatsoeuer thou thinkest best. Then saide the Priest, Let vs drawe neere hither vnto God.

The People Save Jonathan

So Saul asked of God, saying, Shall I goe downe after ye Philistims? wilt thou deliuer them into the hands of Israel? But he answered him not at that time.

And Saul said, All ye chiefe of the people, come ye hither, and knowe, and see by whom this sinne is done this day.

For as the Lord liueth, which saueth Israel, though it be done by Ionathan my sonne, he shall dye the death. But none of all the people answered him.

Then he saide vnto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Ionathan my sonne will be on the other side. And the people saide vnto Saul, Doe what thou thinkest best.

Then Saul said vnto the Lord God of Israel, Giue a perfite lot. And Ionathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.

And Saul saide, Cast lot betweene me and Ionathan my sonne. And Ionathan was taken.

Then Saul said to Ionathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Ionathan tolde him, and said, I tasted a litle hony with the ende of the rod, that was in mine hand, and loe, I must die.

Againe Saul answered, God doe so and more also, vnlesse thou die the death, Ionathan.

And the people said vnto Saul, Shall Ionathan die, who hath so mightily deliuered Israel? God forbid. As the Lord liueth, there shall not one heare of his head fall to the ground: for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people deliuered Ionathan that he dyed not.

Then Saul came vp from the Philistims: and the Philistims went to their owne place.

Saul’s Victories

So Saul helde the kingdome ouer Israel, and fought against all his enemies on euery side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the Kings of Zobah, and against the Philistims: and whithersoeuer he went, he handled them as wicked men.

He gathered also an hoste and smote Amalek, and deliuered Israel out of the handes of them that spoyled them.

Nowe the sonnes of Saul were Ionathan, and Ishui, and Malchishua: and the names of his two daughters, the elder was called Merab, and the yonger was named Michal.

And the name of Sauls wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of his chiefe captaine was Abner the sonne of Ner, Sauls vncle.

And Kish was Sauls father: and Ner the father of Abner was the sonne of Abiel.

And there was sore warre against the Philistims all the dayes of Saul: and whomsoeuer Saul sawe to be a strong man, and meete for the warre, he tooke him vnto him.

Now it happened on a day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come! Let’s go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he didn’t tell his father.

Saul stayed in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron; and the people who were with him were about six hundred men,

including Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of the LORD in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn’t know that Jonathan was gone.

Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side; and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.

Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come! Let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for there is no restraint on the LORD to save by many or by few.”

His armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go, and behold, I am with you according to your heart.”

Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them.

If they say this to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place and will not go up to them.

But if they say this, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up, for the LORD has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us.”

Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, “Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!”

The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something!” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”

Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him, and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him.

That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land.

There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so there was an exceedingly great trembling.

The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away and scattered.

Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Count now, and see who is missing from us.” When they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring God’s ark here.” For God’s ark was with the children of Israel at that time.

While Saul talked to the priest, the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased; and Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand!”

Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle; and behold, they were all striking each other with their swords in very great confusion.

Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before and who went up with them into the camp from all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

So the LORD saved Israel that day; and the battle passed over by Beth Aven.

Jonathan Eats the Honey

The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.

All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground.

When the people had come to the forest, behold, honey was dripping, but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath. Therefore he put out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened.

Then one of the people answered, and said, “Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’” So the people were faint.

Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.

How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the plunder of their enemies which they found? For now there has been no great slaughter among the Philistines.”

They struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint;

and the people pounced on the plunder, and took sheep, cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.

Then they told Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are sinning against the LORD, in that they eat meat with the blood.” He said, “You have dealt treacherously. Roll a large stone to me today!”

Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, ‘Every man bring me here his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don’t sin against the LORD in eating meat with the blood.’” All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.

Saul built an altar to the LORD. This was the first altar that he built to the LORD.

Saul said, “Let’s go down after the Philistines by night, and take plunder among them until the morning light. Let’s not leave a man of them.” They said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” Then the priest said, “Let’s draw near here to God.”

The People Save Jonathan

Saul asked counsel of God: “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he didn’t answer him that day.

Saul said, “Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see in whom this sin has been today.

For as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.

Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” The people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”

Therefore Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Show the right.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen, but the people escaped.

Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” Jonathan was selected.

Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done!” Jonathan told him, and said, “I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die.”

Saul said, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

The people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God today!” So the people rescued Jonathan, so he didn’t die.

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

Saul’s Victories

Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned himself, he defeated them.

He did valiantly and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal.

The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.

Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man or any valiant man, he took him into his service.