¶ Now it came to pass upon a day, that 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 he told not² his father.

And Saul tarried in the uttermost³ part of Gibeah under a pomegranate⁴ tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;

And Ahiah⁵, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD'S priest in Shiloh, wearing⁷ an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

And between the passages⁸, 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.

The forefront⁹ of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.

And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come¹¹, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised¹²: it may be¹³ that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint¹⁴ to the LORD to save by many or by few.

And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all¹⁵ that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass¹⁶ over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.

If they¹⁷ say thus unto us, Tarry¹⁸ until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.

¶ But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign¹⁹ unto us.

And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes²⁰ where they had hid themselves.

And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us,²¹ and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me:²² for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

And Jonathan climbed up²³ upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell²⁴ before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.

And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land²⁵, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

And there was trembling²⁶ in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers²⁷, they also trembled, and the earth quaked²⁸: so it was a very great trembling²⁹.

¶ And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away³⁰, and they went on beating down³¹ one another.

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.

And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither³² the ark of God. For the ark³³ of God was at that time with the children of Israel.

And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise³⁴ that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.

¶ And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves,³⁵ and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

Moreover the Hebrews³⁶ 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.

Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves³⁷ in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle³⁸.

So the LORD³⁹ saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven⁴⁰.

¶ And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed⁴¹ be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be⁴² avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.

And all they⁴³ of the land came to a wood; and there was honey⁴⁴ upon the ground.

And when the people⁴⁵ were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.

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 honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes⁴⁶ were enlightened.

Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed⁴⁷ be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint⁴⁸.

Then said Jonathan, My father⁴⁹ hath troubled the land: see⁵⁰, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

¶ How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there⁵¹ not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?

And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash⁵² to Aijalon⁵³: and the people were very faint.

And the people flew⁵⁴ upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people⁵⁵ did eat⁵⁶ them with the blood.

Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed⁵⁷: roll a great stone unto me this day.

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 with him⁵⁸ that night, and slew them there.

And Saul built⁵⁹ an altar unto the LORD: the same⁶⁰ was the first altar that he built unto the LORD.

¶ And Saul said, Let us go⁶¹ down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave⁶² a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest⁶³, Let us draw near hither unto God.

And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go⁶⁴ down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered⁶⁵ him not that day.

And Saul said, Draw ye near⁶⁶ hither, all the chief⁶⁷ of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.

⁶⁸For, as 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.

¶ 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 seemeth⁶⁹ good unto thee.

Therefore⁷⁰ Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect lot.⁷² And Saul⁷³ and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped⁷⁴.

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

Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me⁷⁵ what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but⁷⁶ taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.

And Saul answered, God⁷⁷ do so and more also: for thou shalt⁷⁸ surely die, Jonathan.

And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath⁷⁹ wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not⁸⁰ one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath⁸¹ wrought with God this day. So the people⁸² rescued Jonathan, that he died not.

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

¶ So Saul⁸³ took the kingdom over Israel, and fought⁸⁴ against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon⁸⁵, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah⁸⁶, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.

And he gathered an host⁸⁷, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan⁸⁸, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn⁸⁹ Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:

¶ And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain⁹⁰ of his host was Abner⁹¹, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

And Kish⁹² was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul⁹³ saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.