1 One day Jonathan, the son of Saul, said to the young man who carried his armor, 'Come, let us cross over to the garrison of the Philistines on the other side.' But he did not tell his father.

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 not his father.

2 Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron, and with him were about six hundred men.

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

3 Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod—son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of the Lord in Shiloh—was wearing an ephod. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.

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

4 Between the passes that Jonathan sought to cross to reach the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on each side—one was named Bozez, and the other Seneh.

And between the 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.

5 One crag rose to the north opposite Michmash, and the other to the south opposite Geba.

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

6 Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, 'Come, let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf, for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.'

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

7 His armor-bearer replied, 'Do everything you have in mind. Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.'

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 Jonathan said, 'Look, we will cross over to the men and let them see us.'

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

9 If they say to us, 'Wait there until we come to you,' we will stay in our place and not go up to them.

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

10 But if they say, 'Come up to us,' we will go up, for the Lord has handed them over to us. That will be our sign.

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 sign unto us.

11 So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine garrison, and the Philistines said, 'Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes they were hiding in!'

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

12 The men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, 'Come up to us, and we will teach you a lesson!' So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, 'Climb up after me, for the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.'

And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come 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.

13 Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off.

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

14 In that first attack, Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in an area of about half an acre of land.

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

15 Then panic struck the whole Philistine camp, those in the field, the outposts, and the raiding parties, and the ground trembled. It was a panic sent by God.

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

16 Saul's lookouts at Gibeah of Benjamin saw the Philistine army melting away in all directions.

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

17 Saul said to the men who were with him, 'Muster the troops and see who has left us.' When they counted, they found that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were gone.

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 Saul said to Ahijah, 'Bring the ark of God here.' (At that time it was with the Israelites.)

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

19 While Saul was talking to the priest, the commotion in the Philistine camp kept increasing. So Saul said to the priest, 'Withdraw your hand.'

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

20 Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords.

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

21 The Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp changed sides and joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

Moreover the 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.

22 When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined the battle in hot pursuit.

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

23 So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven.

So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.

24 Now the Israelites were hard-pressed that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, 'Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!' So none of the troops tasted food.

And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul 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.

25 The entire army entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground.

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

26 When the people entered the forest, they saw honey flowing, but no one dared to lift a hand to his mouth because the people were afraid of the oath.

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 feared the oath.

27 Jonathan, however, had not heard his father make the people swear the oath. So he reached out the tip of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and raised it to his mouth. His eyes then brightened.

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 eyes were enlightened.

28 Then one of the men said, 'Your father solemnly charged the people, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.'

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 faint.

29 Jonathan said, 'My father has brought trouble to the land. See how my eyes have brightened because I tasted just a little of this honey.'

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 better it would have been if the men had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the defeat of the Philistines have been even greater?

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 That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, but the troops were very exhausted.

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

32 They pounced on the plunder and took sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them on the ground and ate them, along with the blood.

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

33 Someone reported to Saul, 'Look, the troops are sinning against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it.' Saul said, 'You have broken faith. Roll a large stone over here to me at once.'

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

34 Then he said, 'Go among the men and tell them, ‘Each of you bring me your ox and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat. Do not sin against the Lord by eating meat with blood in it.’' That night, everyone brought their oxen and slaughtered them there.

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 him that night, and slew them there.

35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first time he had built an altar to the Lord.

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

36 Saul said, 'Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn. Let us not leave one of them alive.' They replied, 'Do whatever seems best to you.' But the priest said, 'Let us inquire of God here.'

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, Let us draw near hither unto God.

37 Saul inquired of God, 'Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?' But He did not answer him that day.

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

38 Then Saul said, 'Come here, all you chiefs of the people. Investigate and find out what sin has been committed today.

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

39 As surely as the Lord, who saves Israel, lives—even if it is my son Jonathan—he must die.' But no one among the people said a word.

For, 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.

40 Then Saul said to all Israel, 'You stand on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will stand on the other.' And the people said to Saul, 'Do whatever seems right to you.'

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 Then Saul prayed to the Lord, the God of Israel: 'Give a perfect lot.' Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the people were cleared.

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

42 Saul said, 'Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son.' And Jonathan was taken.

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

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, 'Tell me what you have done.' So Jonathan told him, 'I merely tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand, and now I must die?'

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

44 Saul said, 'May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not surely die, Jonathan.'

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

45 But the people said to Saul, 'Should Jonathan die, he who has brought about this great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the Lord lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he acted with God’s help today.' So the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

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

46 Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land.

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

47 After Saul had taken over the kingship of Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment.

So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and 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: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.

48 He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.

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

49 Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-Shua. The names of his two daughters were Merab, the firstborn, and Michal, the younger.

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

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

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

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

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

52 The war against the Philistines was fierce throughout Saul’s reign. Whenever Saul saw a strong or valiant man, he brought him into his service.

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