Kings I 14

1 And when a certain day arrived, Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armour, Come, and let us go over to Messab of the Philistines that is on the other side yonder; but he told not his father.

One day, Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor bearer, “Come, let us go over to the Philistines' garrison on the other side.” But he did not tell his father.

2 And Saul sat on the top of the hill under the pomegranate tree that is in Magdon, and there were with him about six hundred men.

Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that is in Migron. About six hundred men were with him,

3 And Achia son of Achitob, the brother of Jochabed the son of Phinees, the son of Heli, [was] the priest of God in Selom wearing an ephod: and the people knew not that Jonathan was gone.

including Ahijah son of Ahitub (Ichabod's brother) son of Phinehas son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh at Shiloh, who wore an ephod. The people did not know that Jonathan was gone.

4 And in the midst of the passage whereby Jonathan sought to pass over to the encampment of the Philistines, there was both a sharp rock on this side, and a sharp rock on the other side: the name of the one [was] Bases, and the name of the other Senna.

On each side of the pass through which Jonathan wanted to go in order to get to the Philistines' garrison, there was a rocky cliff on one side and another rocky cliff on the other side. One rocky cliff was called Bozez and the other rocky cliff was called Seneh.

5 The one way [was] northward to one coming to Machmas, and the other way [was] southward to one coming to Gabae.

One rocky cliff stood on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.

6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour, Come, let us go over to Messab of these uncircumcised, if [perhaps] the Lord may do something for us; for the Lord is not straitened to save by many or by few.

Jonathan said to his young armor bearer, “Come, let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised fellows. It may be that Yahweh will work on our behalf, for nothing can stop Yahweh from saving by many or by few people.”

7 And his armour-bearer said to him, Do all that your heart inclines towards: behold, I [am] with you, my heart [is] as your heart.

His armor bearer replied, “Do everything that is in your heart. Go ahead, see, I am with you, to obey all your commands.”

8 And Jonathan said, Behold, we will go over to the men, and will come down suddenly upon them.

Then Jonathan said, “We will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them.

9 If they should say thus to us, Stand aloof there until we shall send you word; then we will stand still by ourselves, and will not go up against them.

If they say to us, 'Wait there until we come over to you'—then we will stay in our place and will not cross over to them.

10 [But] if they should say thus to us, Come up to us; then will we go up, for the Lord has delivered them into our hands; this [shall be] a sign to us.

But if they reply, 'Come over to us,' then we will cross over; because Yahweh has given them into our hand. This will be the sign to us.”

11 And they both went in to Messab of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of their Caves, where they had hidden themselves.

So both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. The Philistines said, “Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.”

12 And the men of Messab answered Jonathan and his armour-bearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing: and Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hands of Israel.

Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something.” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Follow after me, because Yahweh has given them into the hand of Israel.”

13 And Jonathan went up on his hands and feet, and his armour-bearer with him; and they looked on the face of Jonathan, and he struck them, and his armour-bearer did strike [them] after him.

Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor bearer followed behind him. The Philistines were put to death before Jonathan, and his armor bearer put some to death behind him.

14 And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armour-bearer effected was twenty men, with darts and slings, and pebbles of the field.

That first attack that Jonathan and his armor bearer made, killed about twenty men within an area of half an acre.

15 And there was dismay in the camp, and in the field; and all the people in Messab, and the spoilers were amazed; and they would not act, and the land was terror-struck, and there was dismay from the lord.

There was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among the people. Even the garrison and the raiders panicked. The earth quaked, and there was a great panic.

16 And the watchmen of Saul saw in Gabaa of Benjamin, and, behold, the army was thrown into confusion on every side.

Then Saul's watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; the crowd of Philistine soldiers was dispersing, and they were going here and there.

17 And Saul said to the people with him, Number yourselves now, and see who has gone out from you: and they numbered themselves, and behold, Jonathan and his armour-bearer were not found.

Then Saul said to the people that were with him, “Count and see who is missing from us.” When they had counted, Jonathan and his armor bearer were missing.

18 And Saul said to Achia, Bring the ephod; for he wore the ephod in that day before Israel.

Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here,” for at that time it was with the people of Israel.

19 And it came to pass while Saul was speaking to the priest, that the sound in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase greatly; and Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hands.

While Saul was talking to the priest, the commotion in the camp of the Philistines was continuing and increasing. Then Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”

20 And Saul went up and all the people that were with him, and they come to the battle: and, behold, [every] man's sword was against his neighbour, a very great confusion.

Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into battle. Every Philistine's sword was against his fellow countrymen, and there was very great confusion.

21 And the servants who had been before with the Philistines, who had gone up to the army, turned themselves also to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

Now those Hebrews who previously had been with the Philistines, and who had gone with them into the camp, even they joined with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

22 And all the Israelites who were hidden in mount Ephraim heard also that the Philistines fled; and they also gather themselves after them to battle: and the Lord saved Israel in that day; and the war passed through Bamoth; and all the people with Saul were about ten thousand men.

When all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hills near Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, even they chased after them in battle.

23 And the battle extended itself to every city in the mount Ephraim.

So Yahweh saved Israel that day, and the battle passed beyond Beth Aven.

24 And Saul committed a great trespass of ignorance in that day, and he lays a curse on the people, saying, Cursed [is] the man who shall eat bread before the evening; so I will avenge myself on my enemy: and none of the people tasted bread, though all the land was dining.

That day the men of Israel were distressed because Saul had put the people under an oath and said, “Cursed be the man that eats any food until evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted food.

25 And Jaal was a wood abounding in swarms of bees on the face of the ground.

Then all the people entered the forest and there was honey upon the ground.

26 And the people went into the place of the bees, and, behold, they continued speaking; and, behold, there was none that put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath of the Lord.

When the people entered into the forest, the honey flowed, but no one put his hand to his mouth for the people feared the oath.

27 And Jonathan had not heard when his father adjured the people; and he reached forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, an dipped it into the honeycomb, and returned his hand to his mouth, and his eyes recovered their sight.

But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with an oath. He reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.

28 And one of the people answered and said, Your father solemnly adjured the people, saying, Cursed [is] the man who shall eat bread today. And the people were very faint,

Then one of the people, answered, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, by saying, 'Cursed be the man that eats food on this day,' even though the people are weak from hunger.”

29 and Jonathan knew it, and said, My father has destroyed the land: see how my eyes have received sight [now] that I have tasted a little of this honey.

Then Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble for the land. See how my eyes have become brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.

30 Surely if the people had this day eaten freely of the spoils of their enemies which they found, the slaughter amongst the Philistines would have been greater.

How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the plunder from their enemies that they found? Because now the slaughter has not been great among the Philistines.”

31 And on that day he struck some of the Philistines in Machmas; and the people were very weary.

They attacked the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very weary.

32 And the people turned to the spoil; and the people took flocks, and herds, and calves, and killed them on the ground, and the people ate with the blood.

The people rushed greedily on the plunder and took sheep, oxen and calves, and killed them on the ground. The people ate them with the blood.

33 And it was reported to Saul, saying, The people have sinned against the Lord, eating with the blood: and Saul said, Out of Getthaim roll a great stone to me hither.

Then they told Saul, “Look, the people are sinning against Yahweh by eating with the blood.” Saul said, “You have acted unfaithfully. Now, roll a big stone here to me.”

34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves amongst the people, and tell them to bring hither every one his calf, and every one his sheep: and let them kill it on this [stone] and sin not against the Lord in eating with the blood: and the people brought each one that which was in his hand, and they killed [them] there.

Saul said, “Go out among the people, and tell them, 'Let every man bring his ox and his sheep, kill them here, and eat. Do not sin against Yahweh by eating with the blood.'” So each of the people brought his own ox with him that night and killed it there.

35 And Saul built an altar there to the Lord: this was the first altar that Saul built to the Lord.

Saul built an altar to Yahweh, which was the first altar that he built to Yahweh.

36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines this night, and let us plunder amongst them till the day break, and let us not leave a man amongst them. And they said, Do all that is good in your sight: and the priest said, let us draw near hither to God.

Then Saul said, “Let us pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them until morning; let us not leave one of them alive.” They replied, “Do whatever seems good to you.” But the priest said, “Let us approach God here.”

37 And Saul enquired of God, If I go down after the Philistines, will you deliver them into the hands of Israel? And he answered him not in that day.

Saul asked God, “Should I pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.

38 And Saul said, Bring hither all the chiefs of Israel, and know and see by whom this sin has been committed this day.

Then Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the people; learn and see how this sin has happened today.

39 For as the Lord lives who has saved Israel, if answer should be against my son Jonathan, he shall surely die. And there was no one that answered out of all the people.

For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, even if it is in Jonathan my son, he will surely die.” But none of the men among all the people answered him.

40 And he said to all the men of Israel, You shall be under subjection, and I an Jonathan my son will be under subjection: and the people said to Saul, Do that which is good in your sight.

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

41 And Saul said, O Lord God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant this day? [is] the iniquity in me, or in Jonathan my son? Lord God of Israel, give clear [manifestations]; and if [the lot] should declare this, give, I pray you, to your people of Israel, give, I pray, holiness. And Jonathan and Saul are taken, and the people escaped.

Saul said, “Yahweh, God of Israel! If this sin has been committed by me or by my son Jonathan, then, Yahweh, God of Israel, give the Urim. But if this sin has been committed by your people Israel, give the Thummim.” Then Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, but the army was exonerated.

42 And Saul said, Cast [lots] between me and my son Jonathan: whoever the Lord shall cause to be taken by lot, let him die: and the people said to Saul, This thing is not [to be done]: and Saul prevailed against the people, and they cast [lots] between him and Jonathan his son, and Jonathan is taken by lot.

Then Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” Then Jonathan was taken by lot.

43 And Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done: and Jonathan told him, and said, I did indeed taste a little honey, with the end of my staff that was in my hand, and, behold! I [am to] die.

Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” Jonathan told him, “I tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die.”

44 And Saul said to him, God do so to me, and more also, you shall surely die today.

Saul said, “God do so and more also to me, if you do not die, Jonathan.”

45 And the people said to Saul, Shall he that has wrought this great salvation in Israel be put to death this day? [As] the Lord lives, there shall not fall to the ground one of the hairs of his head; for the people of God have wrought successfully this day. And the people prayed for Jonathan in that day, and he died not.

Then the people said to Saul, “Should Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great victory for Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he has worked with God today.” So the people rescued Jonathan so that he did not die.

46 And Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines departed to their place.

Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place.

47 And Saul received the kingdom, by lot he inherits the office [of ruling] over Israel: and he fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against the children of Edom, and against Baethaeor, and against the king of Suba, and against the Philistines: wherever he turned, he was victorious.

When Saul began to rule over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side. He fought against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them.

48 And he wrought valiantly, and struck Amalec, and rescued Israel out of the hand of them that trampled on him.

He acted with great courage and defeated the Amalekites. He rescued Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

49 And the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Jessiu, and Melchisa: and [these were] the names of his two daughters, the name of the firstborn Merob, and the name of the second Melchol.

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

50 And the name of his wife was Achinoom, the daughter of Achimaa: and the name of his captain of the host was Abenner, the son of Ner, son of a kinsman of Saul.

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

51 And Kis [was] the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abenezer, [was] son of Jamin, son of Abiel.

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

52 And the war was vehement against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any mighty man, and any valiant man, then he took them to himself.

There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. When Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself.