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.
Now it came to pass one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man that bore his armour: Come, and let us go over to the garrison of the Philistines, which is on the other side of yonder place. But he told not this to 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.
And Saul abode in the uttermost part of Gabaa under the pomegranate tree, which was in Magron: and the people with him were about six hundred men.
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.
And Achias the son of Achitob brother to Ichabod the son of Phinees, the son of Heli the priest of the Lord in Silo, wore the ephod. And the people knew not whither 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.
Now there were between the ascents, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the garrison of the Philistines, rocks standing up on both sides, and steep cliffs like teeth on the one side, and on the other, the name of the one was Boses, and the name of the other was Sene:
5 The one way [was] northward to one coming to Machmas, and the other way [was] southward to one coming to Gabae.
One rock stood out towards the north over against Machmas, and the other to the south over against Gabaa.
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.
And Jonathan said to the young man that bore his armour: Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised, it may be the Lord will do for us, because it is easy for the Lord to save either by many, or by few.
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.
And his armourbearer said to him: Do all that pleaseth thy mind: go whither thou wilt, and I will be with thee wheresoever thou hast a mind.
8 And Jonathan said, Behold, we will go over to the men, and will come down suddenly upon them.
And Jonathan said: Behold we will go over to these men. And when we shall be seen by 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 shall speak thus to us: Stay till we come to you: let us stand still in our place, and not go up 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 shall say: Come up to us: let us go up, because the Lord hath delivered them into our hands, this shall be a sign unto 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 discovered themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said: Behold the Hebrews come forth out of the holes wherein they were hid.
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.
And the men of the garrison spoke to Jonathan, and to his armourbearer, and said: Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said to his armourbearer: Let us go up, follow me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hands 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.
And Jonathan went up creeping on his hands and feet, and his armourbearer after him. And some fell before Jonathan, others his armourbearer slew as he followed 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.
And the first slaughter which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was of about twenty men, within half an acre of land, which a yoke of oxen is wont to plough in a day.
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.
And there was a miracle in the camp, through the fields: yea and all the people of their garrison, who had gone out to plunder, were amazed, and the earth trembled: and it happened as a miracle from God.
16 And the watchmen of Saul saw in Gabaa of Benjamin, and, behold, the army was thrown into confusion on every side.
And the watchmen of Saul, who were in Gabaa of Benjamin looked, and behold a multitude overthrown, and fleeing this way and that.
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.
And Saul said to the people that were with him: Look, and see who is gone from us. And when they had sought, it was found that Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.
18 And Saul said to Achia, Bring the ephod; for he wore the ephod in that day before Israel.
And Saul said to Achias: Bring the ark of the Lord. (For the ark of God was there that day with the children 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.
And while Saul spoke to the priest, there arose a great uproar in the camp of the Philistines: and it increased by degrees, and was heard more clearly. And Saul said to the priest: Draw in thy 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.
Then Saul and all the people that were with him, shouted together, and they came to the place of the fight: and behold every man’s sword was turned upon his neighbour, and there was a very great slaughter.
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.
Moreover the Hebrews that had been with the Philistines yesterday and the day before, and went up with them into the camp, returned to be with the Israelites, who 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.
And all the Israelites that had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, hearing that the Philistines fled, joined themselves with their countrymen in the fight. And there were with Saul about ten thousand men.
23 And the battle extended itself to every city in the mount Ephraim.
And the Lord saved Israel that day. And the fight went on as far as Bethaven.
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.
And the men of Israel were joined together that day; and Saul adjured the people, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat food till evening, till I be revenged of my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food:
25 And Jaal was a wood abounding in swarms of bees on the face of the ground.
And all the common people came into a forest, in which 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.
And when the people came into the forest, behold the honey dropped, but no man 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 when his father adjured the people: and he put forth the end of the rod, which he had in his hand, and dipt it in a honeycomb: and he carried his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were enlightened.
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,
And one of the people answering, said: Thy father hath bound the people with an oath, saying: Cursed be the man that shall eat any food this day. (And the people were faint.)
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.
And Jonathan said: My father hath troubled the land: you have seen yourselves that my eyes are enlightened, 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 more if the people had eaten of the prey of their enemies, which they found? had there not been made a greater slaughter among the Philistines?
31 And on that day he struck some of the Philistines in Machmas; and the people were very weary.
So they smote that day the Philistines from Machmas to Ailon. And the people were wearied exceedingly.
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.
And falling upon the spoils, they took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and 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.
And they told Saul that the people had sinned against the Lord, eating with the blood. And he said: You have transgressed: roll here to me now a great stone.
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.
And Saul said: Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them to bring me every man his ox and his ram, and slay them upon this stone, and eat, and you shall not sin against the Lord in eating with the blood. So all the people brought every man his ox with him till the night: and slew them there.
35 And Saul built an altar there to the Lord: this was the first altar that Saul built to the Lord.
And Saul built an altar to the Lord and he then first began to build an altar to the Lord.
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.
And Saul said: Let us fall upon the Philistines by night, and destroy them till the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And the people said: Do all that seemeth good in thy eyes. And the priest said: Let us draw near hither unto God.
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.
And Saul consulted the Lord: Shall I pursue after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hands of Israel? And he answered him not 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.
And Saul said: Bring hither all the corners of the people: and know, and see by whom this sin hath 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.
As the Lord liveth who is the saviour of Israel, if it was done by Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. In this none of the people gainsaid 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.
And he said to all Israel: Be you on one side, and I with Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people answered Saul: Do what seemeth good in thy eyes.
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.
And Saul said to the Lord: O Lord God of Israel, give a sign, by which we may know, what the meaning is, that thou answerest not thy servant today. If this iniquity be in me, or in my son Jonathan, give a proof: or if this iniquity be in thy people, give holiness. And Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people escaped.
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.
And Saul said: Cast lots between me, and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
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.
And 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, which was in my hand, and behold I must die.
44 And Saul said to him, God do so to me, and more also, you shall surely die today.
And Saul said: May God do so and so to me, and add still more: for dying thou shalt die, O 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.
And the people said to Saul: Shall Jonathan then die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? This must not be. 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 delivered Jonathan, that he should not die.
46 And Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines departed to their place.
And Saul went back, and did not pursue after the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own places.
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.
And Saul having his kingdom established over Israel, fought against all his enemies round about, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and Edom, and the kings of Soba, and the Philistines; and whithersoever he turned himself, he overcame.
48 And he wrought valiantly, and struck Amalec, and rescued Israel out of the hand of them that trampled on him.
And gathering together an army, he defeated Amalec, and delivered Israel from the hand of them that spoiled 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.
And the sons of Saul, were Jonathan, and Jessui, and Melchisua: and the names of his two daughters, the name of the firstborn was Merob, and the name of the younger Michol.
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.
And the name of Saul’s wife, was Achinoam the daughter of Achimaas; and the name of the captain of his army was Abner, the son of Ner, the cousin german of Saul.
51 And Kis [was] the father of Saul, and Ner, the father of Abenezer, [was] son of Jamin, son of Abiel.
For Cis was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner, was 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.
And there was a great war against the Philistines all the days of Saul. For whomsoever Saul saw to be a valiant man, and fit for war, he took him to himself.
