23AND IT CAME OUT [THE] GARRISON OF [THE] PHILISTINES TO [THE] PASS OF MICMASH 23And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.
1AND IT WAS THE DAY AND HE SAID JONATHAN [THE] SON OF SAUL TO THE YOUNG MAN [THE] BEARER OF ARMOR<S> HIS COME! SO LET US PASS OVER TO [THE] GARRISON OF [THE] PHILISTINES WHICH [IS] FROM [THE] OTHER SIDE OF THIS AND TO FATHER HIS NOT HE TOLD Jonathan’s Victory over the Philistines 1One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistine outpost on the other side But Jonathan did not tell his father.
2AND SAUL [WAS] REMAINING AT [THE] EDGE OF <THE> GIBEAH UNDER <THE> POMEGRANATE TREE WHICH [IS] IN MIGRON AND THE PEOPLE WHICH [WAS] WITH HIM [WAS] ABOUT SIX HUNDRED<S> MAN 2Meanwhile, Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree*NoteCloseOr around the rock of Rimmon or in the pomegranate cave; see Judges 20:45, Judges 20:47, and Judges 21:13. in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. And the troops who were with him numbered about six hundred men,
3AND AHIJAH [THE] SON OF AHITUB [THE] BROTHER OF ICHABOD [THE] SON OF PHINEHAS [THE] SON OF ELI [THE] PRIEST OF YAHWEH IN SHILOH [WAS] BEARING AN EPHOD AND THE PEOPLE NOT IT KNEW THAT HE HAD GONE JONATHAN 3including Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of the LORD in Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left.
4AND [WERE] BETWEEN THE PASSES WHICH HE SOUGHT JONATHAN TO PASS OVER TO [THE] GARRISON OF [THE] PHILISTINES [THE] TOOTH OF THE ROCK FROM THE OTHER SIDE FROM THIS AND [THE] TOOTH OF THE ROCK FROM THE OTHER SIDE FROM THIS AND [THE] NAME OF THE ONE [WAS] BOZEZ AND [THE] NAME OF THE ONE [WAS] SENEH 4Now there were cliffs on both sides of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh.
5THE TOOTH THE ONE A PILLAR [WAS] FROM [THE] NORTH OPPOSITE TO MICMASH AND THE ONE [TOOTH] [WAS] FROM [THE] SOUTH OPPOSITE TO GEBA 5One cliff stood to the north toward Michmash, and the other to the south toward Geba.
6AND HE SAID JONATHAN TO THE YOUNG MAN [THE] BEARER OF ARMOR<S> HIS COME! SO LET US PASS OVER TO [THE] GARRISON OF THE UNCIRCUMCISED [MEN] <THE> THESE PERHAPS HE WILL ACT YAHWEH FOR <THE> US FOR NOT [BELONGS] TO YAHWEH A LIMITATION TO SAVE BY MANY OR BY FEW 6Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.”
7AND HE SAID TO <THE> HIM [THE] BEARER OF ARMOR<S> HIS DO ALL THAT [IS] IN HEART YOUR TURN ASIDE FOR <THE> YOURSELF HERE I [AM] WITH YOU ACCORDING TO HEART YOUR 7His armor-bearer replied “Do all that is in your heart. Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”
8AND HE SAID JONATHAN HERE! WE [ARE] ABOUT TO PASS OVER TO THE MEN AND WE WILL REVEAL OURSELVES TO THEM 8“Very well,” said Jonathan, “we will cross over toward these men and show ourselves to them.
9IF THUS THEY WILL SAY TO US BE STILL UNTIL REACH WE <TO> YOU AND WE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE OUR AND NOT WE WILL GO UP TO THEM 9If they say ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stay where we are and will not go up to them.
10AND IF THUS THEY WILL SAY COME UP TO US AND WE WILL GO UP FOR HE HAS GIVEN THEM YAHWEH IN HAND OUR AND THIS FOR <THE> US [WILL BE] THE SIGN 10But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we will go up, because this will be our sign that the LORD has delivered them into our hands.”
11AND THEY REVEALED THEMSELVES [THE] TWO OF THEM TO [THE] GARRISON OF [THE] PHILISTINES AND THEY SAID [THE] PHILISTINES HERE! HEBREWS [ARE] COMING OUT FROM THE HOLES WHERE THEY HAVE HIDDEN THEMSELVES THERE 11So the two of them showed themselves to the outpost of the Philistines, who exclaimed, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they were hiding!”
12AND THEY ANSWERED [THE] MEN OF THE GARRISON <OBJ.> JONATHAN AND <OBJ.> [THE] BEARER OF ARMOR<S> HIS AND THEY SAID COME UP TO US SO LET US MAKE KNOWN TO <OBJ.> YOU SOMETHING AND HE SAID JONATHAN TO [THE] BEARER OF ARMOR<S> HIS COME UP AFTER ME FOR HE HAS GIVEN THEM YAHWEH IN [THE] HAND OF ISRAEL 12So the men of the outpost called out to Jonathan and his armor-bearer “Come on up, and we will teach you a lesson!” “Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”
13AND HE WENT UP JONATHAN ON HANDS HIS AND ON FEET HIS AND [THE] BEARER OF ARMOR<S> HIS [WAS] BEHIND HIM AND THEY FELL <TO> BEFORE JONATHAN AND [THE] BEARER OF ARMOR<S> HIS [WAS] KILLING BEHIND HIM 13So Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. And the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off.
14AND IT WAS THE SLAUGHTER <THE> FIRST WHICH HE STRUCK DOWN JONATHAN AND [THE] BEARER OF ARMOR<S> HIS ABOUT TWENTY MAN ABOUT IN HALF OF A FURROW AN ACRE OF A FIELD 14In that first assault, Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in about half an acre*NoteCloseHebrew half a yoke. A yoke was the amount of land plowed by a pair of yoked oxen in one day. of land.
15AND IT WAS TREMBLING IN THE CAMP IN THE FIELD AND AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE THE GARRISON AND THE DESTROYER THEY TREMBLED ALSO THEY AND IT QUAKED THE EARTH AND IT BECAME <INTO> A TREMBLING OF GOD 15Then panic struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked, and panic spread from God.*NoteCloseOr and a terrible panic spread
16AND THEY SAW THE WATCHMEN OF SAUL AT GIBEAH OF BENJAMIN AND THERE! THE MULTITUDE IT MELTED AWAY AND IT WENT AND HERE 16Now when Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin looked and saw the troops melting away and scattering in every direction,*NoteCloseOr melting away and going here and there
17AND HE SAID SAUL TO THE PEOPLE WHICH [WAS] WITH HIM MUSTER PLEASE AND SEE WHO? HAS HE GONE FROM WITH <THE> US AND THEY MUSTERED AND THERE! THERE NOT [WERE] JONATHAN AND [THE] BEARER OF ARMOR<S> HIS 17Saul said to the troops who were with him, “Call the roll and see who has left us.” And when they had called the roll, they saw that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there.
18AND HE SAID SAUL TO AHIJAH BRING NEAR! [THE] ARK OF <THE> GOD FOR IT WAS [THE] ARK OF <THE> GOD ON THE DAY <THE> THAT AND [THE] PEOPLE OF ISRAEL 18Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites*NoteCloseHebrew; LXX “Bring the ephod.” For at that time he wore the ephod before the Israelites.
19AND IT WAS UNTIL HE SPOKE SAUL TO THE PRIEST AND THE TUMULT WHICH [WAS] IN [THE] CAMP OF [THE] PHILISTINES AND IT WENT CONTINUOUSLY <TO GO> AND GREAT AND HE SAID SAUL TO THE PRIEST WITHDRAW HAND YOUR 19While Saul was talking to the priest, the commotion in the Philistine camp continued to increase. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.”
20AND HE WAS CALLED TOGETHER SAUL AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHICH [WAS] WITH HIM AND THEY WENT TO THE BATTLE AND THERE! IT WAS [THE] SWORD OF EACH MAN IN NEIGHBOR HIS PANIC [WAS] GREAT VERY 20Then Saul and all his troops assembled and marched to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, with each man wielding the sword against his neighbor.
21AND THE HEBREWS THEY [WHO] WERE [BELONGING] TO THE PHILISTINES AS YESTERDAY THREE DAYS AGO WHO THEY HAD GONE UP WITH THEM IN THE CAMP ALL AROUND AND ALSO THEY TO BE WITH ISRAEL WHICH [WAS] WITH SAUL AND JONATHAN 21And the Hebrews who had previously gone up into the surrounding camps to join the Philistines now went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.
22AND EVERY <THE> PERSON OF ISRAEL WHO HAD HIDDEN THEMSELVES IN [THE] HILL COUNTRY OF EPHRAIM THEY HEARD THAT THEY HAD FLED [THE] PHILISTINES AND THEY PURSUED CLOSELY ALSO THEY AFTER THEM IN THE BATTLE 22When all the Israelites who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined the battle in close pursuit.
23AND HE DELIVERED YAHWEH ON THE DAY <THE> THAT <OBJ.> ISRAEL AND THE BATTLE IT PASSED BEYOND <OBJ.> BETH AVEN 23So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth-aven.
24AND [THE] MAN OF ISRAEL HE WAS HARD PRESSED ON THE DAY <THE> THAT AND HE HAD PUT UNDER OATH SAUL <OBJ.> THE PEOPLE <TO> SAYING [BE] CURSED THE PERSON WHO HE WILL EAT FOOD UNTIL THE EVENING AND I WILL AVENGE MYSELF FROM ENEMIES MY AND NOT IT TASTED ALL THE PEOPLE FOOD Jonathan Eats the Honey 24Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food.
25AND ALL THE LAND THEY WENT IN THE FOREST AND IT WAS HONEY ON [THE] SURFACE OF THE FIELD 25Then all the troops entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground.
26AND IT CAME THE PEOPLE INTO THE FOREST AND THERE! A FLOWING OF HONEY AND THERE NOT [WAS ONE WHO] REACHED HAND HIS TO MOUTH HIS FOR IT FEARED THE PEOPLE <OBJ.> THE OATH 26And when they entered the forest and saw the flowing honey, not one of them put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.
27AND JONATHAN NOT HE HAD HEARD WHEN MADE TO SWEAR AN OATH FATHER HIS <OBJ.> THE PEOPLE AND HE STRETCHED OUT <OBJ.> [THE] END OF THE STAFF WHICH [WAS] IN HAND HIS AND HE DIPPED <OBJ.> IT IN [THE] HONEYCOMB OF THE HONEY AND HE BROUGHT BACK HAND HIS TO MOUTH HIS AND THEY BRIGHTENED EYES HIS 27Jonathan, however, had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath. So he reached out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.*NoteCloseOr his strength was renewed; similarly in verse 29
28AND HE ANSWERED A PERSON FROM THE PEOPLE AND HE SAID CERTAINLY <TO SWEAR AN OATH> HE MADE TO SWEAR AN OATH FATHER YOUR <OBJ.> THE PEOPLE <TO> SAYING [BE] CURSED THE PERSON WHO HE WILL EAT FOOD THIS DAY AND IT WAS WEARY THE PEOPLE 28Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.”
29AND HE SAID JONATHAN HE HAS TROUBLED FATHER MY <OBJ.> THE LAND SEE PLEASE THAT THEY BRIGHTENED EYES MY FOR I TASTED A LITTLE OF HONEY <THE> THIS 29“My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
30INDEED? FOR <IF> CERTAINLY [IF] <TO EAT> IT HAD EATEN THIS DAY THE PEOPLE ANY OF [THE] PLUNDER OF ENEMIES ITS WHICH IT FOUND FOR NOW NOT IT HAS BEEN GREAT DEFEAT AMONG THE PHILISTINES 30How much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been much greater?”
31AND THEY DEFEATED ON THE DAY <THE> THAT <IN> THE PHILISTINES FROM MICMASH AIJALON TOWARDS AND IT WAS WEARY THE PEOPLE EXCEEDINGLY 31That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, the people were very faint.
32AND IT RUSHED THE PEOPLE TO THE PLUNDER AND THEY TOOK SHEEP AND CATTLE AND [THE] YOUNG OF CATTLE AND THEY SLAUGHTERED [THEM] [THE] GROUND TOWARDS AND IT ATE [THEM] THE PEOPLE WITH THE BLOOD 32So they rushed greedily to the plunder, taking sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them on the ground and ate meat with the blood still in it.
33AND PEOPLE TOLD TO SAUL <TO> SAYING THERE! THE PEOPLE [ARE] SINNING TO YAHWEH BY EATING WITH THE BLOOD AND HE SAID YOU HAVE ACTED TREACHEROUSLY ROLL TO ME THIS DAY A STONE GREAT 33Then someone reported to Saul “Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.” “You have broken faith,” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here at once.”
34AND HE SAID SAUL BE SCATTERED AMONG THE PEOPLE AND YOU WILL SAY TO <THE> THEM BRING NEAR TO ME EACH ONE OX HIS AND EACH ONE SHEEP HIS AND YOU WILL SLAUGHTER [IT] IN THIS [PLACE] AND YOU WILL EAT [IT] AND NOT YOU WILL SIN TO YAHWEH BY EATING WITH THE BLOOD AND THEY BROUGHT NEAR ALL THE PEOPLE EACH ONE OX HIS IN HAND HIS THIS NIGHT AND THEY SLAUGHTERED [IT] THERE 34Then he said, “Go among the troops and tell them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep, slaughter them in this place, and then eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.’” So that night everyone brought his ox and slaughtered it there.
35AND HE BUILT SAUL AN ALTAR TO YAHWEH <OBJ.> IT HE BEGAN TO BUILD AN ALTAR TO YAHWEH 35Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had built an altar to the LORD.
36AND HE SAID SAUL LET US GO DOWN AFTER [THE] PHILISTINES NIGHT AND LET US PLUNDER <IN> <THE> THEM UNTIL [THE] LIGHT OF THE MORNING AND NOT WE WILL LEAVE AMONG <THE> THEM ANYONE AND PEOPLE SAID ALL THE GOOD IN VIEW YOUR DO AND HE SAID THE PRIEST LET US DRAW NEAR HERE TO <THE> GOD 36And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn, leaving no man alive!” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied. But the priest said, “We must consult God here.”
37AND HE ENQUIRED SAUL BY GOD ¿ WILL I GO DOWN AFTER [THE] PHILISTINES ¿ WILL YOU GIVE THEM IN [THE] HAND OF ISRAEL AND NOT HE ANSWERED HIM ON THE DAY <THE> THAT The People Save Jonathan 37So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But God did not answer him that day.
38AND HE SAID SAUL DRAW NEAR HERE O ALL [THE] CORNERS OF THE PEOPLE AND KNOW AND SEE <IN> HOW? HAS IT HAPPENED THE SIN <THE> THIS THIS DAY 38Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today.
39FOR [BY] [THE] LIFE OF YAHWEH WHO DELIVERS <OBJ.> ISRAEL FOR EXCEPT THERE IT [IS] IN JONATHAN SON MY FOR CERTAINLY <TO DIE> HE WILL DIE AND NOT [WAS] ANSWERING HIM ANY OF ALL THE PEOPLE 39As surely as the LORD who saves Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must die But not one of the troops said a word.
40AND HE SAID TO ALL ISRAEL YOU YOU WILL BE TO A SIDE ONE AND I AND JONATHAN SON MY WE WILL BE TO A SIDE ONE AND THEY SAID THE PEOPLE TO SAUL THE GOOD IN VIEW YOUR DO 40Then Saul said to all Israel, “You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other side.” “Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied.
41AND HE SAID SAUL TO YAHWEH [THE] GOD OF ISRAEL <TO> WHY? NOT YOU DID ANSWER <OBJ.> SERVANT YOUR THE DAY IF THERE IN ME OR IN JONATHAN SON MY THE INIQUITY <THE> THIS YAHWEH [THE] GOD [OF] ISRAEL GIVE! URIM AND IF IS IT THE INIQUITY <THE> THIS IN PEOPLE YOUR [OF] ISRAEL GIVE! THUMMIM AND HE WAS TAKEN BY LOT JONATHAN AND SAUL AND THE PEOPLE THEY WENT OUT 41So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.”*NoteCloseLXX and Vulgate; MT contains only the short quotation, “Give a perfect (lot).” And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge.
42AND HE SAID SAUL MAKE FALL BETWEEN ME AND BETWEEN JONATHAN SON MY AND HE WAS TAKEN BY LOT JONATHAN 42Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.
43AND HE SAID SAUL TO JONATHAN TELL! TO <THE> ME WHAT? HAVE YOU DONE AND HE TOLD TO <THE> HIM JONATHAN AND HE SAID CERTAINLY <TO TASTE> I TASTED WITH [THE] END OF THE STAFF WHICH [WAS] IN HAND MY A LITTLE OF HONEY HERE I I WILL DIE 43“Tell me what you have done,” Saul commanded him. So Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. And now I must die?”
44AND HE SAID SAUL THUS MAY HE DO GOD AND THUS MAY HE ADD FOR CERTAINLY <TO DIE> YOU WILL DIE O JONATHAN 44And Saul declared, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if you, Jonathan, do not surely die
45AND IT SAID THE PEOPLE TO SAUL ¿ JONATHAN WILL HE DIE WHO HE HAS DONE THE DELIVERANCE <THE> GREAT <THE> THIS IN ISRAEL FAR BE IT [BY] [THE] LIFE OF YAHWEH IF IT WILL FALL ONE OF [THE] HAIR[S] OF HEAD HIS [THE] GROUND TOWARDS FOR WITH GOD HE HAS ACTED THE DAY <THE> THIS AND THEY REDEEMED THE PEOPLE <OBJ.> JONATHAN AND NOT HE DIED 45But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die— he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
46AND HE WENT UP SAUL FROM AFTER [THE] PHILISTINES AND [THE] PHILISTINES THEY WENT TO OWN PLACE THEIR 46Then Saul gave up his pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own land.
47AND SAUL HE HAD TAKEN THE KINGSHIP OVER ISRAEL AND HE WAGED WAR ALL AROUND AGAINST ALL ENEMIES HIS AGAINST MOAB AND AGAINST [THE] PEOPLE OF AMMON AND AGAINST EDOM AND AGAINST [THE] KINGS OF ZOBAH AND AGAINST THE PHILISTINES AND IN EVERY WHERE HE TURNED HE ACTED WICKEDLY Saul’s Victories 47After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side— the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings*NoteCloseMT; DSS and LXX king of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them.*NoteCloseOr he inflicted punishment on them from Hebrew; LXX he was victorious
48AND HE DID STRENGTH AND HE DEFEATED <OBJ.> AMALEK AND HE DELIVERED <OBJ.> ISRAEL FROM [THE] HAND OF [THOSE WHO] PLUNDERED IT 48He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of its plunderers.
49AND THEY WERE [THE] SONS OF SAUL JONATHAN AND ISHVI AND MALKI- SHUA AND [THE] NAME OF [THE] TWO DAUGHTERS HIS [THE] NAME OF THE FIRSTBORN [WAS] MERAB AND [THE] NAME OF THE YOUNG [ONE] [WAS] MICHAL 49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His two daughters were named Merab (his firstborn) and Michal (his younger daughter).
50AND [THE] NAME OF [THE] WIFE OF SAUL [WAS] AHINOAM [THE] DAUGHTER OF AHIMAAZ AND [THE] NAME OF [THE] COMMANDER OF ARMY HIS [WAS] ABNER [THE] SON OF NER [THE] UNCLE OF SAUL 50His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Saul’s uncle Ner.
51AND KISH [WAS] [THE] FATHER OF SAUL AND NER [THE] FATHER OF ABNER [WAS] [THE] SON OF ABIEL 51Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel.
52AND IT WAS THE WAR SEVERE ON [THE] PHILISTINES ALL [THE] DAYS OF SAUL AND HE SAW SAUL EVERY MAN MIGHTY AND EVERY SON OF STRENGTH AND HE GATHERED HIM TO HIMSELF 52And the war with the Philistines was fierce for all the days of Saul. So whenever he noticed any strong or brave man, Saul would enlist him.