Dual Panel1and one day Saul's son Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, “Come, let us go over to the Philistine outpost across there.” He did not tell his father,
2who at the time had his tent under the pomegranate tree at Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah; with him were about six hundred men.
3The ephod was carried by Ahijah son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, son of Phinehas son of Eli, the priest of the LORD at Shiloh. Nobody knew that Jonathan had gone.
4On either side of the pass through which Jonathan sought to make his way to the Philistine post stood two sharp columns of rock, called Bozez and Seneh;
5one of them was on the north towards Michmash, and the other on the south towards Geba.
6Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, “Let us go and pay a visit to the post of the uncircumcised yonder. Perhaps the LORD will do something for us. Nothing can stop him from winning a victory, by many or by few.”
7The armour-bearer answered, “Do what you will, go ahead; I am with you whatever you do.”
8Jonathan said, “We shall cross over and let the men see us.
9If they say, ‘Stay there till we come to you,’ then we shall stay where we are and not go up to them.
10But if they say, ‘Come up to us,’ we shall go up; that will be the proof that the LORD has given them into our power.”
11The two showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “Hebrews coming out of the holes where they have been hiding!”
12And they called across to Jonathan and his armour-bearer, “Come up to us; we shall show you something.” Jonathan said to the armour-bearer, “Come on, the LORD has put them into Israel's power.”
13Jonathan climbed up on hands and feet, and the armour-bearer followed him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and the armour-bearer, coming behind, dispatched them.
14In that first attack Jonathan and his armour-bearer killed about twenty of them, like men cutting a furrow across a half-acre field.
15Terror spread throughout the army in the camp and in the field; the men at the post and the raiding parties were terrified. The very ground quaked, and there was great panic.
16Saul's men on the watch in Gibeah of Benjamin saw the mob of Philistines surging to and fro in confusion.
17Saul ordered his forces to call the roll to find out who was missing and, when it was called, they found that Jonathan and his armour-bearer were absent.
18Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring forward the ephod,” for it was he who at that time carried the ephod before Israel.
19While Saul was speaking, the confusion in the Philistine camp kept increasing, and he said to the priest, “Hold your hand.”
20Then Saul and all his men made a concerted rush for the battlefield, where they found the enemy in complete disorder, every man's sword against his fellow.
21Those Hebrews who up to now had been under the Philistines, and had been with them in camp, changed sides and joined the Israelites under Saul and Jonathan.
22When all the Israelites in hiding in the hill-country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were in flight, they also joined in and set off in close pursuit.
23That day the LORD delivered Israel, and the fighting passed on beyond Beth-aven.
24The Israelites had been driven to exhaustion on that day. Saul had issued this warning to the troops: “A curse on any man who takes food before nightfall and before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So no one tasted any food.
25There was honeycomb in the countryside;
26but when his men came upon it, dripping with honey though it was, not one of them put his hand to his mouth for fear of the curse.
27Jonathan, however, had not heard his father's interdict to the army, and he stretched out the stick that was in his hand, dipped the end of it in the honeycomb, put it to his mouth, and was refreshed.
28One of the people said to him, “Your father strictly forbade this, saying, ‘A curse on the man who eats food today!’ And the men are faint.”
29Jonathan said, “My father has done the people great harm; see how I am refreshed by this mere taste of honey.
30How much better if the army had eaten today whatever they took from their enemies by way of spoil! Then there would indeed have been a great slaughter of Philistines.”
31Israel defeated the Philistines that day, and pursued them from Michmash to Aijalon. But the troops were so faint with hunger
32that they turned to plunder and seized sheep, cattle, and calves; they slaughtered them on the bare ground, and ate the meat with the blood in it.
33Someone told Saul that the people were sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood in it. “This is treacherous behaviour!” cried Saul. “Roll a great stone here at once.”
34He then said, “Go about among the troops and tell them to bring their oxen and sheep, and to slaughter and eat them here; and so they will not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood in it.” So as night fell each man came, driving his own ox, and slaughtered it there.
35Thus Saul came to erect an altar to the LORD, and this was the first altar to the LORD that he erected.
36Saul said, “Let us go down and make a night attack on the Philistines and harry them till daylight; we will not spare a single one of them.” His men answered, “Do what you think best,” but the priest said, “Let us first consult God.”
37Saul enquired of God, “Shall I pursue the Philistines? Will you put them into Israel's power?” But this time he received no answer.
38So he said, “Let all the leaders of the people come forward and let us find out where the sin lies this day.
39As the LORD, the deliverer of Israel, lives, even if the sin lies in my son Jonathan, he shall die.” Not a soul answered him.
40Then he said to the Israelites, “All of you stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other.” His men answered, “Do what you think best.”
41Saul said to the LORD the God of Israel, “Why have you not answered your servant today? LORD God of Israel, if this guilt lies in me or in my son Jonathan, let the lot be Urim; if it lies in your people Israel, let it be Thummim.” Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people were cleared.
42Then Saul said, “Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan”; and Jonathan was taken.
43Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” Jonathan told him, “True, I did taste a little honey on the tip of my stick. Here I am; I am ready to die.”
44Then Saul swore a solemn oath that Jonathan should die.
45But his men said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, Jonathan who has won this great victory in Israel? God forbid! As the LORD lives, not a hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has been at work with God today.” So the army delivered Jonathan and he did not die.
46Saul broke off the pursuit of the Philistines, who then made their way home.
47When Saul had made his throne secure in Israel, he gave battle to his enemies on every side, the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the king of Zobah, and the Philistines; and wherever he turned he met with victory.
48He displayed his strength by defeating the Amalekites and freeing Israel from hostile raids.
49Saul's sons were: Jonathan, Ishyo, and Malchishua. These were the names of his two daughters: Merab the elder and Michal the younger.
50His wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz, and his commander-in-chief was Abner, son of Saul's uncle, Ner;
51Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel.
52There was bitter warfare with the Philistines throughout Saul's lifetime; any strong man and any brave man that he found he took into his service.