1
Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saulsaid 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
And Saultarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about sixhundredmen;
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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 peopleknew not that Jonathan was gone.
4
And between the passages, by which Jonathansought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharprock on the oneside, and a sharprock on the otherside: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the otherSeneh.
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The forefront of the one was situatenorthward over againstMichmash, and the othersouthward over againstGibeah.
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And Jonathansaid 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.
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And his armourbearersaid unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
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Then saidJonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.
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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.
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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.
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And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistinessaid, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
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And the men of the garrisonansweredJonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathansaid unto his armourbearer, Come upafter me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.
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And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearerafter him: and they fellbeforeJonathan; and his armourbearerslewafter him.
14
And that firstslaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearermade, was about twentymen, within as it were an halfacre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.
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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 earthquaked: so it was a very greattrembling.
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And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjaminlooked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.
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Then saidSaul 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.
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And Saulsaid unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.
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And it came to pass, while Saultalked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistineswenton and increased: and Saulsaid unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.
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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 verygreatdiscomfiture.
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Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistinesbefore 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.
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Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mountEphraim, when they heard that the Philistinesfled, even they also followed hardafter them in the battle.
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So the LORDsavedIsrael that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven.
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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 peopletasted any food.
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And all they of the landcame to a wood; and there was honeyupon the ground.
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And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honeydropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the peoplefeared the oath.
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But Jonathanheard not when his fathercharged the people with the oath: wherefore he putforth 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.
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Then answeredone of the people, and said, Thy fatherstraitlycharged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.
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Then saidJonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
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How much more, if haply the people had eatenfreely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greaterslaughter among the Philistines?
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And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were veryfaint.
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And the peopleflew upon the spoil, and tooksheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood.
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Then they toldSaul, saying, Behold, the peoplesin against the LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a greatstone unto me this day.
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And Saulsaid, 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 peoplebrought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.
35
And Saulbuilt an altar unto the LORD: the same was the firstaltar that he built unto the LORD.
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And Saulsaid, Let us go downafter the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morninglight, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemethgood unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw nearhither unto God.
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And Saulasked counsel of God, Shall I go downafter the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day.
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And Saulsaid, Draw ye nearhither, all the chief of the people: and know and seewherein this sin hath been this day.
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For, as the LORDliveth, which savethIsrael, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surelydie. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.
40
Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on oneside, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the otherside. And the peoplesaid unto Saul, Do what seemethgood unto thee.
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Therefore Saulsaid unto the LORDGod of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the peopleescaped.
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And Saulsaid, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.
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Then Saulsaid to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathantold him, and said, I did buttaste a littlehoney with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.
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And Saulanswered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surelydie, Jonathan.
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And the peoplesaid unto Saul, Shall Jonathandie, who hath wrought this greatsalvation in Israel?Godforbid: as the LORDliveth, there shall not one hair of his headfall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the peoplerescuedJonathan, that he died not.
46
Then Saulwentup from following the Philistines: and the Philistineswent to their own place.
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So Saultook 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.
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And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and deliveredIsrael out of the hands of them that spoiled them.
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Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his twodaughters were these; the name of the firstbornMerab, and the name of the youngerMichal:
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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.
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And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.
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And there was sorewar against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saulsaw any strongman, or any valiantman, he took him unto him.