1 Samuel 14

ENGWEBEnglish52 verses

1Now it fell on a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, and let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison, that is on the other side.” But he didn’t tell his father.

2Saul stayed in the uttermost part of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people who were with him were about six hundred men;

3and Ahijah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the priest of Yahweh in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. The people didn’t know that Jonathan was gone.

4Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a rocky crag on the one side, and a rocky crag on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

5The one crag rose up on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.

6Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint on Yahweh to save by many or by few.”

7His armor bearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Turn and, behold, I am with you according to your heart.”

8Then Jonathan said, “Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them.

9If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you!’ then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them.

10But if they say this, ‘Come up to us!’ then we will go up; for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us.”

11Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, “Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!”

12The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something!” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”

13Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor bearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armor bearer killed them after him.

14That first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armor bearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were half a furrow’s length in an acre of land.

15There was a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison, and the raiders, they also trembled; and the earth quaked: so there was an exceeding great trembling.

16The watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and behold, the multitude melted away, and scattered.

17Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Count now, and see who is missing from us.” When they had counted, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.

18Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here.” For the ark of God was with the children of Israel at that time.

19While Saul talked to the priest, the tumult that was in the camp of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand!”

20Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle: and behold, every man’s sword was against his fellow: a very great confusion.

21Now the Hebrews who were with the Philistines as before, and who went up with them into the camp, from all around, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

22Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.

23So Yahweh saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over by Beth Aven.

24The men of Israel were distressed that day; for Saul had adjured the people, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until it is evening, and I am avenged of my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.

25All the people came into the forest; and there was honey on the ground.

26When the people had come to the forest, behold, the honey dropped: but no man put his hand to his mouth; for the people feared the oath.

27But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath: therefore he put out the end of the rod who was in his hand, and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.

28Then one of the people answered, and said, “Your father directly commanded the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’” The people were faint.

29Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Please look how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.

30How much more, if perhaps the people had eaten freely today of the plunder of their enemies which they found? For now has there been no great slaughter among the Philistines.”

31They struck of the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint;

32and the people flew on the plunder, and took sheep, and cattle, and calves, and killed them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.

33Then they told Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are sinning against Yahweh, in that they eat meat with the blood.” He said, “You have dealt treacherously. Roll a large stone to me this day!”

34Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and tell them, ‘Bring me here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and kill them here, and eat; and don’t sin against Yahweh in eating meat with the blood.’” All the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and killed them there.

35Saul built an altar to Yahweh. This was the first altar that he built to Yahweh.

36Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and take plunder among them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them.” They said, “Do whatever seems good to you.” Then the priest said, “Let us draw near here to God.”

37Saul asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But he didn’t answer him that day.

38Saul said, “Draw near here, all you chiefs of the people; and know and see in which this sin has been this day.

39For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.

40Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side.” The people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”

41Therefore Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Show the right.” Jonathan and Saul were chosen; but the people escaped.

42Saul said, “Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son.” Jonathan was selected.

43Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done!” Jonathan told him, and said, “I certainly did taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand; and behold, I must die.”

44Saul said, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

45The people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As Yahweh lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has worked with God this day!” So the people rescued Jonathan, that he didn’t die.

46Then Saul went up from following the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

47Now when Saul had taken the kingdom over Israel, he 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 wherever he turned himself, he defeated them.

48He did valiantly, and struck the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

49Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal:

50and the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.

51Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

52There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any mighty man, or any valiant man, he took him to him.

Commentary

14:1-15 Saul seems to have been quite at a loss, and unable to help himself. Those can never think themselves safe who see themselves out of God's protection. Now he sent for a priest and the ark. He hopes to make up matters with the Almighty by a partial reformation, as many do whose hearts are unhumbled and unchanged. Many love to have ministers who prophesy smooth things to them. Jonathan felt a Divine impulse and impression, putting him upon this bold adventure. God will direct the steps of those that acknowledge him in all their ways, and seek to him for direction, with full purpose of heart to follow his guidance. Sometimes we find most comfort in that which is least our own doing, and into which we have been led by the unexpected but well-observed turns of Divine providence. There was trembling in the host. It is called a trembling of God, signifying, not only a great trembling they could not resist, nor reason themselves out of, but that it came at once from the hand of God. He that made the heart, knows how to make it tremble.

CHAPTER 141Sa 14:1-14. Jonathan Miraculously Smites the Philistines' Garrison.1. the Philistines' garrison—"the standing camp" (1Sa 13:23, Margin) "in the passage of Michmash" (1Sa 13:16), now Wady Es-Suweinit. "It begins in the neighborhood of Betin (Beth-el) and El-Bireh (Beetroth), and as it breaks through the ridge below these places, its sides form precipitous walls. On the right, about a quarter of an acre below, it again breaks off, and passes between high perpendicular precipices" [Robinson].

Chapter 14 We left the host of Israel in a very ill posture, in the close of the foregoing chapter; we saw in them no wisdom, nor strength, nor goodness, to give us ground to expect any other than that they should all be cut off by the army of the Philistines; yet here we find that infinite power which works without means, and that infinite goodness which gives without merit, glorified in a happy turn to their affairs, that still Samuel’s words may be made good: "The Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake," (12:22). In this chapter we have, I. The host of the Philistines trampled upon, and triumphed over, by the faith and courage of Jonathan, who unknown to his father (v. 1-3), with his armour-bearer only, made a brave attack upon them, encouraging himself in the Lord his God (v. 4-7). He challenged them (v. 8–12), and, upon their acceptance of the challenge, charged them with such fury, or rather such faith, that he put them to flight, and set them one against another (v. 13–15), which gave opportunity to Saul and his forces, with other Israelites, to follow the blow, and gain a victory (v. 16–23). II. The host of Israel troubled and perplexed by the rashness and folly of Saul, who adjured the people to eat no food till night, which 1. Brought Jonathan to a praemunire (v. 24–30). 2. Was a temptation to the people, when the time of their fast had expired, to eat with the blood, (v. 31–35). Jonathan’s error, through ignorance, had like to have been his death, but the people rescued him (v. 36–46). III. In the close we have a general account of Saul’s exploits (v. 47, 48) and of his family (v. 49–52).Verses 1-15 We must here take notice,I. Of the goodness of God in restraining the Philistines, who had a vast army of valiant men in the field, from falling upon that little handful of timorous trembling people that Saul had with him, whom they would easily have swallowed up at once. It is an invisible power that sets bounds to the malice of the church’s enemies, and suffers them not to do that which we should think there is nothing to hinder them from.II. Of the weakness of Saul, who seems here to have been quite at a loss, and unable to help himself. 1. He pitched his tent under a tree, and had but 600 men with him, v. 2. Where were now the 3000 men he had chosen, and put such a confidence in? ch. 13:2. Those whom he trusted too much to failed him when he most needed them. He durst not stay in Gibeah, but got into some obscure place, in the uttermost part of the city, under a pomegranate-tree, under Rimmon (so the word is), Ha-Rimmon, that Rimmon near Gibeah, in the caves of which those 600 Benjamites that escaped his themselves, Jdg. 20:47. Some think that there Saul took shelter, so mean and abject was his spirit, now that he had fallen under God’s displeasure, every hour expecting the Philistines upon him, and thereby the accomplishment of Samuel’s threatening, ch. 13:14. Those can never think themselves safe that see themselves cast out of God’s protection. 2. Now he sent for a priest, and the ark, a priest from Shiloh, and the ark from Kirjath-jearim, v. 3, 18. Saul had once offended by offering sacrifice himself, ch. 13:9. Now he resolves never to fall into that error again, and therefore sends for a priest, and hopes to compromise the matter with God Almighty by a particular reformation, as many do whose hearts are unhumbled and unchanged. Samuel, the Lord’s prophet, had forsaken him, but he thinks he can make up that loss by commanding Ahiah, the Lord’s priest, to attend him, and he will not make him stay for him nor reprove him, as Samuel had done, but will do just as he bids him, v. 18, 19. Many love to have such ministers as will be what they would have them to be, and prophesy smooth things to them; and their caressing them because they are priests, they hope, will atone for their enmity to those ministers that deal faithfully and plainly with them. He will also have the ark brought, perhaps to upbraid Samuel, who in the days of his government, for aught that appears, had not made any public use of it; or in hopes that this would make up the deficiency of his forces; one would have supposed that they would never bring the ark into the camp again, since, the last time, it not only did not save them, but did itself fall into the Philistines’ hands.

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Translations8 · 5

AMHEVG አንድ ቀንም እንዲህ ሆነ፤ የሳኦል ልጅ ዮናታን ጋሻ ጃግሬውን፦ ና፥ በዚያ በኩል ወዳለው ወደ ፍልስጥኤማውያን ጭፍራ እንለፍ፡ አለው፤ ለአባቱም አልነገረውም። አማርኛ ENGNIV One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let's go over to the Philistine outpost on… English BCV ሓደ መዓልቲ ድማ፥ ከምዙይ ኮነ፦ ዮናታን ወዲ ሳኦል፥ ነቦኡ እንተይነገረ፥ ነቲ ኣፅዋሩ ዝስከም መንእሰይ፥ “ንዓናይ፥ ናብቲ ኣብ ማዕዶ ዘሎ ጭፍራ ፍልስጥኤማውያን ንሳገር” በሎ። ትግርኛ GAZBIB Yonaataan gaaf tokko Saa'ol abbaa isaatti utuu hin himin dargaggeessa isa mi'a lolaa isaaf baatuun,“Kottu, gara kutata … Afaan Oromoo BCV GIZ ወሶበ ጸብሐ ይቤሎ ዮናታን ለቍልዔሁ ዘይጸውር ንዋየ ሐቅሉ፦ ነዓ ንዕዱ ውስተ ማሴብ ዘኢሎፍሊ ዘውስተ እንታክቲ ማዕዶት ወኢያይድዖ ለአቡሁ። giz GAZGAZ Yonaataan gaaf tokko Saa'ol abbaa isaatti utuu hin himin dargaggeessa isa mi'a lolaa isaaf baatuun,“Kottu, gara kutata … Afaan Oromoo BCV aksum ሓደ መዓልቲ ድማ፥ ከምዙይ ኮነ፦ ዮናታን ወዲ ሳኦል፥ ነቦኡ እንተይነገረ፥ ነቲ ኣፅዋሩ ዝስከም መንእሰይ፥ “ንዓናይ፥ ናብቲ ኣብ ማዕዶ ዘሎ ጭፍራ ፍልስጥኤማውያን ንሳገር” በሎ። ትግርኛ AMHNIV አንድ ቀን የሳኦል ልጅ ዮናታን ወጣት ጋሻ ጃግሬውን፣ “ና በሌላ በኩል ወዳለው የፍልስጥኤማውያን ጦር ሰፈር እንሻገር” አለው። ይህን ግን ለአባቱ አልነገረውም ነበር። አማርኛ