1 Samuel 14 — Read & Listen Online

Jonathan's Faith Routs the Philistines

Chapter 14.

One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man who carried his armor, "Come on, let's cross over to the Philistine outpost on the other side." But he did not tell his father.

Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree at Migron, and the troops with him numbered about six hundred men. Among them was Ahijah son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, the priest of our Father at Shiloh, who was wearing an ephod. None of the troops knew that Jonathan had gone. ¹

Between the passes that Jonathan meant to cross to reach the Philistine outpost, there was a rocky crag on one side and a rocky crag on the other. One was named Bozez, the other Seneh. One crag stood to the north, facing Michmash, and the other to the south, facing Geba.

Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, "Come on, let's cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps our Father will act for us, for nothing can hinder him from saving, whether by many or by few."

His armor-bearer answered, "Do everything that is in your heart. Go ahead — I am with you heart and soul."

Then Jonathan said, "We will cross over to those men and let them see us. If they say to us, 'Wait there until we come to you,' then we will stay where we are and not go up to them. But if they say, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up, for our Father has given them into our hand. This will be our sign."

So the two of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. "Look," the Philistines said, "the Hebrews are crawling out of the holes where they have been hiding." The men of the outpost called out to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, "Come up to us, and we will teach you a lesson." So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, "Climb up behind me, for our Father has given them into the hand of Israel."

Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer came behind and finished them off. In that first assault Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

Then panic spread through the camp, across the field, and among all the troops. The outpost and the raiders trembled too, the earth quaked, and it was a panic from our Father.

Saul's watchmen at Gibeah of Benjamin looked out, and there was the Philistine horde melting away, scattering in every direction. So Saul said to the troops with him, "Take a count and find out who has left us." When they had counted, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were gone.

Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of our Father here," for at that time the ark of our Father was with the Israelites. While Saul was still speaking to the priest, the uproar in the Philistine camp kept growing louder and louder. So Saul said to the priest, "Hold off."

Then Saul and all his troops rallied and rushed into the battle, and there they found the Philistines turning their swords against one another in utter confusion. The Hebrews who had earlier sided with the Philistines and gone up with them into the camp now turned to join the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. And when all the men of Israel who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they too joined the pursuit and pressed hard after them in the battle.

So our Father rescued Israel that day, and the fighting moved on beyond Beth-aven.

Saul's Rash Oath Weakens Israel

Now the men of Israel were hard pressed that day, because Saul had bound the troops with an oath, saying, "May anyone who eats food before evening be cursed, before I have taken revenge on my enemies." So none of the troops tasted any food.

All the troops entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. When they came into the forest, the honey was flowing, yet no one lifted his hand to his mouth, because the troops feared the oath.

But Jonathan had not heard his father bind the troops with the oath, so he reached out the tip of the staff in his hand, dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth — and his eyes brightened. Then one of the soldiers spoke up, "Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, 'Cursed be anyone who eats food today' — and that is why the men are worn out."

Jonathan said, "My father has brought trouble on the land. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. How much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! As it is, the defeat of the Philistines has not been great."

That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the troops were utterly exhausted. So the troops pounced on the plunder, took sheep, cattle, and calves, slaughtered them on the ground, and ate the meat with the blood still in it. Then someone told Saul, "Look, the troops are sinning against our Father by eating meat with the blood still in it." "You have broken faith," Saul said. "Roll a great stone over to me here."

Then he added, "Go out among the troops and tell them, 'Each of you bring me your ox or your sheep, slaughter it here, and eat — but do not sin against our Father by eating meat with the blood.'" So that night everyone brought his ox and slaughtered it there.

Then Saul built an altar to our Father; it was the first altar he had built to him.

Saul said, "Let's go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light, and let's not leave one of them alive." "Do whatever seems good to you," they answered. But the priest said, "Let's draw near to our Father here."

The Troops Rescue Jonathan

So Saul inquired of our Father, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?" But he gave him no answer that day. Then Saul said, "Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us find out how this sin was committed today. As surely as our Father lives, who rescues Israel, even if the guilt lies with my own son Jonathan, he must surely die." But not one of the troops said a word. Then he said to all Israel, "You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other." And the troops said to Saul, "Do what seems good to you."

Then Saul prayed, "our Father, God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant today? If this guilt is in me or in my son Jonathan, our Father, God of Israel, respond with Urim; but if the guilt is in your people Israel, respond with Thummim." And the lot fell on Jonathan and Saul, and the troops were cleared. ²

Then Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan." And the lot fell on Jonathan.

So Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." Jonathan told him, "I only tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff in my hand. And now I must die."

Saul said, "May our Father deal with me, and ever so severely, if you do not surely die, Jonathan."

But the troops said to Saul, "Must Jonathan die — he who brought about this great victory for Israel? Never! As surely as our Father lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground, for it was with our Father's help that he acted today." So the troops rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.

Then Saul broke off his pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines withdrew to their own land.

Saul's Campaigns and Household

After Saul had secured the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side — against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them. He fought valiantly and struck down the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them.

Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His two daughters were named Merab, the firstborn, and Michal, the younger. His wife was named Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The commander of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul's uncle, for Kish, Saul's father, and Ner, Abner's father, were sons of Abiel.

There was bitter war against the Philistines throughout Saul's lifetime, and whenever Saul noticed a strong or brave man, he recruited him into his forces.

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