1 Samuel 14 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

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

Saul was sitting on the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree at Migron. He had about six hundred men with him,

including Ahijah son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, son of Phinehas, son of Eli — Yahweh's priest at Shiloh — who wore the priestly vest. No one knew Jonathan had left.

On either side of the pass Jonathan planned to cross to reach the Philistine outpost, there was a sharp cliff on one side and a sharp cliff on the other. One was called Bozez and the other Seneh.

One cliff stood to the north facing Michmash, and the other to the south facing Geba.

Jonathan said to his weapon-carrier, "Come on, let's cross over to these uncircumcised men's outpost. Maybe Yahweh will act for us, because nothing can stop Yahweh from rescuing — whether through many people or through few."

His weapon-carrier said, "Do whatever you have in mind. Go ahead—I'm with you all the way, whatever you decide."

Jonathan said, "Alright, we'll cross over toward the men and let them see us.

If they say, 'Wait there until we come to you,' we'll stay where we are and won't go up to them.

But if they say, 'Come up to us,' we'll climb up, because that will be the sign that Yahweh has handed them over to us."

So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. The Philistines said, "Look — Hebrews are coming out of the holes they've been hiding in!"

The men of the outpost called out to Jonathan and his weapon-carrier, "Come up to us and we'll teach you a lesson!" Jonathan said to his weapon-carrier, "Climb up behind me, because Yahweh has handed them over to Israel."

Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his weapon-carrier right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his weapon-carrier killed them as he followed.

In that first assault, Jonathan and his weapon-carrier struck down about twenty men within about half an acre of land.

Then panic struck the whole Philistine army — those in the field camp, those at the outpost, and even the raiding parties. The ground itself shook. It was a God-sent terror.

Saul's lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin could see the Philistine camp scattering and running in every direction.

Saul said to the troops with him, "Call the roll and find out who left our camp." When they checked, Jonathan and his weapon-carrier were missing.

Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the sacred chest of God here." (At that time, the sacred chest of God was with the Israelites.)

While Saul was talking to the priest, the chaos in the Philistine camp kept growing louder and louder. So Saul told the priest, "Pull back your hand"—stop the ritual.

Then Saul and all his men assembled and charged into the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords.

Even the Hebrews who had previously sided with the Philistines—who had gone up with them into their camp—switched sides and joined the Israelites under Saul and Jonathan.

When all the Israelite men hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were running, they also jumped into the fight and chased them down.

So Yahweh rescued Israel that day, and the battle moved past Beth-aven.

Now the Israelite men were exhausted that day because Saul had bound the troops with an oath: "Cursed is anyone who eats any food before evening, before I've taken full revenge on my enemies." So none of the troops tasted any food.

The whole army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground.

When the troops entered the woods and saw the honey flowing, no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath.

But Jonathan hadn't heard when his father bound the troops with the oath. He reached out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it into a honeycomb, brought it to his mouth, and his eyes lit up.

One of the soldiers told him, "Your father strictly bound the troops with an oath, saying, 'Cursed is anyone who eats food today.'" The troops were faint with hunger.

Jonathan said, "My father has brought trouble on the land. Look how my eyes lit up when I tasted just a little of this honey.

How much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from what they took from their enemies! The defeat of the Philistines would have been even greater."

That day they struck down Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the troops were completely spent.

The troops pounced on the plunder, seizing sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them right there on the ground and ate the meat with the blood still in it.

Someone reported to Saul, "Look, the troops are failing Yahweh by eating meat with the blood in it!" He said, "You have broken faith! Roll a large stone over here to me right now."

Then Saul said, "Spread out among the troops and tell them, 'Each of you bring your ox or your sheep to me and slaughter it here. Then eat. Don't fail Yahweh by eating meat with blood in it.'" So every soldier brought his animal that night and slaughtered it there.

Then Saul built an altar to Yahweh. It was the first altar he had ever built to Yahweh.

Saul said, "Let's go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until dawn. Let's not leave a single one of them alive." The troops said, "Do whatever seems good to you." But the priest said, "Let's approach God here first."

So Saul asked God, "Should I go down after the Philistines? Will you hand them over to Israel?" But God did not answer him that day.

Saul said, "Come here, all you leaders of the troops. Investigate and find out what failure happened today.

Because as surely as Yahweh who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt falls on my son Jonathan, he will certainly die." Not a single man among the troops said a word.

Then Saul said to all Israel, "You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other side." The troops said to Saul, "Do whatever seems good to you."

Then Saul said to Yahweh, the God of Israel, "Give a true answer." Jonathan and Saul were selected by the lot, and the troops were cleared.

Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan." And Jonathan was selected.

Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you did." Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey with the end of the staff I was holding. And here I am—I must die?"

Saul said, "May God strike me dead and worse if you don't die for this, Jonathan."

But the troops said to Saul, "Should Jonathan die — the one who brought about this great rescue in Israel? Absolutely not! As surely as Yahweh lives, not a single hair from his head will fall to the ground, because he fought alongside God today." So the troops rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.

Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back to their own territory.

After Saul had taken 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 defeated them.

He fought bravely and struck down the Amalekites, rescuing Israel from the hands of those who were plundering them.

Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua. His two daughters were named Merab, the firstborn, and Michal, the younger.

Saul's wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The commander of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul's uncle.