1 A nd the day cometh that Jonathan son of Saul saith unto the young man bearing his weapons, `Come, and we pass over unto the station of the Philistines, which on the other side of this;' and to his father he hath not declared.

One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his armor-bearer, Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side. But he did not tell his father.

2 A nd Saul is abiding at the extremity of Gibeah, under the pomegranate which in Migron, and the people who with him, about six hundred men,

Saul was remaining in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron; and with him were about 600 men,

3 a nd Ahiah, son of Ahitub, brother of I-Chabod, son of Phinehas son of Eli priest of Jehovah in Shiloh, bearing an ephod; and the people knew not that Jonathan hath gone.

And Ahijah son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, was wearing the ephod. And the people did not know that Jonathan was gone.

4 A nd between the passages where Jonathan sought to pass over unto the station of the Philistines the edge of a rock on the one side, and the edge of a rock on the other side, and the name of the one is Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

Between the passes by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistine garrison there was a rocky crag on the one side and a rocky crag on the other side; one was named Bozez, and the other Seneh.

5 T he one edge fixed on the north over-against Michmash, and the one on the south over-against Gibeah.

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

6 A nd Jonathan saith unto the young man bearing his weapons, `Come, and we pass over unto the station of these uncircumcised; it may be Jehovah doth work for us, for there is no restraint to Jehovah to save by many or by few.'

And Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For there is nothing to prevent the Lord from saving by many or by few.

7 A nd the bearer of his weapons saith to him, `Do all that in thy heart; turn for thee; lo, I with thee, as thine own heart.'

And his armor-bearer said to him, Do all that is in your mind; I am with you in whatever you think.

8 A nd Jonathan saith, `Lo, we are passing over unto the men, and are revealed unto them;

Jonathan said, We will pass over to these men and we will let them see us.

9 i f thus they say unto us, `Stand still till we have come unto you,' then we have stood in our place, and do not go up unto them;

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

10 a nd if thus they say, `Come up against us,' then we have gone up, for Jehovah hath given them into our hand, and this to us the sign.

But if they say, Come up to us, we will go up, for the Lord has delivered them into our hand, and this will be our sign.

11 A nd revealed are both of them unto the station of the Philistines, and the Philistines say, `Lo, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hid themselves.'

So both of them let the Philistine garrison see them. And the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.

12 A nd the men of the station answer Jonathan, and the bearer of his weapons, and say, `Come up unto us, and we cause you to know something.' And Jonathan saith unto the bearer of his weapons, `Come up after me, for Jehovah hath given them into the hand of Israel.'

The garrison men said to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, Come up to us and we will show you a thing. Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, Come up after me, for the Lord has given them into Israel’s hand.

13 A nd Jonathan goeth up on his hands, and on his feet, and the bearer of his weapons after him; and they fall before Jonathan, and the bearer of his weapons is putting to death after him.

Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, his armor-bearer after him; and the enemy fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed them after him.

14 A nd the first smiting which Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons have smitten is of about twenty men, in about half a furrow of a yoke of a field,

And that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made was about twenty men within about a half acre of land.

15 a nd there is a trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people, the station and the destroyers have trembled -- even they, and the earth shaketh, and it becometh a trembling of God.

And there was trembling and panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the men; the garrison, and even the raiders trembled; the earth quaked, and it became a terror from God.

16 A nd the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin see, and lo, the multitude hath melted away, and it goeth on, and is beaten down.

Saul’s watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and behold, the multitude melted away and went hither and thither.

17 A nd Saul saith to the people who with him, `Inspect, I pray you, and see; who hath gone from us?' and they inspect, and lo, Jonathan and the bearer of his weapons are not.

Then Saul said to the men with him, Number and see who is gone from us. When they numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor-bearer were missing.

18 A nd Saul saith to Ahiah, `Bring nigh the ark of God;' for the ark of God hath been on that day with the sons of Israel.

Saul said to Ahijah, Bring here the ark of God—for at that time the ark of God was with the children of Israel.

19 A nd it cometh to pass, while Saul spake unto the priest, that the noise which in the camp of the Philistines goeth on, going on and becoming great, and Saul saith unto the priest, `Remove thy hand.'

While Saul talked to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp kept increasing. Then Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand.

20 A nd Saul is called, and all the people who with him, and they come in unto the battle, and, lo, the sword of each hath been against his neighbour -- a very great destruction.

Then Saul and all the people with him rallied and went into the battle, and behold, every sword was against his fellow in wild confusion.

21 A nd the Hebrews have been for the Philistines as heretofore, who had gone up with them into the camp, have turned round, even they, to be with Israel who with Saul and Jonathan,

Moreover, the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

22 a nd all the men of Israel, who are hiding themselves in the hill-country of Ephraim, have heard that the Philistines have fled, and they pursue -- even they -- after them in battle.

Likewise, all the men of Israel who had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, they also went after them in hot pursuit in the battle.

23 A nd Jehovah saveth Israel on that day, and the battle hath passed over to Beth-Aven.

So the Lord delivered Israel that day, and the battle passed beyond Beth-aven.

24 A nd the men of Israel have been distressed on that day, and Saul adjureth the people, saying, `Cursed the man who eateth food till the evening, and I have been avenged of mine enemies;' and none of the people hath tasted food.

But the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had caused them to take an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food before evening and until I have taken vengeance on my enemies. So none of the men tasted any food.

25 A nd all the land have come into a forest, and there is honey on the face of the field;

And all the people of the land came to a wood, and there was honey on the ground.

26 a nd the people come in unto the forest, and lo, the honey dropped, and none is moving his hand unto his mouth, for the people feared the oath.

When the men entered the wood, behold, the honey was dripping, but no man tasted it, for the men feared the oath.

27 A nd Jonathan hath not heard of his father's adjuring the people, and putteth forth the end of the rod, which in his hand, and dippeth it in the honeycomb, and bringeth back his hand unto his mouth -- and his eyes see!

But Jonathan had not heard when his father charged the people with the oath. So he dipped the end of the rod in his hand into a honeycomb and put it to his mouth, and his eyes brightened.

28 A nd a man of the people answereth and saith, `Thy father certainly adjured the people, saying, Cursed the man who eateth food to-day; and the people are weary.'

Then one of the men told him, Your father strictly charged the men with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food today. And the people were exhausted and faint.

29 A nd Jonathan saith, `My father hath troubled the land; see, I pray you, that mine eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey.

Then Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey.

30 H ow much more if the people had well eaten to-day of the spoil of its enemies which it hath found, for now, the smiting hath not been great among the Philistines.'

How much better if the men had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now the slaughter of the Philistines has not been great.

31 A nd they smite on that day among the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the people are very weary,

They smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. And the people were very faint.

32 a nd the people make unto the spoil, and take sheep, and oxen, and sons of the herd, and slaughter on the earth, and the people eat with the blood.

the men flew upon the spoil. They took sheep, oxen, and calves, slew them on the ground, and ate them with the blood.

33 A nd they declare to Saul, saying, `Lo, the people are sinning against Jehovah, to eat with the blood.' And he saith, `Ye have dealt treacherously, roll unto me to-day a great stone.'

Then Saul was told, Behold, the men are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood. And he said, You have transgressed; roll a great stone to me here.

34 A nd Saul saith, `Be ye scattered among the people, and ye have said to them, Bring ye nigh unto me each his ox, and each his sheep; and ye have slain in this place, and eaten, and ye do not sin against Jehovah to eat with the blood.' And all the people bring nigh each his ox, in his hand, that night, and slaughter there.

Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people and tell them, Bring me every man his ox or his sheep, and butcher them here and eat; and sin not against the Lord by eating the blood. So all the men brought each one his ox that night and butchered it there.

35 A nd Saul buildeth an alter to Jehovah; with it he hath begun to build altars to Jehovah.

And Saul built an altar to the Lord; it was the first altar he built to the Lord.

36 A nd Saul saith, `Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and we prey upon them till the light of the morning, and leave not a man of them.' And they say, `All that is good in thine eyes do.' And the priest saith, `Let us draw near hither unto God.'

Then Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night and seize and plunder them until daylight, 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.

37 A nd Saul asketh of God, `Do I go down after the Philistines? dost Thou give them into the hand of Israel?' and He hath not answered him on that day.

And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel? But He did not answer him that day.

38 A nd Saul saith, `Draw ye nigh hither all, the chiefs of the people, and know and see in what this sin hath been to-day;

Then Saul said, Draw near, all the chiefs of the people, and let us see how this sin arose today.

39 f or, Jehovah liveth, who is saving Israel: surely if it be in Jonathan my son, surely he doth certainly die;' and none is answering him out of all the people.

For as the Lord lives, Who delivers Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But not a man among all the people answered him.

40 A nd he saith unto all Israel, `Ye -- ye are on one side, and I and Jonathan my son are on another side;' and the people say unto Saul, `That which is good in thine eyes do.'

Then 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.

41 A nd Saul saith unto Jehovah, God of Israel, `Give perfection;' and Jonathan and Saul are captured, and the people went out.

Therefore Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, Give a perfect lot and show the right. And Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the other men went free.

42 A nd Saul saith, `Cast between me and Jonathan my son;' and Jonathan is captured.

Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.

43 A nd Saul saith unto Jonathan, `Declare to me, what hast thou done?' and Jonathan declareth to him, and saith, `I certainly tasted with the end of the rod that in my hand a little honey; lo, I die!'

Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. And Jonathan said, I tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. And behold, I must die.

44 A nd Saul saith, `Thus doth God do, and thus doth He add, for thou dost certainly die, Jonathan.'

Saul answered, May God do so, and more also, for you shall surely die, Jonathan.

45 A nd the people say unto Saul, `Doth Jonathan die who wrought this great salvation in Israel? -- a profanation! Jehovah liveth, if there falleth from the hair of his head to the earth, for with God he hath wrought this day;' and the people rescue Jonathan, and he hath not died.

But the people said to Saul, Shall Jonathan, who has wrought this great deliverance to Israel, die? God forbid! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head perish, for he has wrought this great deliverance with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.

46 A nd Saul goeth up from after the Philistines, and the Philistines have gone to their place;

Then Saul ceased pursuing the Philistines, and they went to their own place.

47 a nd Saul captured the kingdom over Israel, and he fighteth round about against all his enemies, against Moab, and against the Bene-Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines, and whithersoever he turneth he doth vex.

When Saul took over the kingdom of Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he made it worse for them.

48 A nd he maketh a force, and smiteth Amalek, and delivereth Israel out of the hand of its spoiler.

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

49 A nd the sons of Saul are Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchi-Shua; as to the name of his two daughters, the name of the first-born Merab, and the name of the younger Michal;

Now Saul’s sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua; and the names of his two daughters were, of the firstborn, Merab; and of the younger, Michal.

50 a nd the name of the wife of Saul Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz; and the name of the head of his host Abner son of Ner, uncle of Saul;

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

51 a nd Kish father of Saul, and Ner father of Abner son of Ahiel.

Kish the father of Saul and Ner the father of Abner were sons of Abiel.

52 A nd the war is severe against the Philistines all the days of Saul; when Saul hath seen any mighty man, and any son of valour, then he doth gather him unto himself.

There was severe war against the Philistines all the days of Saul, and whenever Saul saw any mighty or courageous man, he attached him to himself.