1 And it happened on a certain day that Jonathan{Yonatan: strategic initiator} the son of Saul said to the young man bearing his weapons, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of the Philistines that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father{aviv: paternal figure}.
2 And Saul was sitting at the edge of the hill {givah: elevated site} under the pomegranate tree {rimon: fruit-bearing tree} which is in Migron, and the people who were with him were about six hundred men.
3 Ahijah, son of Ahitub, brother of Ichabod, son of Phinehas, son of Eli, served as priest of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Patron} in Shiloh, wearing the ephod {ephod: priestly garment}. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.
4 And between the passes {ma‘berot: crossing points} that Jonathan sought to cross to the Philistine outpost, there was a rock promontory {shen: sharp crag} on one side and another on the other; the one was called Bozez, and the other was called Seneh.
5 The one cliff was steep {matzuk: sharply vertical} to the north, facing {mul: opposite} Michmash, and the other was to the south, facing Geba.
6 And Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Deliverer} will work for us, for no restraint {matzor: hindrance} can prevent Him from saving by many or by few.”
7 And his armor-bearer {nose kelav: weapon carrier} said to him, “Do all that is in your heart; turn yourself {nteh: move as you choose}, for behold, I am with you according to your heart.”
8 And Jonathan {Yehonatan, Faithful Companion} said, “Behold, we are crossing over {ovrim: intentional crossing} to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them.”
9 If they say to us, “Stand still {domu: remain motionless} until we come to you,” then we will stand in our place {takhteinu: designated spot} and not go up to them.
10 But if they say, “Come up to us,” then we will go up, because the LORD {YHWH, Deliverer} has given them into our hand, and this will be the sign {ot: confirming mark} for us.
11 Then the two of them revealed themselves to the Philistine outpost, and the Philistines said, “Behold, Hebrews {ivrim: descendants of Eber} are coming out of the holes in which they had hidden {hitchabbe’u: concealed for tactical advantage}.”
12 And the men of the outpost answered Jonathan and his armor-bearer, saying, “Come up to us and we will make known to you a matter.” And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, “Come up after me, for the LORD {YHWH, Divine Deliverer} has given them into the hand of Israel {Yisrael: the covenant nation}.”
13 And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and on his feet, and his armor-bearer {nose kelav: weapon-carrier} followed after him; and they fell {vayippelu: sudden collapse} before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer struck them down behind him.
14 And the first blow {maqqah: decisive strike} that Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck fell upon about twenty men within about half a furrow {maaneh: length plowed by a yoke} of field.
15 And panic came upon the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The outpost {hamatzav: guard station} and the raiders trembled as well; the earth shook, and it became a panic from God {Elohim, Sovereign Mover}.
16 Saul’s lookouts {tsophim: appointed watchers} in Gibeah of Benjamin saw, and behold, the multitude was melting away {namog: disintegrating} and going here and there.
17 And Saul said to the people who were with him, “Please muster {piqdu: assemble by counting} and see who has departed from among us.” So they mustered, and behold, Jonathan was not there, nor his armor-bearer {nose kelav: weapon carrier}.
18 Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God {Elohim, Divine Protector}.” For the ark was on that day with the sons {bene: tribal descendants} of Israel.
19 And it happened while Saul was speaking to the priest {kohen: sanctuary minister}, that the tumult in the camp of the Philistines continued and increased; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand” {yad: physical action}.
20 And Saul and all the people who were with him cried out, and they came up to the battle. And behold, the sword of each man was turned against his companion {re‘eh: associate}, and there was very great confusion {mehumah: panic}.
21 And the Hebrews who had been with the Philistines like the previous days {ketemol shilshom: repeated past days}, who had gone up with them around the camp, likewise turned to be with Israel—those with Saul and Jonathan {Yonatan: son of Saul}.
22 All the men of Israel who had been hiding themselves {mitchabbe’im: self-concealers} in the hill-country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines had fled, and they too pursued closely after them in the battle {milchamah: army engagement}.
23 And the LORD {YHWH, Deliverer} saved Israel on that day, and the battle passed over Beth Aven {beit aven: place of trouble}.
24 But the men of Israel were pressed that day, for Saul {Shaul: Oath Imposer} had bound the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats food {lechem: nourishment} until evening when I have avenged myself on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.
25 And all the people came into the forest, and there was honey {d’vash: sweet substance} upon the surface {penei: exposed ground} of the field.
26 And the people came into the forest, and behold, honey {devash: sweet substance} was flowing; but no one reached his hand to his mouth, because the people feared the oath {shevuah: solemn pledge}.
27 Now Jonathan did not hear when his father caused the people to swear {hashbi‘a: enforced oath}, so he stretched out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb {ya‘arat: honey thicket}, and he put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright.
28 Then a man from the people answered and said, “Your father {avikha: paternal authority} made the people solemnly swear, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats bread {lechem: staple food} today.’” And the people became faint.
29 And Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land {aretz: whole region}. See now, my eyes have become bright, for I tasted a little of this honey {d’vash: natural sweetener}.”
30 Indeed, if only the people had eaten today from the plunder {mishlal: spoil} of their enemies that they had found, then the slaughter {makkah: decisive blow} of the Philistines would not have been so small and would have been much greater.
31 And they struck down {vayakku: sudden assault} the Philistines on that day, from Mikmash to Aijalon, and the people grew exceedingly weary {meod: to an extreme degree}.
32 And the people rushed to the spoil {shalal: war booty}, took flocks, herds, and calves, slaughtered them on the open ground {aretsa: exposed earth}, and ate the meat along with the blood.
33 And they told Saul, saying, “Behold, the people are sinning against the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Lawgiver} by eating blood.” And he said, “You have acted treacherously {bagadtem: broken covenant trust}; roll to me today a great stone.”
34 And Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people and say to them, ‘Each man bring his ox and each man his sheep to me; slaughter them here and eat. Do not sin against the LORD {YHWH, Holiness Upholder} by eating blood {dam: life force}.’” So all the people, each with his ox in hand, brought it that night and slaughtered it there.
35 And Saul built an altar to the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Worshipped}; it was the first altar {mizbeach: sacrificial site} that he began to build to the LORD.
36 And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until the morning light, and let us not leave among them a man.” And they said, “Do all that seems right to you.” Then the priest said, “Let us draw near {nikrevah: ceremonial inquiry} here to God {Elohim, Source of Guidance}.”
37 And Saul asked of God {Elohim, Divine Counselor}, “Shall I go down after the Philistines {Plishtim: enemy nation}? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” But He did not answer him that day.
38 And Saul said, “Draw near here, all you leaders {pinot: leading representatives} of the people, and know and see by what means the sin {hachatat: moral offense} has occurred this day.”
39 For as the LORD {YHWH, Deliverer} who saves Israel lives, even if the guilt {yeshno: guilt lies} is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But none of all the people answered him.
40 And he said to all Israel, “You will be on one side, and I and Jonathan {Yonatan: given gift} my son will be on the other side.” And the people said to Saul, “Do the good {hatov: good option} in your eyes; do it.”
41 And Saul said to the LORD God {YHWH Elohei, Divine Arbiter} of Israel, “Grant a complete verdict {tamim: complete verdict}.” Then Jonathan and Saul were taken, and the people went out.
42 And Saul {Sha’ul: anointed ruler} said, “Cast {happîlû: determine by lot} lots between me and Jonathan my son.” Then Jonathan was taken.
43 And Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.” And Jonathan told him, “I tasted {taamti: experienced} a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am—I must die {amut: face death}.”
44 And Saul said, “Thus may God {Elohim: Oath Invoker} do and thus may He add, for you shall die {mot: emphatic intensifier}, Jonathan.”
45 But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who has brought about this great deliverance {yeshuah: rescue} in Israel? Never! As the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Enforcer} lives, not even one hair {seʿar: smallest portion} of his head will drop to the ground, for today he acted with God {Elohim, divine empowerment}.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
46 Then Saul{Sha'ul: ruled one} withdrew from following the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place{makom: base of operations}.
47 And Saul assumed the kingship {m’lukhah: royal authority} over Israel, and he fought on every side against all his enemies—against Moab, against the sons of Ammon, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them {yarshi’a: drove them back}.
48 And he displayed military valor {chayil: martial prowess} and struck the Amalekites, and he delivered Israel from the hand of the plunderer {shosehu: ruthless plunderer}.
49 And the sons {benei: construct plural} of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua, and the names of his two daughters were Merab the firstborn {bekhira: birth-order term} and Michal the younger.
50 And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam {ahinoam: brother’s delight}, the daughter of Ahimaaz, and the name of the commander of his army was Abner {abner: father’s light}, the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle.