| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1That same day Saul's son Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, "Come on, let's cross over to the Philistine garrison on the other side." However, he did not tell his father. | 1One day Jonathan told his armor bearer, "Come, let's go over to the Philistine garrison which is on the other side," but he did not tell his father. |
| 2Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. The troops with him numbered about 600. | 2Saul was sitting on the outskirts of Geba under the pomegranate tree which was at Migron, and with him were about 600 men. |
| 3Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod, was also there. He was the son of Ahitub, the brother of Ichabod son of Phinehas, son of Eli the LORD's priest at Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left. | 3Along with him were Ahitub's son Ahijah, Ichabod's brother, who was Phineas' son and a grandson of Eli the priest of the LORD at Shiloh, who was carrying the ephod. The people did not know that Jonathan had gone. |
| 4There were sharp columns of rock on both sides of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine garrison. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh; | 4Now in the pass through which Jonathan planned to get across to the Philistine garrison, there was a sharp crag on one side and a sharp crag on the other side. The name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other was Seneh. |
| 5one stood to the north in front of Michmash and the other to the south in front of Geba. | 5One crag rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Geba. |
| 6Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, "Come on, let's cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will help us. Nothing can keep the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few." | 6Jonathan told his armor bearer, "Come, let's go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised ones. Perhaps the LORD will work for us, since nothing prevents the LORD from delivering, whether by many or by a few." |
| 7His armor-bearer responded, "Do what is in your heart. You choose. I'm right here with you whatever you decide." | 7His armor bearer told him, "Do whatever you want. Let's move out! I'm right here with you, as you wish." |
| 8"All right," Jonathan replied, "we'll cross over to the men and then let them see us. | 8Jonathan said, "Look, we're going over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. |
| 9If they say, 'Wait until we reach you,' then we will stay where we are and not go up to them. | 9If they say to us, 'Stay there until we come to you,' then we will stay where we are and not go up to them. |
| 10But if they say, 'Come on up,' then we'll go up, because the LORD has handed them over to us--that will be our sign." | 10But if they say, 'Come up and fight us,' then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hands, and this will be the sign for us." |
| 11They let themselves be seen by the Philistine garrison, and the Philistines said, "Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they've been hiding!" | 11When the two of them showed themselves to the Philistine garrison, the Philistines said, "Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have been hiding." |
| 12The men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armor-bearer. "Come on up, and we'll teach you a lesson!" they said. "Follow me," Jonathan told his armor-bearer, "for the LORD has handed them over to Israel." | 12The men of the garrison responded to Jonathan and his armor bearer: "Come up and fight us, and we will show you something." Jonathan then told his armor bearer, "Follow me, for the LORD has given them into Israel's control." |
| 13Jonathan climbed up using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. Jonathan cut them down, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off. | 13Jonathan crawled up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer following him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor bearer who was behind him also killed some. |
| 14In that first assault Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about 20 men in a half-acre field. | 14In the initial attack, Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty men in an area of about half an acre of land. |
| 15Terror spread through the Philistine camp and the open fields to all the troops. Even the garrison and the raiding parties were terrified. The earth shook, and terror spread from God. | 15There was terror in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even the garrison and the raiders were terrified. The earth shook, and there was even greater terror. |
| 16When Saul's watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, they saw the panicking troops scattering in every direction. | 16Saul's sentries in Gibeah of Benjamin watched as the camp was in disarray, going this way and that. |
| 17So Saul said to the troops with him, "Call the roll and determine who has left us." They called the roll and saw that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were gone. | 17Saul told the people who were with him, "Do a roll call and see who has left us." They did a roll call, and Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there. |
| 18Saul told Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God," for it was with the Israelites at that time. | 18Saul told Ahijah, "Bring the Ark of God here." For at that time the Ark of God was with the Israelis. |
| 19While Saul spoke to the priest, the panic in the Philistine camp increased in intensity. So Saul said to the priest, "Stop what you're doing." | 19While Saul was still speaking to the priest, the commotion in the Philistine camp increased more and more, and Saul told the priest, "Remove your hand." |
| 20Saul and all the troops with him assembled and marched to the battle, and there, the Philistines were fighting against each other in great confusion! | 20Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled and went into battle. Now the swords of all the Philistines were against each other, and there was very great confusion. |
| 21There were Hebrews from the area who had gone earlier into the camp to join the Philistines, but even they joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. | 21The Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines, who had gone up with them from the surrounding areas to the camp, even they joined Israel and those who were with Saul and Jonathan. |
| 22When all the Israelite men who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they also joined Saul and Jonathan in the battle. | 22All the Israelis who had been hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, and even they pursued the Philistines in the battle. |
| 23So the LORD saved Israel that day. The battle extended beyond Beth-aven, | 23On that day the LORD delivered Israel, and the battle moved past Beth-aven. |
| 24and the men of Israel were worn out that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath: "The man who eats food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies is cursed." So none of the troops tasted any food. | 24The men of Israel were hard pressed on that day, and Saul required the army to take an oath: "Cursed is the person who eats food before evening and before I've been avenged of my enemies." So no one tasted food. |
| 25Everyone went into the forest, and there was honey on the ground. | 25Later on, all the soldiers entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. |
| 26When the troops entered the forest, they saw the flow of honey, but none of them ate any of it because they feared the oath. | 26The people came into the woods and there was flowing honey, but no one put his hand to his mouth to eat it because the people were afraid due to the oath. |
| 27However, Jonathan had not heard his father make the troops swear the oath. He reached out with the end of the staff he was carrying and dipped it into the honeycomb. When he ate the honey, he had renewed energy. | 27But Jonathan had not heard that his father had required the army to swear an oath, so he stretched out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb. He brought it back to his mouth and his eyes brightened. |
| 28Then, one of the troops said, "Your father made the troops solemnly swear, 'The man who eats food today is cursed,' and the troops are exhausted." | 28Then one of the people responded: "Your father strictly ordered the army to take an oath. That's why he said, 'Cursed is the person who eats food today,' and so the army is exhausted." |
| 29Jonathan replied, "My father has brought trouble to the land. Just look at how I have renewed energy because I tasted a little honey. | 29Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. |
| 30How much better if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Then the slaughter of the Philistines would have been much greater." | 30How much better if the army had eaten freely today of their enemy's spoil that they found, because the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great." |
| 31The Israelites struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash all the way to Aijalon. Since the Israelites were completely exhausted, | 31That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the army was very weary. |
| 32they rushed to the plunder, took sheep, cattle, and calves, slaughtered them on the ground, and ate meat with the blood still in it. | 32The army grabbed the spoil, took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground, and then the army ate them with the blood. |
| 33Some reported to Saul: "Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it." Saul said, "You have been unfaithful. Roll a large stone over here at once." | 33Someone reported this to Saul: "Right now the army is sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood." He said, "You have acted treacherously. Roll a large stone to me today." |
| 34He then said, "Go among the troops and say to them, 'Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep. Do the slaughtering here and then you can eat. Don't sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood in it.'" So every one of the troops brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. | 34Then Saul said, "Disperse yourselves among the soldiers and say to them, 'Let each man bring his ox and his sheep to me, and you are to slaughter them here and eat. But don't sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood.'" So every soldier brought his ox with him that night, and they slaughtered them there. |
| 35Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had built an altar to the LORD. | 35Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar that he built to the LORD. |
| 36Saul said, "Let's go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until morning. Don't let even one remain!" "Do whatever you want," the troops replied. But the priest said, "We must consult God here." | 36Saul said, "Let's go down after the Philistines tonight and plunder them until dawn, and let's not leave a single one of them alive." They said, "Do whatever seems good to you!" But the priest said, "Let's draw near to God here." |
| 37So Saul inquired of God, "Should I go after the Philistines? Will You hand them over to Israel?" But God did not answer him that day. | 37Saul inquired of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?" But God did not answer him that day. |
| 38Saul said, "All you leaders of the troops, come here. Let us investigate how this sin has occurred today. | 38Saul said, "All you army officers are to come here to find out what constitutes this sin today. |
| 39As surely as the LORD lives who saves Israel, even if it is because of my son Jonathan, he must die!" Not one of the troops answered him. | 39Indeed, as the LORD who delivers Israel lives, even if the sin is with my son Jonathan, he will surely die!" Not a single one of the soldiers answered him. |
| 40So he said to all Israel, "You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side." And the troops replied, "Do whatever you want." | 40Then he told all Israel, "You will be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side." The people told Saul, "Do what seems good to you." |
| 41So Saul said to the LORD, "God of Israel, give us the right decision." Jonathan and Saul were selected, and the troops were cleared of the charge. | 41Then Saul told the LORD God of Israel, "Judge us properly." Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the army was cleared. |
| 42Then Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan," and Jonathan was selected. | 42Saul said, "Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan," and Jonathan was selected. |
| 43Saul commanded him, "Tell me what you did." Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey with the end of the staff I was carrying. I am ready to die!" | 43Saul told Jonathan, "Tell me what you've done." So Jonathan spoke to him: "I did taste a little honey from the end of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I'm ready to die!" |
| 44Saul declared to him, "May God punish me and do so severely if you do not die, Jonathan!" | 44Saul said, "May God do this to me and even more, if you don't surely die, Jonathan!" |
| 45But the people said to Saul, "Must Jonathan die, who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? No, as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he worked with God's help today." So the people redeemed Jonathan, and he did not die. | 45Then the army told Saul, "Shall Jonathan die, who brought about this great deliverance in Israel? As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground, because today he did this with God's help." |
| 46Then Saul gave up the pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own territory. | 46Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back to their territory. |
| 47When Saul assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies in every direction: against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he caused havoc. | 47When Saul became king over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—against Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Everywhere he turned he was victorious. |
| 48He fought bravely, defeated the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hand of those who plundered them. | 48He acted valiantly, defeated Amalek, and delivered Israel from those who had been plundering them. |
| 49Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. The names of his two daughters were: Merab, his firstborn, and Michal, the younger. | 49Saul's sons included Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. Of his two daughters, the firstborn was named Merab, and the younger one was named Michal. |
| 50The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner son of Saul's uncle Ner. | 50Saul's wife was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz, while the commander of his army was Saul's uncle Ner's son Abner. |
| 51Saul's father was Kish. Abner's father was Ner son of Abiel. | 51Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel. |
| 52The conflict with the Philistines was fierce all of Saul's days, so whenever Saul noticed any strong or brave man, he enlisted him. | 52There was intense fighting against the Philistines during Saul's entire reign, and whenever Saul discovered a strong or valiant warrior, he would enlist him for service. |
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