| International Standard Version | New International Version |
| 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. | 1One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side." But he did not tell his father. |
| 2Saul was sitting on the outskirts of Geba under the pomegranate tree which was at Migron, and with him were about 600 men. | 2Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men, |
| 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. | 3among whom was Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was a son of Ichabod's brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's priest in Shiloh. No one was aware that Jonathan had left. |
| 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. | 4On each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost was a cliff; one was called Bozez and the other Seneh. |
| 5One crag rose on the north opposite Michmash, and the other on the south opposite Geba. | 5One cliff stood to the north toward Mikmash, the other to the south toward Geba. |
| 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." | 6Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, "Come, let's go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few." |
| 7His armor bearer told him, "Do whatever you want. Let's move out! I'm right here with you, as you wish." | 7"Do all that you have in mind," his armor-bearer said. "Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul." |
| 8Jonathan said, "Look, we're going over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. | 8Jonathan said, "Come on, then; we will cross over toward them and let them see us. |
| 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. | 9If they say to us, 'Wait there until we come to you,' we will stay where we are and not go up to them. |
| 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." | 10But if they say, 'Come up to us,' we will climb up, because that will be our sign that the LORD has given them into our hands." |
| 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." | 11So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. "Look!" said the Philistines. "The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in." |
| 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." | 12The men of the outpost shouted to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, "Come up to us and we'll teach you a lesson." So Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, "Climb up after me; the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel." |
| 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. | 13Jonathan climbed up, using his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer right behind him. The Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and killed behind him. |
| 14In the initial attack, Jonathan and his armor bearer struck down about twenty men in an area of about half an acre of land. | 14In that first attack Jonathan and his armor-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre. |
| 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. | 15Then panic struck the whole army--those in the camp and field, and those in the outposts and raiding parties--and the ground shook. It was a panic sent by God. |
| 16Saul's sentries in Gibeah of Benjamin watched as the camp was in disarray, going this way and that. | 16Saul's lookouts at Gibeah in Benjamin saw the army melting away in all directions. |
| 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. | 17Then Saul said to the men who were with him, "Muster the forces and see who has left us." When they did, it was Jonathan and his armor-bearer who were not there. |
| 18Saul told Ahijah, "Bring the Ark of God here." For at that time the Ark of God was with the Israelis. | 18Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God." (At that time it was with the Israelites.) |
| 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." | 19While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the Philistine camp increased more and more. So Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand." |
| 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. | 20Then Saul and all his men assembled and went to the battle. They found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords. |
| 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. | 21Those Hebrews who had previously been with the Philistines and had gone up with them to their camp went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. |
| 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. | 22When all the Israelites who had hidden in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were on the run, they joined the battle in hot pursuit. |
| 23On that day the LORD delivered Israel, and the battle moved past Beth-aven. | 23So on that day the LORD saved Israel, and the battle moved on beyond Beth Aven. |
| 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. | 24Now the Israelites were in distress that day, because Saul had bound the people under an oath, saying, "Cursed be anyone who eats food before evening comes, before I have avenged myself on my enemies!" So none of the troops tasted food. |
| 25Later on, all the soldiers entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. | 25The entire army entered the woods, and there was honey on the ground. |
| 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. | 26When they went into the woods, they saw the honey oozing out; yet no one put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. |
| 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. | 27But Jonathan had not heard that his father had bound the people with the oath, so he reached out the end of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. He raised his hand to his mouth, and his eyes brightened. |
| 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." | 28Then one of the soldiers told him, "Your father bound the army under a strict oath, saying, 'Cursed be anyone who eats food today!' That is why the men are faint." |
| 29Jonathan said, "My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. | 29Jonathan said, "My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. |
| 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." | 30How much better it would have been if the men had eaten today some of the plunder they took from their enemies. Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been even greater?" |
| 31That day they struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, and the army was very weary. | 31That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Mikmash to Aijalon, they were exhausted. |
| 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. | 32They pounced on the plunder and, taking sheep, cattle and calves, they butchered them on the ground and ate them, together with the blood. |
| 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." | 33Then someone said to Saul, "Look, the men are sinning against the LORD by eating meat that has blood in it." "You have broken faith," he said. "Roll a large stone over here at once." |
| 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. | 34Then he said, "Go out among the men and tell them, 'Each of you bring me your cattle and sheep, and slaughter them here and eat them. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with blood still in it.'" So everyone brought his ox that night and slaughtered it there. |
| 35Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar that he built to the LORD. | 35Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had done this. |
| 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." | 36Saul said, "Let us go down and pursue the Philistines by night and plunder them till dawn, and let us not leave one of them alive." "Do whatever seems best to you," they replied. But the priest said, "Let us inquire of God here." |
| 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. | 37So Saul asked God, "Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's hand?" But God did not answer him that day. |
| 38Saul said, "All you army officers are to come here to find out what constitutes this sin today. | 38Saul therefore said, "Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today. |
| 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. | 39As surely as the LORD who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die." But not one of them said a word. |
| 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." | 40Saul then said to all the Israelites, "You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here." "Do what seems best to you," they replied. |
| 41Then Saul told the LORD God of Israel, "Judge us properly." Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the army was cleared. | 41Then Saul prayed to the LORD, the God of Israel, "Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, respond with Thummim." Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared. |
| 42Saul said, "Cast lots between me and my son Jonathan," and Jonathan was selected. | 42Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was taken. |
| 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!" | 43Then Saul said to Jonathan, "Tell me what you have done." So Jonathan told him, "I tasted a little honey with the end of my staff. And now I must die!" |
| 44Saul said, "May God do this to me and even more, if you don't surely die, Jonathan!" | 44Saul said, "May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan." |
| 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." | 45But the men said to Saul, "Should Jonathan die--he who has brought about this great deliverance in Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for he did this today with God's help." So the men rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death. |
| 46Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went back to their territory. | 46Then Saul stopped pursuing the Philistines, and they withdrew to their own land. |
| 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. | 47After Saul had assumed rule over Israel, he fought against their enemies on every side: Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment on them. |
| 48He acted valiantly, defeated Amalek, and delivered Israel from those who had been plundering them. | 48He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of those who had plundered them. |
| 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. | 49Saul's sons were Jonathan, Ishvi and Malki-Shua. The name of his older daughter was Merab, and that of the younger was Michal. |
| 50Saul's wife was Ahinoam, daughter of Ahimaaz, while the commander of his army was Saul's uncle Ner's son Abner. | 50His wife's name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of Saul's army was Abner son of Ner, and Ner was Saul's uncle. |
| 51Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel. | 51Saul's father Kish and Abner's father Ner were sons of Abiel. |
| 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. | 52All the days of Saul there was bitter war with the Philistines, and whenever Saul saw a mighty or brave man, he took him into his service. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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