The Lord Lets Jonathan Confront the Philistines |
1 Samuel 14:1-52 The Book of 1 Samuel [in Smaller Chunks] |
[It happened] on a day, that Jonathan, [Saul’s] son, said to the young man [who carried] his armor, Come, let’s go over to the other side of the Philistine’s [camp,] but he [didn’t tell] his father. |
Saul [stayed] in the [furthest] part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree [that] is in Migron with about 600 men. |
Ahiah, [Ahitub’s] son & [Ichabod’s] brother, [who] was the son of Phinehas, [Eli’s] son, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh. [1 Samuel 2:28 And [didn’t] I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon [My] altar, to burn incense & to wear an ephod before Me? And [didn’t] I give to the house of your father all the offerings made by fire of the children [people] of Israel?] |
The [Israelites didn’t [now] that Jonathan was gone. Jonathan [tried] to go over to the Philistine’s [camp] between the [passes,] but there was a sharp rock on [both sides] & the name of the 1 [rock] was Boaz & the other [was] Seneh. |
The [front] of 1 [rock faced] north [toward] Michmash & the other south to Gibeah [a.k.a. Geba or Jaba.] Jonathan said to the young man [who carried] his armor, Come, let’s go over to the [camp] of these uncircumcised [Philistines.] |
It may be that the Lord will work for us, for there is no [limit] to the Lord, to save [us] by many or by [just a] few. His armor [carrier] said, Do all that is in your heart. You turn & [see,] I am with you, according to your [heart’s desire.] Then, Jonathan said, [Look,] we will [cross] over to these men & will [show] ourselves to them. |
If they say, [Wait] until we come to you, we will stand still in our place & not go up to them. But if they say, Come up to us, then we will go up, for the Lord [God] has delivered them into our hand & this shall be [the] sign to us. |
[They]] both [showed] themselves to the [camp] of the Philistines & the Philistines said, [See,] the Hebrews [have] come out of the [caves] where they had [hidden] themselves. |
The men of the [camp] answered Jonathan & his armor bearer & said, Come up to us & we will show you [something.] Jonathan [told] his armor bearer, Come up after me: for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel. |
Jonathan climbed up with his hands & feet & his armor bearer [went] after him. And [the Philistines] fell before Jonathan & his armor bearer [killed the rest.] That 1st [defeat] Jonathan & his armor bearer made, was about 20 men, within 1/2 acre of land, [like a pair] of oxen might plow. |
There was trembling in the [army,] in the field & among all the [camp] & [Philistine] people. [Even those who plunder] trembled & the earth quaked with [so much] trembling. |
[Saul’s] watchmen in Gibeah of Benjamin looked & [saw] the multitude melted away, beating one another down. Then, Saul said to the people with him, [Count yourselves so, we know] who is gone from us. |
[It turned out that] Jonathan & his armor bearer weren’t there. Saul said to Ahiah, Bring the Ark of God [here.] At that time, the Ark of God was with the children [people] of Israel. |
It [happened,] while Saul talked to the priest, the noise of the Philistine [army continued to get louder] & Saul said to the priest, Withdraw your hand. Saul & all the people with him assembled themselves & came to the battle & [saw] every man’s sword was against his [neighbor] in the great [confusion.] |
[Also,] the Hebrews [who had previously gone up & surrounded the Philistine camp joined] the Israelites with Saul & Jonathan. All the [Israelites who had hidden] themselves in Mount Ephraim, followed hard after the Philistines in battle [upon hearing they had] fled. |
So, the Lord saved Israel that day & the battle passed over to Beth Aven. The men of Israel were distressed, because Saul had [put them under an oath,] saying, Cursed [is] the man [who] eats any food until evening, [so] I may have [revenge on my] enemies. So none of the people [ate] any food. |
[When] they came to [the woods,] the honey dropped [from the trees] to the ground, but no man [tasted it, because] the people [were scared of Saul’s] oath. But Jonathan [hadn’t] heard his father [order] the people with the oath. |
[Jonathan] dipped the end of the rod in his hand & into [the] honeycomb & put it [into] his mouth & his eyes [brightened.] One of the people said, Your father [strictly ordered us] with an oath, saying, Cursed [is] the man [who] eats any food this day. The people were faint & Jonathan said, My father has troubled the land. |
I pray [that you see] how my eyes have been [brightened,] because I tasted a little of this honey. How much more [would it have been if only] the people had eaten freely of the [plunder] of their enemies [that] they found? |
[Wouldn’t there have] been a much [larger] slaughter among the Philistines? They [attacked] the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon & the people were very faint. |
The people flew upon the [plunder] & took sheep, oxen & calves & [killed] them on the ground & [ate] them with the blood. [Genesis 9:3-4 Every moving thing that lives shall be [food] for you; even [like] the green [herbs.] I have given you all things. But the [meat] with [its] blood, you shall not eat, which is [its life blood.] |
Then, they told Saul saying, [Look,] the people sin against the Lord [by eating] with the blood. [Saul said,] You have [sinned.] Roll a [large rock] to me this day. |
[Saul] said, [Spread out] among the people & say to them, Every man bring me his ox & sheep & [kill] them here & eat & don’t sin against the Lord [by] eating with the blood & all the people brought [their] ox there that night & [killed it] there. |
Saul built an altar to the Lord [like] the 1st altar he built to the Lord. Saul said Let’s go down after the Philistines [at] night & [plunder] them until [daybreak] & not leave any man of them [alive.] They said, Do [what seems] good to you. |
The priest said, Let’s draw near to God [here.] Saul [consulted] God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you deliver them into the [hands] of Israel? But [the Lord God] didn’t answer [Saul] that day. |
Saul [asked] the [leaders] of the [Israelites] to draw [close] & said, [Why] has this sin [happened] this day? For as the Lord lives, [Who] saves Israel, [even if it is] Jonathan, my son, he shall surely die. |
But there wasn’t a man among all the people [who] answered [Saul.] Then [Saul] said to all Israel, [You stand] on 1 side & Jonathan & I will stand on the other side. And the people said, Do what seems good to you. |
Therefore, Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot & Saul & Jonathan were [selected by lot]: but the people [were considered innocent.] Saul said, Cast lots between me & Jonathan, my son & Jonathan was [selected.] |
Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what you have done. Jonathan told him, I [just tasted] a little honey with the end of the rod in [my] hand & [so] I must die. Saul answered, God do so & more: for you shall surely die, Jonathan. |
The [Israelites] said to Saul, Shall Jonathan die [who brought about] this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord [lives] not 1 hair of his head shall fall to the ground; for he has [done this] with God [today.] |
So the people rescued Jonathan, [so] he [didn’t] die. Saul [stopped] following the Philistines & the Philistines [returned] to their own place. |
[When] Saul [became king] over Israel & fought against all his enemies on every side against: Moab, [Ammonites,] Edom, the kings of Zobah & Philistines & [wherever] he turned, [Saul caused trouble for] them. |
[Saul] gathered an [army & attacked] the Amalekites & delivered Israel out of the hands of [those who plundered] them. Saul’s sons were: Jonathan, Ishui, Melchi Shua & his 2 daughters were: Merab, the 1st born, & Michal, the younger. |
The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the captain of [Saul’s army] was Abner, [Ner’s] son, [Saul’s] uncle. Kish was the father of Saul & Ner [was] the father of Abner, [Abiel’s] son. |
There was [a severe] war against the Philistines all of [Saul’s life.] When Saul saw any strong or valiant man, he [enlisted him into his army.] |