NOW it came to pass upon a day, that Yonathan the son of Sha'ul said unto the young man that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over to the Pelishtiym's garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father.
And Sha'ul tarried in the uttermost part of Giv'ah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;
And Achiyahu, the son of Achiytuv, Iy-kavod's brother, the son of Piynechac, the son of Eliy, Yahuah's priest in Shiyloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Yonathan was gone.
And between the passages, by which Yonathan sought to go over unto the Pelishtiym's garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Botsets, and the name of the other Ceneh.
The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Mikmash, and the other southward over against Giv'ah.
And Yonathan said to the young man that bore his armor, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that Yahuah will work for us: for there is no restraint to Yahuah to save by many or by few.
And his armorbearer said unto him, Do all that is in your heart: turn you; behold, I am with you according to your heart.
Then said Yonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.
If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.
But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for Yahuah has delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.
And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Pelishtiym: and the Pelishtiym said, Behold, the Ivriym come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
And the men of the garrison answered Yonathan and his armorbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. And Yonathan said unto his armorbearer, Come up after me: for Yahuah has delivered them into the hand of Yashar'el.
And Yonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armorbearer after him: and they fell before Yonathan; and his armorbearer slew after him.
And that first slaughter, which Yonathan and his armorbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were a half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.
And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.
And the watchmen of Sha'ul in Giv'ah of Binyamiyn looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another.
Then said Sha'ul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Yonathan and his armorbearer were not there.
And Sha'ul said unto Achiyahu, Bring hither the Ark of Elohiym. For the Ark of Elohiym was at that time with the children of Yashar'el.
And it came to pass, while Sha'ul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Pelishtiym went on and increased: and Sha'ul said unto the priest, Withdraw your hand.
And Sha'ul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.
Moreover the Ivriym that were with the Pelishtiym before that time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with Yashar'el that were with Sha'ul and Yonathan.
Likewise all the men of Yashar'el which had hid themselves in Mount Ephrayim, when they heard that the Pelishtiym fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.
So Yahuah saved Yashar'el that day: and the battle passed over unto Beyt Aven.
And the men of Yashar'el were distressed that day: for Sha'ul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eats any food until evening, that I may be avenged on my enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground.
And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath.
But Yonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened.
Then answered one of the people, and said, Your father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eats any food this day. And the people were faint.
Then said Yonathan, My father has troubled the land: see, I pray you, how my eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey.
How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Pelishtiym?
And they smote the Pelishtiym that day from Mikmash to Ayalon: and the people were very faint.
And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood.
Then they told Sha'ul, saying, Behold, the people sin against Yahuah, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.
And Sha'ul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither here every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against Yahuah in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there.
And Sha'ul built an altar unto Yahuah: the same was the first altar that he built unto Yahuah.
And Sha'ul said, Let us go down after the Pelishtiym by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seems good unto you. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto Elohiym.
And Sha'ul asked counsel of Elohiym, Shall I go down after the Pelishtiym? will you deliver them into the hand of Yashar'el? But he answered him not that day.
And Sha'ul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin has been this day.
For, as Yahuah lives, which saves Yashar'el, though it be in Yonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him.
Then said he unto all Yashar'el, Be ye on one side, and I and Yonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto El-Sha'ul, Do what seems good unto you.
Therefore Sha'ul said unto -El-Yahuah Elohai of Yashar'el, Give a perfect lot. And Sha'ul and Yonathan were taken: but the people escaped.
And Sha'ul said, Cast lots between me and Yonathan my son. And Yonathan was taken.
Then Sha'ul said to El-Yonathan, Tell me what you have done. And Yonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand, and, lo, I must die.
And Sha'ul answered, Elohiym do so and more also: for you shall surely die, Yonathan.
And the people said unto El-Sha'ul, Shall Yonathan die, who has wrought this great yeshu`ah in Yashar'el? Far be it: as Yahuah lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has wrought with Elohiym this day. So the people rescued Yonathan, that he died not.
Then Sha'ul went up from following the Pelishtiym: and the Pelishtiym went to their own place.
So Sha'ul took the kingdom over Yashar'el, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Mo'av, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Tsovah, and against the Pelishtiym: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.
And he gathered a host, and smote the Amaleqiym, and delivered Yashar'el out of the hands of them that spoiled them.
Now the sons of Sha'ul were Yonathan, and Yishviy, and Malkiyshua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merav, and the name of the younger Miykal:
And the name of Sha'ul's woman was Achiyno`am, the daughter of Achiyma`ats: and the name of the captain of his host was Avner, the son of Ner, Sha'ul's uncle.
And Qiysh was the father of Sha'ul; and Ner the father of Avner was the son of Aviy'el.
And there was sore war against the Pelishtiym all the days of Sha'ul: and when Sha'ul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.