Jonathan’s Victory over the Philistines
One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.” But Jonathan did not tell his father. 1Sa 13:21Sa 13:221Sa 14:39-451Sa 18:1-41Sa 25:192Sa 1:25-262Sa 1:4-5Jdg 14:6
Meanwhile, Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree 1in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. And the troops who were with him numbered about six hundred men, 1Sa 13:15-16Isa 10:28-29 including Ahijah, who was wearing an ephod. He was the son of Ichabod’s brother Ahitub son of Phinehas, the son of Eli the priest of the LORD in Shiloh. But the troops did not know that Jonathan had left. 1Sa 2:281Sa 22:201Sa 4:211Sa 22:9-12Exo 28:26-32
Now there were cliffs on both sides of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost. One was named Bozez and the other Seneh. 1Sa 13:23 One cliff stood to the north toward Michmash, and the other to the south toward Geba.
Jonathan said to the young man bearing his armor, “Come, let us cross over to the outpost of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the LORD will work on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few.” Mat 19:26Rom 8:31Zec 4:6Deu 32:302Ch 14:11Psa 115:1-32Ki 19:42Sa 16:12
His armor-bearer replied, “Do all that is in your heart. Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” 2Sa 7:31Sa 10:7Psa 46:7Zec 8:23
“Very well,” said Jonathan, “we will cross over toward these men and show ourselves to them. Jdg 7:9-14 If they say, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stay where we are and will not go up to them. Gen 24:13-14Jdg 6:36-40 But if they say, ‘Come on up,’ then we will go up, because this will be our sign that the LORD has delivered them into our hands.” Gen 24:141Sa 10:7Jdg 7:11Isa 7:11-14Jdg 6:36
So the two of them showed themselves to the outpost of the Philistines, who exclaimed, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they were hiding!” 1Sa 13:61Sa 14:22Jdg 6:2
So the men of the outpost called out to Jonathan and his armor-bearer, “Come on up, and we will teach you a lesson!” 1Sa 17:43-442Sa 5:241Sa 14:102Ki 14:82Sa 2:14-17Gen 24:26-27Gen 24:42Gen 24:48
“Follow me,” Jonathan told his armor-bearer, “for the LORD has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”
So Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armor-bearer behind him. And the Philistines fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer followed and finished them off. Deu 28:7Deu 32:30Heb 11:34Jos 23:10Lev 26:7-8Psa 18:29Rom 8:31 In that first assault, Jonathan and his armor-bearer struck down about twenty men over half an acre 2of land.
Then terror struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked and panic spread from God. 3 1Sa 13:17Gen 35:52Ki 7:6-72Sa 5:24Exo 19:181Sa 13:23Dan 5:6Jdg 7:21
Now when Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin looked and saw the troops melting away and scattering in every direction, 4 1Sa 14:202Ch 20:22-25Isa 19:2Jdg 7:22Psa 58:7Psa 68:2 Saul said to the troops who were with him, “Call the roll and see who has left us.”
And when they had called the roll, they saw that Jonathan and his armor-bearer were not there.
Then Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God.” (For at that time it was with the Israelites.) 5 1Sa 30:7-81Sa 4:3-51Sa 5:21Sa 7:12Sa 11:112Sa 15:24-26Jdg 20:18Jdg 20:23 While Saul was talking to the priest, the commotion in the Philistine camp continued to increase. So Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 1Sa 14:24Num 27:211Sa 13:11Isa 28:16Jos 9:14Psa 106:13
Then Saul and all his troops assembled and marched to the battle, and they found the Philistines in total confusion, with each man wielding the sword against his neighbor. 2Ch 20:23Jdg 7:221Sa 14:16Isa 19:2Isa 9:19-21 And the Hebrews who had previously gone up into the surrounding camps of the Philistines now went over to the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 1Sa 29:4Jdg 7:23 When all the Israelites 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. 1Sa 13:61Sa 31:7
So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle moved on beyond Beth-aven. Exo 14:301Sa 13:5Psa 44:6-8Hos 1:72Ki 14:27Jdg 2:18
Jonathan Eats the Honey
Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food. Jos 6:26Rom 10:21Co 16:221Sa 14:27-30Deu 27:15-26Jdg 1:28Jdg 11:30-31Jdg 21:1-5
Then all the troops entered the forest, and there was honey on the ground. Deu 9:28Exo 3:8Num 13:27Mat 3:4-5 And when they entered the forest and saw the flowing honey, not one of them put his hand to his mouth, because they feared the oath. Ecc 9:2
Jonathan, however, had not heard that his father had charged the people with the oath. So he reached out the end of the staff in his hand, dipped it into the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened. 6 1Sa 14:291Sa 14:431Sa 30:12Pro 25:26 Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.” 1Sa 14:241Sa 14:43
“My father has brought trouble to the land,” Jonathan replied. “Just look at how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 1Ki 18:18Jos 7:25 How much better it would have been if the troops had eaten freely today from the plunder they took from their enemies! Would not the slaughter of the Philistines have been much greater?” Ecc 9:18
That day, after the Israelites had struck down the Philistines from Michmash to Aijalon, the people were very faint. Jos 10:12Jos 19:42 So they rushed greedily to the plunder, taking sheep, cattle, and calves. They slaughtered them on the ground and ate meat with the blood still in it. 1Sa 15:19Lev 3:17Deu 12:16Gen 9:4Lev 17:10-14Lev 19:26Act 15:20Deu 12:23-24
Then someone reported to Saul: “Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.” Rom 2:1Mat 7:5
“You have broken faith,” said Saul. “Roll a large stone over here at once.” Then he said, “Go among the troops and tell them, ‘Each man must bring me his ox or his sheep, slaughter them in this place, and then eat. Do not sin against the LORD by eating meat with the blood still in it.’”
So that night everyone brought his ox and slaughtered it there. Then Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first time he had built an altar to the LORD. 1Sa 7:171Sa 7:121Sa 7:92Ti 3:5Hos 8:14Jdg 21:4
And Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night and plunder them until dawn, leaving no man alive!” Psa 73:28Isa 48:1-21Sa 11:111Sa 14:18-191Sa 14:3Isa 58:2Jas 4:8Jer 6:5
“Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied.
But the priest said, “We must consult God here.”
The People Save Jonathan
So Saul inquired of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You give them into the hand of Israel?” 1Sa 28:61Ki 22:151Ki 22:51Sa 23:41Sa 23:9-121Sa 30:7-82Sa 5:192Sa 5:23
But God did not answer him that day.
Therefore Saul said, “Come here, all you leaders of the troops, and let us investigate how this sin has occurred today. 1Sa 10:19-202Sa 18:3Jdg 20:2Jos 7:11Jos 7:14-26Num 24:17Psa 47:9Zec 10:4 As surely as the LORD who saves Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must die!” 1Sa 14:442Sa 12:51Sa 14:241Sa 19:61Sa 20:311Sa 22:161Sa 28:10Ecc 9:2
But not one of the troops said a word.
Then Saul said to all Israel, “You stand on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will stand on the other side.” 1Sa 14:361Sa 14:72Sa 15:15
“Do what seems good to you,” the troops replied.
So Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel, “Why have You not answered Your servant this day? If the fault is with me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim; but if the fault is with the men of Israel, respond with Thummim.” 7 And Jonathan and Saul were selected, but the people were cleared of the charge. Act 1:241Sa 10:20-21Jos 7:16-18Jon 1:7Pro 16:33
Then Saul said, “Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.” And Jonathan was selected.
“Tell me what you have done,” Saul commanded him. Jos 7:191Sa 14:27Jon 1:7-10
So Jonathan told him, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the staff that was in my hand. And now I must die?”
And Saul declared, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if you, Jonathan, do not surely die!” 1Sa 14:39Rut 1:171Sa 25:222Sa 12:312Sa 12:52Sa 19:132Sa 3:9Gen 38:24
But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” 2Sa 14:11Act 27:34Luk 21:181Ki 1:522Co 6:1Mat 10:30Act 15:12Act 21:19
So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die. Then Saul gave up his pursuit of the Philistines, and the Philistines returned to their own land.
Saul’s Victories
After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings 8of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them. 9 2Sa 10:61Sa 14:521Ki 11:231Sa 11:1-131Sa 12:21Sa 13:12Ki 14:272Sa 8:3 He fought valiantly and defeated the Amalekites, delivering Israel from the hands of its plunderers. 1Sa 15:3-7Deu 25:19Exo 17:14
Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua. His two daughters were named Merab (his firstborn) and Michal (his younger daughter). 1Ch 8:331Sa 31:21Ch 9:392Sa 6:20-231Sa 18:7-211Sa 25:442Sa 3:13-16 His wife’s name was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the commander of his army was Abner, the son of Saul’s uncle Ner. 2Sa 2:81Sa 17:552Sa 3:27 Saul’s father Kish and Abner’s father Ner were sons of Abiel. 1Sa 9:11Sa 9:21
And the war with the Philistines was fierce for all the days of Saul. So whenever he noticed any strong or brave man, Saul would enlist him. 1Sa 8:111Sa 8:1